The demon slipped from the wall and in a stream of black faded light, aimed directly for the woman behind him. Diarmuid slashed the long blade downward, slicing through the Demonic air. His burns ached from the sudden movement, but the result was worthy of it. The Black strip broke apart with a clean line and circled back together.

A simple test of the silver's strength, led him to believe it was capable of damaging it. That were enough, and he lunged to the blanket of darkness that stood from the floor to the ceiling in the tight space. The direction of it stretched left, and his attacked aimed at the center of it.

A round hole expanded right before he struck, and his blade went through. The black formation hardened in response, trapping his arm inside the texture of the demon. The thin, dark shape thickened into a solid spreading up his arm. A pained yelp bounced off the walls as it forced its way to his shoulder, and the upper half bent over him.

The beam of darkness that was sucking Diarmuid into itself stretched to her like elastic. She rolled off the bed all the while the wall behind her crushed under the demon's impact. Back hard pressed against the corner of the wall, her eyes wandered the room for a place to escape the demon. She honestly thought the window was her best bet, but since she couldn't use her abilities to slow her fall... she worried the landing would break a bone or two.

All she could do was watch as Diarmuid struggled against the wall of darkness that slowly worked its way up and past his elbows melting his orange sleeve. His jerking and kicking of the metal like wall of blackness rung, but his release from the monster didn't come.

The demon strip bent once again and his master ducked and shot forward for the piled furniture at the red door. Diarmuid shuffled the handle of the sword, maneuvering his fingers to flip the sword upside down instead of pointed straight. When the blade angled to the floor, he flicked his wrist downward so the blade would angle upward into the body of the beast.

It broke through the skin that sizzled with grey steam from the touch. He felt the release of his arm just slight enough to yank it free from the bellowing creature. He hadn't hesitated. Once liberated; he instantly struck again, hacking away in a furry of over and underhand strikes. The irregular shape of the form rescinded backwards into a full, sinister strip of blackness before him.

He thew himself on his back to avoid the accompanied strike and jabbed the pointy edge upward to slice the belly of the strip. Black ooze dripped along the elongated gash, grilling his cheek and shoulder. Wheeling out from underneath to bring himself back on to his feet, his eyes actively searched for the core of it. If he could strike it there he was sure it would be defeated.

The sword raised in his palms, stabbing every which way he could muster. The different shapes the blob of blackness began taking to avoid his beats were testing his patience. Each different way it swayed, he had drifted to block or nab the thing. The broken skin on his face, the exposed arm tattooed with its ooze from his wrist to the shoulder all drummed from the air that whipped past him in the agility from his movement.

Still, there was more he could do. Had to be. He has only been successful in breaking the cursed being apart in the sections he touched, only for it to form again. Every opportunity he got to get a read on its composition failed to leave any hints on the base that would accept a fatal blow. He pinched his eyes in to slants, detecting a glimmer when the tail end of it touched the floor. A peculiar speck simmered first, and the demon's extension of darkness flowed from it just a second before the dot disappeared.

His fingers flexed against the hilt of the sword. He drove the end at the dark presence's back end while it jerked to where he once stood. Success was in the shrill sound that exited the nothingness that was this figure when he trailed his blade down the backside to the hidden, tiny blotch. The mark leaked a strip that illuminated the darkness a menacing yellow upward to the other end. What would he even call this ever changing shape's parts?

A menacing moaning began thudding against the apartment door. It was if they answered the battle taking place in the room. The wail the monster made only furthering their pounding. This time, they did not have a fire manipulator to burn the dead away. Haley felt the tower of housewares convulse from the repeated force against the door that only thrummed louder.

Curling its top half backwards, since the bottom half was glued in place from Diarmuid's sword, the demon's flat shape transformed into a gaping mouth layered with teeth and drool.

"Ah, so that is your true face.. quite displeasing." Spinning on his heels to avoid the mouth of the beast, Diarmuid dragged the sword's blade from the little circle upward along the yellow strip. Actual blood sprayed from the gash he created, causing the rectangular outline of the demon to wrench its body free from his sword and shrink to a mere blob.

It zipped away much faster from Diarmuid's incoming attack, and smashed through the material of the door. Haley pushed off their blockage and twirled to see the damaged door, "Shit!"

Her voice caught the blob above her's attention, and it flung downward. Caught between the Undead that sliced their soft, deteriorating flesh pulling through the wreckage and the demon aiming for his Master's head, he chose to nab her arm and toss her across the room. To his utter shock, the demon adjusted its trajectory mid air, as if expecting his decision and slid across with speed he couldn't match.

Haley barely took a step before the dusky figure entered her body. The translucent demon flooded her nervous system, stretched to copy her shape and manipulated her muscles. Her vision flickered between complete darkness and the horror that painted Diarmuid's expression, and tense body.

Like a puppet and the Demon the string master, she lunged for Diarmuid. He nimbly escaped her, but she felt her magic flare, her bodies moving being amplified by it to easily knock right into him. They scuffled, ragged carpet scratching her as they numerously switched places on who dominated who. Feeling the strength in her muscles increase yet again from the demon's command to her sorcery, her dainty hands pinned his wrists above his head.

Wrestling the sword from his tight grip, she level the blade's tip at the lump in his throat. Every fiber of her being begged her to stop. The stress in her limbs cried to do something other than shake above the man she held close with a weapon that could end him. His eyes pleaded along with his constant ask to break free from the demon, to regain herself before she made a costly strike.

Her stomach crushed under a sharp jerk of knees, while her arm holding the sword snapped behind her back. Diarmuid's bulk outlined behind her, as his voice filled her ears with reassurance she could beat the demon.

Her thoughts were a fog, just like the blur of her sight. She registered the long, low sounds of the Undead while Diarmuid's voice began to be drowned out by a strange pull to her mind. Whispers softly cooed her to drive the silver into his pregnable flesh. Her thoughts easily pushed the nasty instruction away. Its deception was nothing against the control she had in her own head. Her bodies reckless motions were what sucked all her strength.

The threats outside the apartment flopped down from the opening the demon created. Diarmuid quickly unarmed his master in a skillful swoop. He raised his foot to her back, and her light frame easily smacked the wall across from him. All the while, he twisted to slide the head off the body of the Undead that replaced where Haley once stood. This was incredibly horrific, an undesirable turn of events. There were too many variables that ended in his Master's death.

The answer to his predicament, despite the foul precedent, was to forcefully drive the demon out. If he could threaten the host - the Demon would have no choice but to part from the Lady or else it would fall with her.

His sword angled towards the woman he cared deeply for and wedged the blade into her thigh. His knee planted directly itself right under her ribs crushing her against the wall.

More of those Undead spilled from the crack in the door, a couple layered with orange. Sick to his stomach, he untangled himself from Haley to level the blade with their throats and behead them with ease. All the while - he maintained his peripheral view of his Master fighting herself against the monster inside her.

Abruptly smashing her head into the wall, and digging her fingers into the hole in her thigh, Haley battled the torment her body was sufficing. Every limb struggled against which consciousness to listen to. She forced her ligaments to obey just as quickly as the demon took them back. Thoughts leaked into her own, to end the man who easily stabbed her. Images of her past twisted in the form of Diarmuid being the perpetrator.

Haley's own voice began trying to convince her of his savagery. He was tricking her with his lies and pretending interest in her life and well being. The monster he was - a demon himself, in the land of the underworld. She should eliminate him she can. He was not her companion - but an evil spirit draining her of life to become whole yet again.

Everything you're saying is.. B-S...! Diarmuid is... precious to me! She slapped her back against the wall again, So get the hell out!

Haley's thoughts reverberated with Diarmuid's. They were no longer guarded under the swirling, combating personas. He swiped another undead down, keepingher form in full view. Tinted with anger from her unbearable thoughts, he turned and jabbed sword at the corner of her torso, where there were no vital organs. He would skewer the damn Demon. That vile creature was attempting to vanquish the trust she held for him, the attachment he held so dear.

"Remove yourself, demon, or I will kill you along with her, if it is means to save her!" He lied. He could never. He hoped in some way she caught on by where he stabbed, or would allow him to explain if he was successful in extricating it. Could she even hear him, anymore?

With each passing second, their desperate situation only grew worse. She kicked at him, swatted at him, showing no signs of victory against its pull. His gut wrenched. If this continued... the only way to truly help her would actually be her death. That outcome gripped his jack hammering heart. She had argued to it that she considered him precious. Had he not thought the same of her? Of course... he treasured her, actually. Above all else.

Slowly, he dragged the blade right, threatening critical damage. Her body thrashed about, leaking her fluid in a puddle at his feet, "My Lady.. fight it before I... really have to." Diarmuid sank his forehead to hers and his right hand cupped her cheek. Seeing her like this was crushing his soul for reasons his chest pained him for. Her struggle against the menacing thing worried him he would fail to save the only woman he's ever connected so deeply with.

His eyes pleaded with her glowering, darkened ones, "Please Lady Haley, our journey cannot end.." Not before he could explore it. Not until she were free of her bounty or safe in her land. His face tilted, so close their breaths mingled together. He was a damned fool, but..

She felt the demon's pull slipping. Like hell, she would lose to thing and leave his soul to the disastrous outcome that would be his fate should she die. The way his eyes begged her and how he lowered his mouth - Her body shot out the window seconds before, the blade cleanly sliding out her side from the motion.

Glass erupted, and she was gone. He cursed, jabbing his fist into the wall. Reality sunk in, like feet in the sand. He failed. Gritting his teeth, he turned to the piling of undead that waited for him.

oooo

Telekinesis coupled with enhancement magic lopped her far into the trees that surrounded the city that rusted from her plummeting. She hit a sizzling line, coupled by others and her blood decorated the rattling leaves and silver threads.

Just as she fell through, face palming the grass and dirt, the demon exited her with her own final push. The block of transparent darkness mangled with the shimmering threads and in its craze, got further entangled into the sharp webs. Its body shred like cheese in a grader under the crisscrossing, silver wire gripped by reds and skin.

Haley rolled onto her back with a long groan. Her quivering hand lifted, and the red seal was still there. The back of her hand slapped the grass, burning more pain into her limbs and mind that all struggled fix themselves. Why... why had she been so helpless against that thing?

Her control over her mind.. it was slipping. When had she become so weak? She was sure, sure that she would be able to fend something like that off given the strenuous training she did to be void of such monstrosities. So what the hell?

Voices being carried by the trees interrupted her mental call to Diarmuid, and she dragged herself near the bushes. A pair of competitors pushed back branches and stared up at the maimed demon in the web. She sucked in a breath, hoping they would not see or hear her.

"What is that?" The male in the duo asked, his finger stroking the fuzz on his chin.

"A demon contortion. They're demons that feed off the souls of the Underworld by possessing them." A woman's voice calmly stated. She pulled at her lengthy white hair and the webs hummed in response. The web spun the blood and body pieces away and shimmered to blend in to the dark green trees. "At least we know my webs are effective."

The man scratched at the back of his nape, "Yeah, wonder where it came from, though? It's not like we were here for it to target us."

The woman jerked her thumb to the corner of the bushes, "Was probably after the girl that's hiding there. Your orders?"

The man's teal eyes blinked in a flutter, his mouth dropping. There was a girl? He parted his Forsaken from himself and glimpsed the hiding chick under the shrubs. "Oh shit."

Haley quickly smeared the blood that spilled from the cracks in her arms to cover the command seal on her hand. She held the torn skin on her waist from the sword's blade to make it seem her hand was crimson because of the wound she gripped steadily. Something she should of been doing prior, but was still coming to grips with regaining control of herself.

Was that demon eating her soul when it infiltrated her? She almost vomited, thinking the energy drain that plagued her was from just that.

The man leaned over to examine the woman sprawled across the grass. She was covered in lacerations - most likely from Armenia's webs - and from whatever stabbed her in the gut. She was also wrapped in bandages from the shoulders down to her wrists, and he assumed there were more under her clothes. His eyes shifted around the area, and it didn't seem like she was accompanied by anyone... well, besides the demon she brought along with her.

He dug is his hands into his trouser's pockets, "You look like shit."

Sitting up, and wincing from the toll her body has taken these past few hours, Haley nods, "You said it," She looked between the slightly taller guy, with peach fuzz from his chin up to his cheeks, and short cut hair that pricked slightly at the top. He was joined by a woman in the Arena's famous orange jumper, whose white hair was so long it reached past her buttocks. Her face was emotionless, as her gold eyes seem to puncture her. "My... Forsaken died protecting me. So uh... don't kill me..?"

"That is my Detainer's choice. A choice that I am waiting to hear since I asked what his orders were moments ago." Armenia slanted her gaze at him, and he nudged his chin with the tip of his thumb.

The girl's crystal blue eyes shifted to him. He examined her again, trying to get a read on her, but couldn't. He worked through her thoughts, but met cinder blocks instead, "Aren't you the girl who sunk that entire ship with her mind?" Her face froze, and a smile tickled at his lips, "Thought so," Tugging his sleeves at both wrists, as if pampering himself he exchanged a look with Armenia, "You are.. high in the ranking list. Don't know how you were defeated, but you bring me curiosity."

"Egan, an order, please." Armenia urged him on.

"I am getting to it, I am getting to it," Egan repeated, as he looked up at the forest canopy to emphasize his words, then realigned them with the girl's hands. There were no command seals that he could see but the bloody hand could be hiding something. He didn't think the woman strong enough to sink an entire ship and the Forsaken with her would lose so easily. But the smart girl deserved a chance,

"Tell ya what," He lowered himself onto his knees to be at eye level with the girl, "You teach me how to block my mind like yours is, and we let you go. Fair trade, right?" He cast his gaze to his woman who folded her arms across her massive chest, "Right?"

Haley looked between the black haired man and the white haired woman who turned her head, as if uninterested in answering him. His intentions were honest, at least. She leaned back, and sucked her teeth, "Yeah, that's a deal, but only if you wait until this round is over."

He rose his eyebrows, "I don't think you are in the place to negotiate." He stretched out his hand and swiped the markings on her left hand to reveal the seal, "Especially since you're still in the game."

She reeled her hand under the palm of her other in a snap when he revealed the command seal. She thought hiding it would be a good idea. It proved to just raise the guy's suspicions. He seemed young, maybe in his twenties, but he was probably sharper than she thought. He did notice the block on her mind somehow.

She heard his friend snicker. In a rush, she tried to think of another way to convince him to wait until the match was over to guarantee her safety,

"Fine, Diarmuid is elsewhere but.." Think, she had to think, "But even if I were to help you, it would require using magic that might lead the watchers of the Arena to think I am fighting against you... something they would punish us for."

Egan stood up contemplating the words of the girl. That might be true. What kind of magic did this girl use that would make the hosts wonder? "How do you do it, then?"

Haley shook her head, "I'm not giving away my secrets. I've done enough of that already."

Closing his eyes and sighing outwardly, Egan thought about what to do. To be able to keep his mind free like that would be invaluable for the dealings he has in the outside world. Only, the problem is whether or not this girl could be trusted. "What of your Forsaken? We wait until this round is over and he might come after me."

Pressuring the open wound on her side, Haley leveled her stare with the fellow who had plenty of reasons to worry. With earnest, she would tell him a complete truth as it didn't matter if he knew, "He won't. Unless you attack me, we have no intentions to single out Detainers. We just want to survive the ten days."

His jaw lowered, to his chest, if it could. She would just openly admit that? How could that even be true? But he knows his ways around scummy people. He deals with savages on a daily, she was being honest. To think, he and his woman weren't the only ones not interested in the Host's little reward.

He decided to laugh off her comment, and he knew if he wasn't looking at her, that Armenia's eyes were rolling. "You got a deal, then. Armenia, you wanted an order, use your thread to seal the wound in her side to show her good faith."

Tensing at the female's lazy, but rather gracious, approach, she watched as Armenia pulled strands of hair from her head that thickened almost like a strip of bandage. With gentle ease, she lifted Haley's arms up and circled them around her low half. The magic weaved into her wound and sealed the split in her side flawlessly.

Nodding at her handy work, Armenia tapped a spot in her locks and the hair around the girl evaporated. "Your name, you should give it for my Detainer's kindness."

"It's Haley," She said immediately and took the hand outstretched from Armenia and stood. "And.. thanks. You didn't have to do that."

"Oh but I did, if not, how could you uphold your part of the bargain?" He said, grabbing his woman into his side, "Now I suggest you follow us. Any wrong step will have you trapped or sliced in her web."

Her lip rolled her teeth and she looked over her shoulder. Where was Diarmuid? Was he safe? She turned back to the obvious couple and followed unsure of what else to do.

oooo

The final head rolled before he set out of the window. At least they the Undead didn't break down the entire door, or else it would have made his slaughtering of them impossible. He grazed the window and leaped out landing with a thud in some mud. He grimaced and looked past the discarded cars to the woodland behind the distorted city.

She was alive. His body was still able, for he would be would be stilled, waiting for the shadow to take him if she werent. From what his sharp senses told him - she was far off but he was determined to get to her swiftly. The danger this was, being so separated, was not something he was comfortable with.

In his trailing of her, a few beats later, her voice erupted in his own,

Diarmuid, are.. are you okay?

I am, my lady. Thank goodness you are yourself again. He sighed with relief. That was a heavy burden now lifted, thank goodness.

Yeah... listen, I know you are probably trying to find me. But if you entered the forest, I need you to stop. There are invisible webs that can slice you into pieces.

He slowed his pace to a halt at her warning, Are you safe, my Lady?

I am, for now. I'm... in a temporary truce with the people responsible for the webs. Wait where you are, and I will see if I can convince them to let us come to you.

In a truce? How had she managed to do that in such a small amount of time? Shrugging his shoulders he tapped his back on the rough edges of the tree trunk. There was nothing he could do, but wait, and hope she were able to convince them.

oooo

So I know I took a little leap in stating that haley is the first hes come to connect with. To further elaborate... hes referring to on an emotional and time spent level.

His time with the loathly lady was 3 days and never really got to know her, and the he lost his love once he saved her in her realm.

Saber he never really got to know besides her chivalry.

Haley is technically the first woman he actually met, worked with, learned about, etc. And actually took the time to establish something with. Which he is acknowledging in a way.

Tell me if it feels a little forced! Either way, on to the writing the next chapter ! Hehe