The gang leaders knew that they all needed to attack at once. If Blaze couldn't defeat Alex by himself, then neither could the rest of them.
They looked at each other, and then they ran forward. Moments later, a large number of people had surrounded Alex. But Alex was still proving difficult to beat.
Alex knew he had too many opponents. He was holding his own, but eventually, he would grow tired and start to make mistakes. At that point, he would lose.
He fought decisively and without mercy, determined to keep going. He punched a man in the face, and the gang member went down, his nose broken.
Another man attacked Alex from behind, but Alex kicked backward, hitting the man right in the abdomen and sending him flying. A cracking sound suggested that several ribs were broken, so the man wouldn't be getting back up for a while.
Several people rushed at Alex, and he jumped up, spinning around and lashing out with both hands and feet, taking out several opponents.
All around Alex, people were being knocked to the floor, most of them unable to get back up.
No one seemed able to injure Alex, and the Moon disciples thought he was amazing.
"Attack the women!" Blaze shouted the order. He hoped that if the gang members attacked the disciples, it might divide Alex's attention. If Alex was distracted, then they might be able to defeat him.
"On it," someone called, and then many of the men ran straight at the disciples.
"Attack!" cried the Moon maidens. "Fight back and avenge our fallen sisters!"
The other women cheered their agreement, keen to attack these men who had invaded their home and insulted them. Now they could finally make the men pay.
More than seven hundred women joined the fight against the gangs.
Alex looked back, checking that the injured Callisto was still guarding Debbie.
Although Callisto had been hurt by Blaze's attack, she was still strong enough to defend Debbie from anyone who got too close.
But Alex was still worried about Debbie's safety.
He kicked a man in the back, sending him sprawling, and then he made his way over to Debbie.
Blaze realized where Alex was going, and he looked over at the unconscious woman. He realized she must be important to Alex, and he wondered if he could use the woman against him.
Alex reached Callisto, but he had been followed by several gang members, who were still trying to attack him.
He grabbed one of Callisto's scarves and snapped the wire inside it into little pieces.
"Get out of here!" Alex yelled, tossing out the pieces of wire as though they were throwing stars. The wires flew like bullets, hitting several of the men, who then fell to the ground, groaning with pain.
"That's his woman!" Blaze cried, pointing at Debbie. "Kill her first!"
The other men followed his gaze, and then they sprang into action, attacking Debbie.
Alex was startled and scrambled to put Debbie on his back, but he was surrounded by dozens of gang members.
He was watching the men in front of him when he heard a noise from behind. Surprised, he turned around to see two men reaching for Debbie.
"Don't even think about it!" Alex yelled, kicking the men away.
"Do you really expect to survive this?" Blaze asked, laughing. He struck out, and Alex was unable to dodge the blow. It hit him right in the face, sending him to the ground, and blood trickled from his split lip. A quick check assured him that Debbie was unharmed.
"Look!" Blaze said, pointing at him. "He can't fight us while he's protecting the woman!" He turned to the men and screamed, "Get him!"
Dozens of men rushed at Alex.
Alex knew he was no match for these people. He had to protect Debbie, and that put him at a disadvantage. He couldn't hold her and fight, so if he stayed, they would both be killed but if he ran away with Debbie then the women won't be able to fight for long. He was getting pulled between his love and his responsibility.
Suddenly Calisto yelled, "Mr. Alex, please run and save Debbie. Don't think about us. We will fight till our last breaths. We are Georgina's disciples, we won't give up so easily. Run, save Debbie."
Alex looked around, planning his retreat.
"There's no escape," Blaze told him. "Only death." He moved closer, wanting to end this quickly.
Debbie groaned, and then she roused enough to be sick. Worryingly, her vomit contained a trace of blood.
"Debbie?" Alex asked, really worried. "Are you okay?" He needed to find a quiet place where he could push his inner power into her and make her better.
He didn't have time to fight with Blaze, so he fled, still carrying Debbie on his back. He needed to stabilize Debbie's condition, and then he would come back to save the Moon Palace.
"Don't let him get away!" Blaze shouted. "Kill him!" He chased after Alex, and the other gang members followed him.
Although Alex was carrying Debbie, he was still faster than Blaze, but he couldn't quite manage to lose him.
He ran into a pine forest, and he noticed that the air seemed clearer and more peaceful, making it easier to breathe.
Strangely, Blaze and the other men were nowhere in sight. They seemed to have disappeared.
"What's going on?" Alex wondered, looking around.
He stopped and listened carefully for any sign of the men pursuing him.
It was eerily quiet. Pale moonlight shone on scattered leaves on the ground, and there were no signs of anyone nearby.
He let out a breath, unsure why the others were no longer chasing them, but relieved they weren't.
"How are you, Debbie?" Alex asked as he placed her gently on the ground. Her face was far too pale and there was a trace of blood around her mouth. Her body was limp, and she was shivering uncontrollably in the cold air.
"I'll give you some of my internal power," he said, placing her on the ground, propped up against a tree. He sat beside her and tried to pass some of his power to her, hoping it could heal her.
"Who are you, and how did you get in here?" a voice called from among the trees.
Alex looked around, but he couldn't see anyone. The voice seemed to have come from nowhere.
"Who are you?" the voice asked again. "And how did you get through my barrier?"
Alex stood up, ready to carry Debbie away.
A flash of white came from the dark forest as a man rushed out. Alex was surprised by the attack and scrambled to defend himself. The man was incredibly strong, and Alex had to work hard to block him.
Alex was shocked. The man used moves that were more powerful than Alex's, and Alex struggled to cope.
The man moved back a little, and Alex realized he was an older man with white hair.
"I recognize that fighting style," the man said, looking at Alex. "Who are you? And why do you fight like Georgina?"