Pain welcomed me back into the world, reminding me of what a fool I was, of how I had given information that I shouldn't have. When my eyes landed on Jalin chained to a wall and unharmed, I had no regrets. It was all I could do to protect her.

"You're a fool, Falosa," she whispered, her voice low and vacant of the life it normally contained. Her rainbow braids fell forward, concealing her face from me. "You should've stayed silent. They longer have use for us now."

I knew she was right. A sinking feeling settled in my gut. How much longer would they allow us to live? Or worse, how long would they keep us alive, tormenting until we were both driven into madness?

"I'm sorry," I said, unable to do more than hang from my chains, standing on my one good leg. "I didn't want to be the reason they hurt you."

"Why?" Jalin looked up, her emerald eyes furious. "I hate you, I want to kill you, why would you protect me?"

"Cause you are more worthy of life than I am. You have a future, Jalin, I don't want that to be taken from you if I can help it." I sucked in a breath, whimpering as my broken ribs screamed. "You deserve to have a good life, all the Demi's do. I stole it from too many, I can't be responsible for more deaths."

Jalin laughed. "You're a fool. A lovesick fool. I'm no more worthy than horse piss." There was an edge to her voice, tainted in a million regrets. "I was used against my own family. I was young and foolish, I didn't realize what was happening till I came home and found them dead," she choked. "I never did find who ordered the kill, I'm still looking. But once I find them. . ." She clenched her hands into fists. "I'm going to make them wish they were dead, a thousand times over. Their suffering will know no end."

"I could help you find them, whenever we get out of here, but it's likely they're dead by now. Everyone in Vagotha burned. Me and Kalon are all that remains." I watched her face fall, the fire leave her eyes. "Revenge is all that's driving you?"

She laughed harshly. "What else is there to live for when everyone you love is dead?"

"You could make a real difference in this world. With your fighting talent, you could save thousands. Isn't that something worth fighting for?" I asked, unable to read her as she turned away.

"Stop painting me as some hero, Falosa. I'm the reason they're gone. If it wasn't for me, they'd still be alive. It should've been me." Jalin turned to face me, tears glistening in her eyes. "I wish it had been me."

"I ask myself the same question every day. Why wasn't it me? Why did I have to be the one to survive?" Looking down at my injured leg, I grimaced. "I'm weak, I'm useless. All I do is mess up everything I touch. So, why was I saved? What gods forsaken deity in the sky choose me to outlive my entire race?"

There was a comfortable silence that stretched out between us. It was nice to know I wasn't the only one unable to grasp why I had to be the survivor. The guilt that brought ate away at me every day. Someone had saved me that day. Someone had decided that I was worthy to live. I still don't know who, or how. All memories of Vagotha falling became blurrier with each passing day, growing into a distant dream as if they had never happened at all.

"I'm sorry I've been so hostile. I just can't stand men drooling over me, it's gross," Jalin said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

I laughed, immediately regretting it the agony in my middle almost made me pass out. "It's hard not to say something when your beauty transcends that of nature itself."

Jalin shook her head. "You're truly hopeless, aren't you?"

"Hopelessly in love."

Gagging, Jalin pretended to vomit. "Gross. I hope they kill you first so I can have some peace and quiet before I die."

"At least I'll die having been blessed with your ethereal beauty," I swooned, almost falling over as my one good leg grew increasingly tireder.

"Oh please, how many of these lame lines do you have? You should give up cause all they're making me want to do is stomp the life out of your body."

My face grew warm. The idea of her stepping on me was something I had dreamt of. "Yes please."

Jalin glowered. "You're so lucky I'm chained up, or you'd be a dead man."

The door swung open with Geayu leaning against the wall. "If you two are done arguing like a married couple, we should work on getting out of here."

Chao sounded outside as several demon's fought the demon's keeping them at bay. But with an active portal, who knew how many more they'd be able to summon to replace every single one that was killed.

Geayu eyed me up and down. "I swear, every time I fix you, you come back more broken."

"Gee, sorry that I couldn't manage to take on an entire demon army and end up unscathed," I spat. My pain and weariness had started to pull at me, making just existing suffrage.

Throwing up his arms, Geayu took out a key and released us both from our chains, catching me before I could fall. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Try not to let me get stuck in bad situations?" I suggested with a wry laugh.

"Maybe we should keep you off missions for awhile, just to be safe. It's clear with what's going on that everyone is out for your blood." Geayu peeked out the door and handed Jalin a weapon. "The others are fighting, but we are by far outnumbered. We need to simply get out of here the faster we can and then I'll sound the retreat."

Fighting sounded in the room next to us. It was clear from Geayu's expression that there was only one exit, and it was right through the center of the chaos. The abandoned building creaked as we made our way through the hall. Where I had been stored used to be some kind of storage room or pantry, the rest was in shambles, touched by cobwebs and dust. It was clear the demons hadn't been here long, this was probably their newest portal that they had made.

The instant we entered the man room black blood splashed across my face as a Demi pulled their dagger through the throat of a nearby demon. He nodded in my direction, unfazed by my state. It was clear he had been doing this sort of thing for quite awhile now by his skill and the scars all over his body. The Demi looked to be about Geayu's age, with long, curly black hair, and a tall hat that truly did not fit his aesthetic. The rest of his outfit was very rough and ready, not at all polished like his top hat.

Several demons rushed toward us. Geayu adjusted his grip on me and stepped behind Jalin.

She skillfully beheaded, maimed, and sliced at each demon that came our way, not letting them near enough to land a claw on either of us.

Green smoke appeared beside me.

Geayu cried out as blood splashed on his chest and I fell into someone else's arms.

The regal demon looked down at me, his mouth in a smile. "I'm not letting you get away this time, Falosa."

Searing pain ripped into my throat before I had a chance to retort, before I had a chance to move. Blood gushed out as I choked, unable to breathe. I put a hand to my throat, as liquid filled my mouth and spurted out my nose making coughs wrack my chest.

So this was it. The end. What a pitiful way to die, murdered by some mediocre demon.

I watched Geayu and Jalin get overwhelmed by the hoard, unable to do anything to stop it. We'd failed. We'd failed for miserably. I reached out, wishing I could hold someone's hand, not wanting to face my last moments alone.

"Don't worry, you're never alone, Falosa," a voice echoed in my head, much like my own, but different in intention. "I'll protect us."

The world blurred into a hue of darkness and pain, stealing the last of my strength and leaving me in the nothingness.

....... ....... ....... ....... .......

Zendar

The instant I came forward, a rush of red knitted all the damaged limbs back together, making us whole once more. These fucken ass demons were going to pay for what they'd done. Falosa talked, that meant they would tell Tragore and enlighten him to my plans. I couldn't risk that happening. I had to kill them all.

I summoned a cloud of red, throwing it out in all directions. The Demi's caught it and fell to the floor, just barely missing their heads being incinerated. Some of the demons caught it as well, but half of the hoard was turned to nothing more than dust on the wind.

Picking up a sword and a gun, I gutted the demon nearest to me, smiling as steam rose from their organs that fell at their feet, splatting on the floor. I turned to the regal demon and shot him in the kneecap. I knew it wouldn't kill him. I didn't want to kill him. I wanted to make him hurt, make him suffer.

He screamed and clutched at his knee.

I kicked him in the opposite leg, snapping it in half.

The regal demon fell to the ground.

The large demon that had been Falosa's tormenter earlier rushed at me. I slashed my sword between his legs and up to his stomach, making him fall to the floor, sobbing.

I slashed across the regal demons eyes, taking away his sight, ensuring he had nothing to distract him from the pain in his body as I carved my name into his chest. I didn't want him to die. I wanted him to live permanently disfigured and forced to suffer the consequences for his failure to kill me.

The remaining demons saw me and ran, fleeing into the portal that they had come through. I threw my red fire after them, destroying the portal when they were half-way through and cutting off arms, legs, and heads that rolled to the floor as whatever half was left on this side fell to the floor twitching.

Jalin and Geayu stared in shock alongside the other Demi's, as if they didn't know how to react to the chaos.

I smiled and waved at them. "You're welcome for saving your asses, now I really must be going." My contact was waiting, and I had no intention of being late.

"Wait!" Geayu ran toward me as the world begin to disappear in hues of blood red. He reached out a hand toward me, but it brushed through air as I left the house of demon's and reappeared on the open street.

Even if the physician could figure out what I was, there was nothing he could do about it. They had to understand that Tragore's death would benefit more than just me. It would create a safer world for everyone. Besides, they couldn't stop the plans I had already set in motion. Half the demon race was backing me, and I wasn't about to let Demi's get in my way.

Isn't Falosa so lucky to have a second being
Inside to keep him from dying?
Like wtf dude, pull yourself together.
Wonder what Z is up to O_O