Cover blown, I simply drew my sword, igniting it as I jumped toward my opponent. I didn't plan on wasting any time making conversation, instead focusing on my assault. The demon grabbed hold of my blade with both of his hands as if it were nothing, yet as soon as the flame began to burn him, he pushed away and growled.

Slinging his claw to the side, before lunging at me, I could smell his burnt flesh as he swiped, hissing through barred teeth. I caught the knives, but his strength had grown, making him far too difficult to fend off. I ended up doing the same thing he had and simply pushed myself out of his reach.

"You know, buddy," he cooed, "There's not really much sense in you fighting me. You can already tell that. My time subject to your advantage is over."

While his increased power did have me on edge, I wasn't about to give up and not put my all into this fight. I shot forward again, swinging my sword viciously in no particular pattern, desperate to land a blow. The ferocity of my attack seemed to piss him off and he actually fell victim to one strike when his missed its mark and grazed my shoulder instead.

He faltered, peering down at his torn and charred sweater, patting the tiny flame while blood fell from the gash in his chest. I moved in for another hit, but he vanished, reappearing a bit further in the distance to reveal his wound entirely healed.

Motherfucking shit. How in fuck's name was I supposed to kill something like that? Decapitation maybe? Knowing my luck, the bastard would grow a new head or split into two like some sort of hydra.

McGraff chortled maniacally, "You see, I know how to fully control my abilities while you lack the same experience. Face it; you can't win."

"HAH!" I yelled, managing to hide my insecurity, "Who do you think you're fooling? It wasn't but recently you were looking for me to stop chasing you because you couldn't beat me."

The demon's lips curled, "That may be. However, you haven't improved since then and have now allowed me time to gather my strength."

I glared as he teleported an inch directly in front of me, grabbing onto my shoulders and jutting his knee into my stomach before my brain was able to think enough to ready its weapon again. I cowered back, doing all I could not to double over from the force while I desperately threw my blade.

Once more, he snarled at being set afire, spinning unearthly fast several times until the flames on his clothes died. My eyes fell to the gash to the side of my neck. If he could heal himself, then maybe...

Without luck, I focused my will onto sealing the smaller cuts surrounding the larger one first. If he could regenerate after what would normally be a fatal blow and I couldn't even fix a few scratches, then maybe I was out of my league.

Then a thought struck. I had already put together that he was more powerful within his own domain; what if that meant I was stronger in my home element, so to speak? Perhaps then, my natural leanings toward these spiritual gifts would increase my advantage and his disadvantage, if only just a little.

Initially, I began to run, seeking to dash through one of the many doors around us into a world materialized specifically for me. It dawned, however, that he may not follow. Likewise, I couldn't risk leaving Ames and Devin behind either.

I definitely had to get him back to where my allies were first, making sure the demon tagged along. The question remained though, if his daughter had successfully tied him down yet. If I revealed that I wasn't alone too soon, there could be dire consequences. 

The necromancer hadn't read anything into my hesitation or if he had, it wasn't clear. He was once again upon me, having charged in my direction, claws swiping furiously,  I blocked two blows, twisting to defend against more when he used his annoying disappearing act to get behind me. Dammit! Well, I knew the first thing I would master when I got out of this.

The battle carried on without much change for several minutes longer and although I hadn't sustained further injury, I was tiring while he appeared to remain with identical stamina to our start. This wasn't going anywhere. The constant movement kept me from maintaining proper focus, leaving me with only one option.

If I couldn't lure him to the others or call them here, I'd have to allow a critical hit. While he believed he had gotten the upper hand, I would use that moment of rest to take hold of the demon and transport us. My hope was that he would be thrown off-kilter enough for Devin to join the fight while I attempted to heal.

Placing fierce eyes on my enemy, I pretended to continue fighting, silently readying myself to take his next hit without getting fatally wounded. When I lifted my sword above my head as if to throw a downward blow, leaving my abdomen completely open to his attack, McGraff rammed each of his steel-like blades into my core. Somehow even expecting the pain, I wasn't quite ready for it. Partly, I had believed the non-physical blow would be somewhat numbed. 

Nonetheless, nausea overwhelmed my brain and I was certain I would soon be vomiting blood. I could feel those claws sink into my flesh, piercing the organs beneath. Crimson did begin dripping from my mouth, albeit not in the flood I had imagined.

As difficult as it was to ignore the horrid sensations and execute my plan, I was able to throw my arms around him, digging my nails into his skin while focusing all my intent on returning to the fucked up dream version of my apartment.

McGraff failed to recognize what was happening until I pulled us to the side, our bodies toppling into the closest hospital room. It was only then that his evil laughter ceased; seeing too late that I wasn't quite finished.

We landed on the floor of my bedroom, the prior meld between it and the hospital having reverted so that it seemed we were actually in my home. As my opponent dropped me to address the new threat, my sight caught on Devin who wore a horrified expression.

"You smart little bitch," Lloyd chortled half-angrily and half-amused, putting attention on his daughter, "Did someone miss Daddy?"

"Just missed how good it felt to kill you," Ames hissed.

I could only barely keep an eye on them after the woman faded to dodge her father, quickly returning to the battle. The agonizing pain shooting through my being was far worse than anticipated. I hadn't honestly believed I would die when first performing this little trick, but now I worried.

"Mark!" Devin cried, suddenly kneeling beside me.

My thoughts, which had been centered on fixing myself, flew to the man, "Devin, you have to help Ames. I'm fine." 

He glanced uncaringly at the fighting before his gaze was on me again, lips quivering.

"Devin!" the woman's tone was harsh as she shot what looked like a ball of blue light to knock her father off, "I can't do this and keep my hold!"

Weakly, I breathed the word 'go' while gesturing for my friend to leave. He reluctantly did so, jolting himself into the air over the woman who had the demon's attention. The downward kick landed straight on McGraff's nose, causing him to wince and retreat. Devin never stopped moving, however, taking advantage of the effects of his surprise attack.

My vision had started blurring, forcing me to revert to focusing on my own task while simultaneously making it impossible. Ignoring the others, I envisioned my blood clotting, the tissue healing, and coming out new. It didn't work.

I encouraged what energy I had to pool in my palm and placed my hand on the wound with the same intent. At first, I thought it had started to work because the hurt was lessening. Nevertheless, I opened my sight to see that nothing had happened.

Was I dying? Was that why I could hardly feel anything anymore? I tried to stand, to sit straighter, anything to test that theory...and was dismayed when my movements were only slight. Struggling through the blackness that was threatening to overcome my vision, I looked to my surroundings. The others weren't fairing any better than I had. Devin continued to fight and Ames maintained her lock, occasionally throwing a hit when she could spare the effort.

Exactly like earlier, I came to the conclusion that simply brawling with the necromancer like this would not suffice, "Ames," I choked out, "Do something!"

Somehow, the woman heard me. Inhaling sharply, her form flickered around until she was at my side, "I've been trying! I can't force his spirit out! You have to help me. He's connected through you." Her gaze rested on me for a moment before realizing I hadn't strength to speak, "You know the path out of our realm; help me send him there!"

I was barely holding on. I couldn't heal, I couldn't draw my sword, I couldn't even move! There was nothing I could do and yet, I still tried as she instructed. In my peripherals, I observed McGraff slice into Devin's arm, the force of his immediate flight knocking the man to the ground.

Grabbing his daughter, he grinned maliciously, "What an excellent idea. So you learned something from Daddy after all."

A frightened expression flashed across her face during the second before he shoved her aside, causing her to hit her head on the wall. Both he and I watched as her body disappeared. Judging by her prior behavior, I waited for her to appear once more, but she never did. Instead, her father teleported quickly to dodge Devin's furious first and returned to view over me, sadistic joy plastered on his face.

"You wanted to switch places with me?" he hummed, forehead tilting against mine as he crouched, tone ensuring my demise, "Here ya go."

I thought I had felt cold before; I was wrong. With unrelenting laughter, McGraff's form began phasing out of its spot, the energy sifting into me. I could feel his essence being absorbed into mine. No, it was absorbing mine, not the other way around. What faint feeling I had previously been left with was rapidly overwhelmed into utter nothingness, creating an insurmountably feverish chill as he escaped through to the real world. 

"Shit! Mark! SHIT!" Devin had regained himself and in the middle of a sprint, fell to his knees and slid beside me, "Hold on, Mark, it's going to be okay. I'm going to get you out of here."

"It's too late," my words were barely audible, "He...has a body now."

"What?" the man now cradling me in his lap breathed.

"This is all my fault. I-"

"Shh, don't," Devin hushed, "I can..."

He started to formulate a plan, words rushed and incoherent to my brain. I wasn't sure if he was at a loss for what to actually do or if the look in my eyes was enough for him to understand we were past that. In any case, the desperate, pathetic plea in those beautiful brown eyes was killing me faster than the holes in my core.

"Mark, I need you," a tear streamed down his cheek, dropping to my icy flesh, momentarily warming it.

"I'm sorry," my voice was so strained, I didn't think I would be able to say it, "Please go. He's out there, Ames is out there.Please finish this."

The man shook his head violently, moisture staining his face and soaking his clothes, "I'm not leaving you."

I could see his throat bob as he tried to remain in control. I wanted to comfort him, to be with him more than anything. I needed him to know how much I cared for him. Just...just one hug, one smile, one more sentence, please! 

My entire being flooded with the desire to leave him with something, even if it were only a tiny promise of my affection. Despite how fervently I begged, however, it was over. As my ethereal form began dissipating from the realm, my final human thought was I love you; a thought he never heard as my body had already become limp and useless.

While my essence drifted away to a new life, I witnessed this last scene in incomplete flashes. My dearest friend, my longing lover, clutched desperately to my body as it slowly turned into nothingness. His hands reached out for the flakes of my soul fluttering away, his motions becoming manic and wild as I became lost to him.

When all that remained of what I had been was a thin trail of smoke, he shot to his feet, cursing angrily at McGraff, at god, at himself...and at me, "Why? Why the hell would you do this to me?" his furious cries filled me of those raw emotions from when I had failed Tyler, "You fucking asshole!" he screamed, "I loved you! I lov-"

The man fell to his knees, pounding the floor with his fists until they bled, his yells weakening into their truthful source. He sobbed pure sorrow and whispers of my name. The sight of him on the ground, a helpless victim to grief, was my last remembrance of the man I had so easily fell for...the one I had just as easily destroyed.