Chapter 26: Savior

(Sakido's P.O.V.)

A crack of thunder, and a flinch on my part, I felt light weighted, but it wasn't until I noticed the absence of pain did I slowly open my eyes. Looking over to where the rebel stood, I saw not one, but two figures standing there. From what I could see, the rebel has been the one to fire his weapon, while the figure standing behind him was extremely close. When the figure ripped his arm back, I noticed the rebel jerk back with the figures arm, before slowly tilting forward.

While the rebel continued to fall forward, the figure quickly wrapped a hand around the shirt of the rebel, and when I saw the red glint of a blade plunge into, and through the stomach of the rebel, I managed to hear a voice say quietly, yet loud enough that I heard it, "You made a mistake by trying to kill her… you should've stayed in Russia…"

This time, the figure threw the rebel down, and I watched as he slowly turned and looked at me. I felt a smile cross my muzzle as I looked towards the figure with disbelief and wonder, and I began to walk towards my savior.

When I was standing in front of the figure and looking down into his face, I smiled even more, and then heard him speak with a scolding yet caring tone, "I told you that they would kill you…"

I was too tired to do anything else except pull my love close to me with one of my hands, and I lowered my head and planted a kiss on his forehead, before I collapsed into his arms…

…

(Eric's P.O.V.)

I was carrying Sakido as I carefully made my way back to where the kid was most likely still waiting, and it wasn't an easy trek. Sakido's exhaustion was weakening me, along with my own from running that entire distance; and then trying to find what part of town she was in. It was only due to my self sacrifice and exhaustion that I had reached her in time, and that was only after I had plunged my knife into the rebels back while flinging his arm downwards with one of my own. I was damn lucky to have gotten there just as he did…

Smiling weakly as I stumbled, I received another wave of dizziness and nausea, the head wound I had got from being pistol whipped was still affecting me; but thankfully not as much as it had before. Stopping and leaning against a tree, I let the brief moment f sickness take over, before it passed after a few moments. Taking a deep breath, I turned and began to walk back in the direction I had before, and I couldn't help but smirk as I reached a hand up and stroked Sakido's cheek. She risked both our lives, but she did do a pretty good job at fighting those rebels… if I had been there with her, I doubt there would've been a chance of her coming as close to death.

Bringing her muzzle closer, I gave her a gentle kiss on the side of her muzzle, and I pulled away as I pulled her tighter against me. This would've been much easier if I had just turned into a demon, but I don't want to take the pants from another dead rebel.

Sighing as I felt her nuzzle against me, I pushed past another bush, and there standing in the middle of the small flat area of the forest was the kid. He flinched as he we came into view of the moonlight, and I looked at him and said, "The village is clear… there isn't any more of those men in it; alive that is." Moving over and setting Sakido's body down and against a tree, I smiled as she continued to sleep, but I looked over my shoulder and said, "You can choose to stay here for the night, or go back to your town; I will be going there in the morning to deal with the weapons and bodies of those men, but I'm too weak to do anything more now…"

"T-Thanks mister! I will t-tell anyone else that may still be alive about w-what you did…"

Nodding to him as I looked back at Sakido, I repositioned her head so that she wouldn't fall over and wake up while I set up my cloak for her to lie on. Standing up and turning around, I was surprised to see the kid still standing there, but he was looking at the ground with an indecisive look on his face, and I asked, "What is the matter kid?"

He didn't respond right away, but I did wait patiently as he seemed to be close to answering, which he did after a brief minute or so. "What… what if nobody else made it out alive…?"

"I doubt that kid… those rebels may be smart, but they aren't that good at killing people…"

Walking around the kid and grabbing my cloak from the ground, I flinched as I realized a painful realization; I didn't have anything with me except my knife. Damn… I will need to collect my weapons tomorrow, and that is something I should do tonight before they get taken or lost… but I am in no condition to collect them… unless…

Turning back and facing the kid, I asked, "If you go back to your town, I have a favor to ask of you…" I waited until the kid looked back at me, and when I knew he was listening, I asked, "Can you collect all of the weapons you saw the men use and keep them in whatever building you will be staying at?"

While he seemed a little unsure at first, he nodded, and I smiled as I placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "Thanks kid…"

"M-My name is Thomas. A-And thank you mister…"

Letting his shoulder go as he turned around and began to walk away, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty knowing that I was having him go back to his town alone. Shaking my head as I returned my attention to my previous work, I grabbed my cloak, and quickly spread it out. As there wasn't any wind or anything that would shift the cloak, I went directly to Sakido next and very carefully picked her up; cracking my back in the process. Oh man she is getting too heavy for these weak tired muscles…

Walking over as I held Sakido off the ground the best I could, I made my way to the cloak, but my grip was slipping, along with Sakido's shifting making it harder to hold her.

I stumbled, but luckily I didn't jostle Sakido when I fell to my knees. However, I DID hurt myself from the fall; known from the sharp jolt that ran up my thigh. In response to that, Sakido flinched in her sleep, and when her eyes snapped open, they turned and looked into my own instantly. She reached down and I saw her rub her thigh, but that caused a small jolt to run through my leg as well, and I noticed her wince as she placed her hands on my shoulders. Using that as my chance, I leaned over her until her back was on the ground, and as I placed my hands on either side of her body, yet she seemed to tighten her grip around my back.

"Uh Sakido… can you let me get up?"

I felt her pulling me back down, but while her arms were pulling me down, she shook her head as she asked, "And why would I want to do that?" I stopped trying to pull away as I accepted the inevitable fact that I would never be able to fight Sakido's strength, even in my own demon form. Instead of fighting her, I placed my hands on either side of her head, and held myself up by locking my arms, but I had to shift my body into a more comfortable position; as I was keeping my hips to the left of her body. "You did save my life… again…"

Letting my arms slowly ease up as she continued to apply pressure to my back, I said back with a soft tone, "Well, I can't let you get hurt, let alone killed. We are the two parts of the same soul…"

I smiled as Sakido gave me a grin in return, but I yelped in surprise as she seemed to think my method of lowering myself was taking too long. I was soon pressed against her body as her muzzle was planted firmly against my lips and I nearly blacked out as our emotion loop doubled, then tripled, and so forth the pleasure we were receiving.

Pulling my arms towards me, I very carefully slid them under her back and pulled her closer to me, before I started to feel a burning in my chest. I ignored that feeling as I felt my heart spinning, and Sakido's hands found their ways under my armors vest, and I felt her fingers pull me closer, and then the sharp feeling of her claws in my back. I didn't register the feeling as pain, but more as a new form of pleasure as Sakido pulled her muzzle away from lips, and I opened my eyes to see her own were still closed. As I continued to gasp for breath, and it was then that I realized the burning sensation in my chest was lack of oxygen.

Feeling the exhaustion slowly taking over, I laid my head down on Sakido's shoulder, yet that got her to pull her hands out of my vest. "Eric… what… what did you do…?"

Without making any kind of movement while I pulled the energy out of nowhere, I said, "I gave you my love…"

She didn't make any movement or reply, but I did feel the excitement coming from her, before it suddenly died into nothing again, but it left me with a deep curiosity to find out. I started to push myself up, but her excitement flared up again, and I caught a brief flash of what just flashed through her mind; and while vague and almost unseen, I still caught the main thought process behind it. I gasped as I pulled myself up and away from her, and the excitement was replaced almost immediately by concern, and I gazed into Sakido's concerned gaze, only for the question I was harboring to come out suddenly, "Sa-Sakido! Are you… did you really… what!?"

"Eric… what are you trying to say?" Sakido asked, but I had a feeling that she understood exactly what I meant, as the nervousness began to come from within her own heart.

Leaning forward as I placed my arms beneath her arms, I leaned down, but I passed her muzzle, and stopped right above her ear, and I stopped myself from speaking right away. Should I really ask her this? By the name of every God in existence, are we even ready for a commitment as deep as that? Whatever will happen, I'm sure it isn't wrong for her to be having those kinds of thoughts, but… maybe it isn't a good thing that sometimes we know what the other is thinking.

Whispering my question into her ear wasn't something I wanted to do, but it was a needed question, and it was only when I felt the embarrassment running through my own body did I know for sure she understood.

While she shifted below me, I knew she wasn't going to answer, so I whispered into her ear once again, but I stopped once I was on my side, with Sakido's blue eyes glaring into my own. Licking my lips nervously, I wanted to look away, yet couldn't find it in myself to do so, and Sakido suddenly asked, "Is it so bad that I would want something like that? Is that why you asked that question?"

Grabbing one of her hands with my own, I gazed back into her angry eyes, and said, "I am only asking… I am not trying to imply anything… but you… we can't think about something like that right now…" Giving her hand a firm squeeze for good measure, I placed my other hand on her cheek, and I asked, "I don't want you to be mad at me over something as simple and normal as this, but not only can't we afford something as… as… as bonding as that… but it isn't even safe."

Her gaze did soften, but I saw the slight remainder of her anger deep in her eyes, but when I rubbed my thumb over her cheek, she smiled lightly. When she closed her eyes, she sighed deeply, before pulling me against her tightly, "Enough talking Eric… we need to go to sleep…"

Chuckling, I wrapped my arms around her and said, "Be careful what you dream about Sakido…"

Walking into the village during daytime was a drastic change, as now I was able to see all the damage that had been caused by the rebels for however long they had been present at the town. Blood was splashed onto the walls, bullet holes covered almost every building, and some form of damage was present every five square feet; whether it be a huge cut in the dirt or a bullet hole. Moving away from Sakido and rushing further into the village as I didn't hear a single sound, I moved towards the center of town, but stopped near an alleyway. I looked at the ground, and lying there at my feet was my sniper. I bent down, and upon inspecting it, saw nothing was wrong with it visually, but dirt had a way of messing with the mechanizations of any weapon.

Slinging it onto my back as Sakido reached my side again, she asked, "Where is everyone? Wouldn't some have come back after we killed those rebels?"

While I looked towards a building that looked like it was lacking as much damage as the rest of town, I said, "I would expect that, but logically… nobody would come back for fear of the rebels coming back as well."

Moving to the center of the village, I looked around, and saw a few people kneeling over blanket covered bodies, many of them mourning and weeping, to saddened to care that Sakido and I were here. I looked up towards Sakido, and I said quietly, with regret deep in my voice, "See Sakido… this is why we need to focus our attention on the rebels… who knows what else they have done so far…"

…

(Lazuli's P.O.V.)

I laughed loudly as I threw down yet another water skin that I emptied in a few gulps, I'll just get more from another stupid median.

As I took another step, something caught my foot, and I fell face first into the dirt, and felt something warm and slick cover my fur and most of my body. Groaning as I stood back up, I glanced behind me and saw a median lying on the ground, and I growled as I shouted, "You stupid me… median… huh?"

Backing away as I saw a large blood puddle underneath the body of the median, I noticed now the small chunk of wood lying on the ground near his side. I flinched as I looked down at my body, which was now soaked in scarlet liquid. I was used to the sight of blood, but I only enjoyed amounts as great as this when they were on my claws, and caused by me. Looking around as I wiped as much blood from my clothing as possible, I stopped my motions as I caught site of the destruction around me. My eyes widened when I saw the wooden wagon that was completely obliterated, but not as much by the mutilated bodies that surrounded the side of the road.

I store at the bodies with wide eyes, and I felt my muzzle fall open slowly as I started to feel my stomach churning from the disturbing images of children mutilated. I didn't care if they were median children or not, but rather because I was getting brief flashes of dead demon children from the sight; remembering the early attacks carried out by angels on Hell. With a quick growl, I turned and kicked the dead median I had fallen over, but I yelped as I once more fell down onto the slick ground. As I fell, my foot got stuck underneath the corpse, and I quickly kicked it off as blood began to stain more of my fur and clothing, but what I saw caused my muzzle to drop all the way down. I rolled onto my hands and knees as my stomachs contents churned, before they emptied on the ground beneath me in a single violent heave.

Even as my stomach continued to churn, and I clenched my eyes closed as tightly as I could, I could not banish the image that had entered and tainted my mind. Never in all my days had I seen something as horrifying… as devious as I witnessed just now. The median's body was destroyed, utterly and completely, and it was easily the most disgusting thing I had ever seen. His inner organs had spilled out onto the ground, and where his bicep should've been was a gaping hole. The worst part wasn't even that, as I had seen a large chunk of metal impaled in his face, but it had also left parts of his inner workings seeping down his or her shattered face. I shuddered as I opened my eyes, before my stomach heaved once more.

By Syndel's unmerciful soul, who is capable of doing such a thing!?

Getting out of the puddle of blood, I turned around, and began to walk once again, hoping that there would be a river or lake somewhere that I could wash myself and my clothes.

There was a chopping like noise in the distance, and as I came across the top of the hill, I watched a strange thing zoomed by extremely fast over my head. The roar that now accompanied it made me clutch at my ears painfully, and I watched as it flew over the plains, covering distance in a matter of minutes that had taken me hours…

(Eric's P.O.V.)

Looking at Sakido as I put the shovel down, I saw the grim expression she wore as many of the inhabitants gave her frightened expressions. Stabbing the shovel into the ground, I looked forward, and saw the dozens of graves I had helped dig, place bodies in, and then fill alongside the remaining denizens of the town. While conversation had been scarce, I had managed to hear bits and pieces of needed knowledge from those that had worked at my side. Such as their being rumors that the rebels had moved further south, towards a great sea. I had also heard whispering around me from those who had thought I couldn't and didn't hear them, that they believed Sakido's presence was the cause of their misfortune.

While I hadn't approached those people, I did make sure to find out who they were, so that I could keep them away from my worlds weapons; I didn't want them accidently figuring out how to work them just to turn on Sakido.

Speaking of weapons, I had acquired all the guns and ammunition I could from the town, along with what Thomas had collected. I was left with quite an arsenal, but it wasn't a light load by a long shot. I had thought of leaving them behind, but I didn't need these weapons falling into the wrong hands, as that would lead to a disaster. Just as history shows, those with more power will rule over those without any. If anything, I will bury these extra guns and come back to them later… possibly when Sakido and I are about to settle down and live in a home, instead of traveling around this land.

Letting out a quiet, but still audible sigh as I walked towards a building, I couldn't help but smirk as the thought of Sakido and I having a home all to ourselves began to sink in. Leaning down and grabbing the spare backpack that had all the small arms and weapon magazines in it, the smirk grew into a smile; because the reality of my thoughts was slowly coming closer. I might have to build the house myself, but if I do, I can guarantee that Sakido won't have to duck inside of it. Who knows what we will have as furniture with her size, but by Gods name, I will make sure she lives in comfort…

Slinging the backpack over my shoulders, and onto the back of my vest, I stiffened as I suddenly heard Sakido inside my own mind. 'Thank you for all those thoughts Eric…'

I felt my face suddenly heat up as I heard a mental giggle from her, and I straightened up as I heard a man from beside me ask, "S-Sir… will you be traveling with us, or… will you be going with that demon?"

The way he referred to Sakido made my hairs stand on end, but I said back calmly, "I will be traveling with the demon… we have important work to do; as in making sure those people from last night don't kill others in other towns…"

I made sure that I got my point across, but I didn't want to appear rude, since I was trying to appear as the good guy.

Turning away from the man as I began to walk away, I heard him ask, "Can we get one of those we-weapons so that we can protect ourselves?"

After he asked that, I stopped as that was one of the few requests I hadn't wanted to get before leaving the town. I turned around slowly so that I wouldn't have to respond as fast, but it wasn't long before I was facing him anyways. Shaking my head as he looked at me with an expectant gaze, I said, "I can't give you any of these weapons…. you would only do more harm than good, whether you believe me or not."

Turning my head to the side as I saw the sadness flash in his eyes, I knew that wasn't the last emotion he was going to get, and it wasn't long until I heard the anger in his voice. "Why can't we have the right to protect ourselves!?"

"It isn't because you don't have the right, you and the others here aren't ready for these kind of weapons." I said, before I turned away from him, and continued walking back towards Sakido…

A.N.: Hello all my wonderful readers, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. I apologize for it not containing much action, but hey, it makes a spot for what can happen next chapter. I can say this, if you're in the military, or ever will; don't go to sleep without a squad mate or someone providing fire watch while you sleep. That rule heavily applies for the beginning of the next chapter.

Krikanalo: Dialogue keeps things moving between characters, especially when it concerns the main characters.

csg608893: Heh, close, but I don't plan on doing something like that until later, the second part that is, as the first idea isn't something I ever intend on doing.

Maturedeath: Being electrocuted sucks… but being killed like that is so much worse. And it took me selling my xbox to a friend for it to get the red ring…

Barber477: Thanks, thank you. :D

Spartan of Sparta: First of all, nice name XD. Secondly, don't mess with Eric or Sakido… it is like playing with fire…