Request number three. This one is sort of bittersweet. I do hope you like it.
Pairing: Iron Paladin/Yama Raja (with Elemental Master on the side)
POV: Third Person

Back to back. Physical and magical. Male and female. Black and white. They may have looked like opposites, but they could be more similar without literally becoming the same person.

Chung's father had been corrupted by the commander of the demons that invaded Hamel. "To protect my city and the ones I love," his letter had said, and the Iron Paladin couldn't stop himself from shaking and tearing up. 'He did this for me...? For... for Hamel?' Hellputt was an amazingly strong man; the thought of him falling to a ragtag band of demons was unheard of, but this? This was the missing puzzle piece.

Ara, the younger sister of the demon's commander, only wished to rescue her brother from Karis's clutches. It was painful to have to watch the El Team beat on him. She knew he deserved it for all the pain and suffering his forces had caused throughout Feita, Velder, and Hamel, but... He was still her brother at the end of any sort of day, and she loved him.

At least, she thought she loved him. She... could be quite sure anymore. Not as he held Chung by his neck, over a seemingly bottomless pit. Ara herself was quite injured, cuts and wicked bruises marking her lovely skin. Chung didn't look too beat up, as was normal, but without anyone behind him to help keep Ran away, the young soldier was snatched up rather quickly.

"Did you really believe you could save your father?" Ran's voice echoed through the hall, smug confidence coating his every word. "This is my city now, Chung. You don't have a place here, and after I get what my Mistress needs, neither will your father, or any of your other friends for that matter."

"Wh-what about Ara, then?" The blonde choked out. "She's your-" -he coughed- "-your sister! She came all this way, seeking our help, trusting her fate to a deity who wants nothing more than to escape the seal she's in to try to rescue you..."

"Rescue me?" Cold scarlet eyes shifted to Ara as she struggled to sit up, and she froze. There was no love, no sympathy. No familiarity, no... no Aren. "Do I look like I need to be rescued? Do I look like I want to be rescued?" His laugh was evil, all darkness. Instead of letting Chung fall into the pit he dangled over, Ran threw him at Ara, and the last wasn't strong enough to move, let alone catch the young man thrown at her.

The pair hit the wall behind the Yama Raja, and Chung heard a sickening crack before the raven-haired woman cried out in pain. He pulled away to find Ara curled up, holding her left side with her right hand. She whimpered and curled up more, and the blonde stood slowly, anger boiling in his veins.

"You can hurt me, that's all fine and dandy. But how dare you corrupt my father, how dare you besiege my people, how dare you hurt my Ara!" he charged, full of vengeance and renewed purpose, and Ran stepped back as if ready to flick Chung away like a gnat when-

A wet schilck sounded. Ran fell to his knees, his eyes lifeless. Chung recognized the spear suddenly jutting from the man's chest as he keeled over off the edge of the bridge. He turned to see Ara, now clutching her side again, tears streaming from her red eyes. White hair fell around her and stained red with the blood on the floor as it landed. She shook her head as Chung came to her and kneeled, offering an arm to lift her with.

"I... I don't think I can-" she gasped in pain as she shifted a little, "-walk right now... I..." And Chung understood. "He... I thought I could save him, Chung..."

"It's not your fault, Ara. You fought your hardest and tried your best." He brushed a bit of hair out of Ara's face, and planted a soft kiss on her forehead like his father did for him when he was sad. "Let's... We gotta get outta here."

Ara looked around to see the other members of the El Party slowly getting up and gathering their wits. Most of them looked worse for the wear, and Aisha caught her eye. The younger woman looked sorrowful, yet relieved, and Ara understood the feeling quite well. Chung slowly lifted the martial artist in a ginger, gentle bridal carry, flinching when Ara hissed angrily. Aisha joined them, the Elemental Master holding her right shoulder.

"Why...?" Ara murmured. Aisha took her free hand as she and Chung walked. Ara bought Aisha's hand to her face, crying softly.

'I'm sorry, Aren. But... These people mean more to me... and... thank you Chung. For protecting me...'