So much had happened in only fifteen minutes, Cassandra could barely register everything happening.

Her mouth was slightly open as she stared at the stranger that had seemingly launched out of nowhere and hit the magic wrapped teen.

She wasn't quite sure what to say or do at that moment. Her brain was too overloaded along with her emotions.

Which was completely unlike her. She was the daughter of the captain of the guard back in Corona! She had been trained to take chaos in within less then a minute and evaluate it.
Take it in without feeling besides pure judgment.

But here she was now, confused and her emotions a crazy mess.

Who was, no that didn't matter who these people were at this point; WHAT exactly was even happening anymore??

First, Diverion went nuts and used Calliope as a hostage to try to get away, next she saw his eyes changing with different colors, then smoky threads of magic started to come off him as he limped his way into the trees and then he went insane laughing like a maniac, before finally coming out of it when the guy who jumped out of nowhere just to hit him with a bow-staff claiming he was going to kill a demon!!!

Wasn't magic impossible?? Wasn't it all destroyed!?

When Varian has sacrificed himself using the ultimate incantation, it was supposed to wipe out everything and anyone with magic!

So why was Diverion using it? How?!?

Is that why his eyes swirled with blue and amber when his mask came off? Was it some kind of magic to try to fool her??
But that didn't make any sense.

Diverion had insisted he wasn't Varian, so why would he make his face look like Varian's and why would he want his face to begin with?? And why were they now changing the way they were??

To mess with her? Throw her off her guard?? Sabotage her mission to find Varian?? It didn't make any sense-

And even if he had some face changing magic how was he able to use that dark magic that seemed to circle him in smoky wisps?
Varian's act should've stopped that especially!!
Hubert had lost all his magic he had learned and gotten from the secret Saporian cult, so shouldn't all dark magic be gone for sure?!!

Unless he really was some kind of demon like the stranger claimed... but the big battle... they had taken care of them all!

Hadn't they??

She felt herself getting more angry and sad by the second as she thought about the sweet freckled alchemist who had given his life. Was it all for nothing what he had done?

Cass grimaced as she glanced at the shaking and injured teen behind her and the newcomer who was annoyingly shadowed by the sun.

She could freak out about all this and get her answers later, but for now she needed to pull herself together.

She was tired of letting her emotions control her. It had happened once, she was never going to let it happen again.

And she certainly wasn't going to let some random guy kill off Diverion, even if he was a dark magic psycho. That was her job if she decided to take care of him.
She had found him.
Not this punk.

Standing up from her kneeled position beside Diverion, she curled her free hand into a fist while drawing her sword. Planting herself there, her legs and arms poised and declaring herself an impassible force.

Hubert, curse him, was just standing there looking back and forth doing nothing useful.
But that didn't matter, she could take care of this newcomer. Whatever he called himself.

"You're not eliminating anybody! So just back off! No one asked for your assistance, so get lost Sith!!", she called narrowing her eyes.

She was surprised at he just reacted like they were old friends sharing a joke.

"Sith?? It's actually Set.", the guy started laughing good naturally before taking a couple of casual steps forward, revealing his features. "Also hate to tell ya lady, he's got to go. He's definitely a strong demon, believe me."

Cassandra immediately took in his traits, trying to pin down what kind of person he was and where he had come from.

Wearing a sleeveless shirt and vest over loose pants, he could have come from really anywhere, though he seemed a bit exotic. It was hard to tell still from her short evaluation but she could see some charm around his neck.

His brown eyes though sparkled mischievously at her under his thick short hair as it blew gently in the breeze with the fall leaves.

She then realized how young he was.

Heck. It was just a teen.

She rolled her eyes.
Just what she needed, some 'macho' teen who thought he could become a hero by slaying some demons; and again whether Diverion was one or not, she wasn't letting this idiot do anything.

He would most likely get himself hurt if anything.

Cass raised an eyebrow, "Assuming you're correct and he is a demon, what would make you think you can eliminate him kid?", she questioned, "Also what makes you say he's a demon anyway, he isn't green or anything like that."

Set smirked and put his bow-staff against his shoulder casually, "It's pretty easy to tell, first, he's got demon magic coming off of him and second, I can feel his demonic energy.
Also just because he isn't green doesn't mean he's a demon. There's been plenty of demons hiding in a mortal form.", he then looked at her serious, his face losing its playfulness, "And don't worry about me being able to take care of myself. I've been doing this for a while now."

"He isn't a demon.", she said stubbornly blocking the way still, "Just stay out of this kid, I've got him."

Cass watched as the teenager looked at her exasperated and determinedly.

He bent his head to the side before sighing, "If ya don't move, I'm going to have to fight ya lady and move you myself. I don't want to go fighting a pretty chick like you, so please, let the professionals deal with this."

Chick?! CHICK!!?
Who did this teen think he was? Worse still, was he humoring her, not taking her seriously??

Yeah, she was more then ready for a fight now.

"I'm not letting you near him.", she said through clenched teeth, "So if a battle is what you want kid, you're getting it!"

"Cassandra...", She heard Andrew say uneasily but ignored him.

Set shrugged, "Can't cry if you get beat lady, I did warn you."

He then twirled his bow-staff for show before sliding it behind his back to keep it in place.

She then tensed and readied herself as he suddenly took off running towards her and Diverion, legs and arms pumping.

Was this plan? To charge her with his own body?

It wasn't like he was exactly huge or anything.

Cass ran to meet him, swinging her sword in a defensive arc to keep him back before she sheathed it in one swift, clean motion and kicked out with her left leg to throw him off balance.

She didn't want to kill the guy, but she didn't want to get to soft on him either. Best to beat him up a bit and give him something to remember by.

Set didn't even seem fazed as he dodged her sword-stroke and ended up getting struck by her foot.

She watched as he tumbled in the opposite direction from the force of her kick, but he recovered instantly and ran towards her again his eyes set on both her and his target.

Cass threw a combination of kicks and punches as he got closer and tried to grabbing him in order to flip him onto his back.

She grimaced as he blocked them, fighting her back and fending off all her attacks.

Cass threw another couple of fast punches at his jaw and chest, faking some out. But he came and met them with a strong arm, minimizing and blocking off her attacks. 

They stood there for a minute, punching and kicking, swerving, and blocking until it was a mess of arms and movements.

He continued harder, pressing his way forward slowly as they continued to jab at each other, only a couple of inches away from each other.

They both were starting to get sweaty as they focused on their swings for defense and offense.

Suddenly he backed up, surprising Cassandra as he leapt several feet away, his hands and feet still tensed in a position to fight.

"Getting tired already?", she asked smiling a little, "I told you if you were gonna look for I fight, I was ready to give it kid."

Set didn't answer as he then ran towards her again and suddenly slid under her legs as she tried to knock him aside. Cass whipped around and grabbed his arm, stopping him from going any further.

They struggled as he tried to pull away on the ground as she tried to pull him up and away from where Diverion lay.

"Stop... making... things... so... DIFFICULT!!", the teen grunted as he grabbed her arm on his and threw her onto the ground behind him.

Cass gasped as the air whooshed out of her abruptly as her back hit the dirt hard. She fought to move for a second as she turned her head to see Set getting up.

She could feel her breath returning but she couldn't move in time to intercept him.

Why was it always something?!

"I'm doing this to help you guys! Why are you being so stubborn about this?!", Set suddenly yelled as she watched Andrew block the way, holding the young intruder back by the wrist.

Cass silently thanked Andrew for being useful as she forced herself up and tried to ignore the ache in her back.

She quickly walked over and planted herself between Diverion, crossing her arms as the teen pulled away from Andrew's grip.

He stumbled back a little before looking at the two of them in disgust.

"So you're saying we should just be perfectly okay with you murdering someone?", Cass questioned, staring him down, "Is that what you're trying to tell us here? Are you just okay with killing people?", she breathed, still trying to catch her breath.

"No!! I don't murder people, lady!", he countered, "I exorcise demons!
You should also know that killing a person and killing a demon are completely two different things!
That kid over there isn't human! He's a damned demon!!", he pointed to Diverion angrily but still kept his distance from the two adults, "It's my job to get rid of them! So just let me do it!!"

Andrew shook his head, "We can't have you killing anybody Set, there are other ways to solve problems without violence."

Set rolled his eyes, "DEMON. Doesn't no one care about the significance of that word anymore?"

Cass saw Diverion flinch from the corner of her eye as he glared at him.

"Anyone?? ...wow... alright then.", he sighed, "Fine. I tried the approach where no one gets hurt, but now you two don't leave me any choice."

"Don't you dare even think about trying to challenge me again.", she warned as he pulled his bow-staff out, "And don't give me the no one gets hurt crap! You're trying to murder someone kid!!"

Andrew held out his hands in a wait gesture, "Let's talk this out more, everyone is tired, stressed and afraid and when we're like that it makes it hard to think.", he said in a gentle but firm tone.

Set suddenly then whacked him in the head with the bow-staff and kicked him in the gut hard, sending him flying into the back of a tree, "No. I'm not letting you stop me any longer. I'm doing this NOW."

He then turned towards her and glared at her with fire burning in his eyes, "MOVE. NOW."

Cass stared at him in shock before pulling out her sword. "I'm not holding back here anymore kid. Don't you go crying when this is all over.", she said dangerously, "You just crossed the line when you hit the peacemaker idiot."

He looked right back at her, half smirking, "Oh, don't worry. I won't.", before he got serious again, the playful light disappearing in his eyes, as he attacked her, "Just you don't go whining if you get hurt in this too!!!"

Set swung his bow-staff at her as she countered with her sword.

The sound of metal clanging against one another ringing through the area seemed to give them both more energy and adrenaline, as they both went harder and faster. Both determined to achieve their goal.

Cass then watched as he pulled a vial which was filled with yellow liquid and put it into his bow-staff while continuing to fight and swing his weapon.

Once Set clicked the vial into place, he started chanting in a rhythmic unknown language, still fighting her off  without faltering.

He then kicked her in the side and grabbed her with his free hand, knocking her aside and throwing her off balance as he spun his bow-staff faster and faster.

The weapon started to glow, it's strange symbols blazing golden on the silver staff.

Cass scrambled to her feet and ran toward him, trying to stop whatever he was about to do.

Well, whatever he was about to do was most likely going to kill Diverion... but again, wasn't this guy using magic?!

She pushed Set and delivered a punch to him in the jaw, coming up at him so quickly he hadn't been able to block it off or anticipate it.

He cried out in pain and dropped his weapon, the pole dropping to the ground with a loud thunk, his mantra and pattern interrupted.

Cass stood over him, breathing heavily as the teen lay on the ground dazed.

She then gasped as the ground came to life, glowing with the same golden symbols of the bow-staff as it spread further on the dirt.
The golden glow then started turning purple, pulsing instead of glowing as the ground started to vibrate with the area it covered.

Whatever magic that had been started was not stopping and seemed to be going very wrong...

Again! Always something!!!

Cass heard Diverion panic and watched as he tried to scoot away, wincing in pain and fear as more dark smoke circled off him.

She couldn't blame him as she felt pain start to seize her.

What the hell had happened??! And how could she stop it??

Cass then felt a horrible tugging in the pit of her stomach as she felt whatever the violet circle's magic was doing to her, she could see was happening to Diverion as he held his stomach while wincing in pain.

"Y-you too??", Set managed to get out, his eyes wide as he stared at her weakly, "What the-?"

Cass never heard the rest of what he said as suddenly gravity pushed down on her with excruciating pain as the world went purple.

She only had enough energy and time to scream once.

And then it was all gone.

Everything.