Kirika felt the fog recede, the sapping of her magic slowing. She looked around slowly, feeling a headache coming on. Ophelia was wheeling around on her mount, roaring a cry to Albertine, who followed her, as they disappeared into the fog. Kirika wanted to chase them, to hunt them down, but she was so tired. She looked down at her soul gem. Its blood red hue was slowly darkening, just like Oriko's had.

"Kirika!" Oriko's voice gasped, as she ran into her and hugged her tightly, "Are you okay? Your soul gem!" Oriko stared down at Kirika's soul gem, her face slowly paling.

"I'm fine," Kirika stepped back, "I should go and hunt down Ophelia." Oriko stared at Kirika in surprise.

"You aren't going to go after her. You can't defeat her alone, and you know that!"

"We need a grief seed, though!" Kirika protested, taking a step back. Oriko sighed.

'Kirika, you know that I can't lose you. If you get badly hurt or killed, I will never forgive myself." Kirika looked down at the ground helplessly.

'But-"

"Madoka."

"Huh?" Madoka looked up at the sound of Kyubey's voice. Kyubey stood there, his white pelt glowing against the grey fog.

"Can you see Homura's soul gem?" Kyubey nudged Homura's left hand, with a paw, the hand which had a purple diamond on it. A purple soul gem which was on the very edge of turning into a grief seed.

Madoka gasped. Grasping Homura's hand protectively, she clutched it, her eyes fearful.

"You could just make a wish here and then," Kyubey's persuasive voice came, "You could wish for anything, you could wish for Homura's soul gem to be cleansed, you save her. Don't you think that you should help her? After all those times she's helped you and saved you, doesn't she deserve a bit of a reward. You're her friend, Madoka, you should help her, and you can help her. Just contract with me, and everything will be alright."

Yuuki slashed again at Nova. Her head was clearing, and she felt much better, more powerful, and more unstoppable. Little did she know, that behind her left ear, her soul gem darkened even more, rays of light flashing through briefly.

"Kyuubey had better hurry up," Jyuubey remarked, staring at the screen showing Ophelia's labryinth, "I'm getting a lot of negative energy from the arena. All the magical girls are at their limit. We have to get the energy Madoka Kaname has, before they all turn into witches, and we'll have to set about, looking for more magical girls."

Yuuki slashed again at Nova, feeling satisfaction as the blade cut through one of Nova's legs. Blood dripped onto the ground, and the sight of it sent Yuuki into a fighting frenzy. Turning into a whirlwind of steel, she slashed and hacked at Nova greedily, wanting her to feel the pain and suffer. Nova's screams were doubled, as Cecilia's screams joined in. Finally, Yuuki stabbed Nova in a finishing blow, killing her. As her limp, lifeless body fell to the ground, Yuuki heard the agonised scream of Cecilia, as she arched in pain, her one eye glowing red, as she howled, the labryinth shaking with the volume.

"What?!" Yuuki gaped, "She's not dead?!" Dread clenched her stomach as she realised what has just happened.