"You can't do this!"

Jerome clenched his eyes shut, feeling Mitch's fists weakly hitting his chest. Warm tears fell from the other's eyes and dampened the clean clothes one of the Squid's servants had forced upon the two. "You can't leave me..." Mitch whispered, falling to his knees, hands covering his face as weak sobs left him.

Jerome groaned, clawed hands gripping his hair as he fell to the ground by Mitch's side. He reached out, gently tilting the other man's chin upwards, his own golden eyes meeting dark brown. "Please don't go..." Mitch begged, hands clutching around Jerome's larger one.

Jerome stayed quiet, silent tears dripping down his face. "I'm doing this for you, please try to understand." Mitch just shook his head, wild bangs momentarily covering his eyes as he threw himself forward, face pressed against Jerome's chest. Jerome lay on the ground, holding the smaller man to his chest, not caring that the floor was cold against his thinly covered back.

He took the time to memorize everything he could of the other, for he had no clue as to how long this mission would take or if he would ever return to his precious Benja.

The younger man was frail, ribs jutting out of his sides and skin having a slightly sick look to it. His eyes were bloodshot and black bags surrounded the once carefree brown orbs. He seemed smaller and far more fragile than when they had first been taken by Squid. Mitch's spirit was beginning to break. After two long and painful years, the once strong and proud man was reduced to this.

Jerome wasn't too far off either, the living conditions they had been forced to endure through for so long had been inhumane. They'd barely had enough food to survive and Jerome had often forced Mitch to eat Jerome's own share. The younger man needed the nutrition far more than Jerome did. As a human, he was more delicate than Jerome was. After all, a Nether Bacca was made to survive.

Unlike the Baccas from the Overworld, Nether Baccas didn't have the fur Overworld Baccas did. There was no use for that much fur on a being that spent its life in a place where the rivers and lakes were made out of lava and fire was not a rare sight. Instead of being completely covered in fur like Overworld Baccas, Nether Bacca's only had the hair equivalent to a normal human male. Nether Baccas were also stronger and faster than their cousins. They were the demon version of the Overworld Baccas, often looked down upon for their different features. Nether Baccas had longer claws and sharper fangs, made to fight and endure. Overworld Baccas didn't much approve of fighting, being more of a peaceful breed than their ferocious cousins.

That was where differences stopped, however. Apart from being slightly larger than Overworld Baccas, Nether Baccas had the same structure as their more peaceful relatives. They both had a slight muzzle, with a tongue longer than a human's and a set of teeth similar to those of a bear. They both had the ability to easily climb trees and mountains and their sense of smell was the same as well; stronger than a wolf's nose. Both species had a small tail at the base of their spine and both were fiercely protective. They mated for life and the most loyal of creatures.

Jerome shook his head, shaking himself put of his thoughts. He tightened his grip on the smaller man, struggling to make out the words needed to be said. Instead, he easily pulled the two of them up into a sitting position, Mitch curled up in his lap, holding onto the fabric of the Bacca's shirt as if it were a lifeline. Jerome didn't say anything, instead raising a clawed hand up to brush away Mitch's tears, his touch surprisingly gentle. No words were spoken as Jerome ran his claws through Mitch's newly washed hair. The maid that had forced them into clean clothes had forced them to wash up as well. The whole ordeal hasn't gone too well when a group of maids had tried to separate the two to wash them. In the end, they were washed in the same room.

Jerome hummed softly, his chest vibrating as Mitch pressed the side of his face closer to the gentle thrumming. "Do you remember when we first met?" Jerome suddenly asked, looking down at the human on his lap, his tears slowly drying. Mitch didn't respond, instead looking up at the larger Bacca with watery brown eyes.

"At the Hunger Games?" Mitch murmured quietly, voice loud in the otherwise silent room. Jerome nodded, a small smile beginning to slip onto his face as Mitch sniffled.

"The Hunger Games was being held in the Nether, remember? It was your first time in the Nether, right?" Mitch nodded, eyes unfocused as he listened to Jerome's rough voice. "You were nervous, but you tried not to show it. You were the only human there, I was surprised a human ha the guts to join. Did you know you were the first human I'd ever seen?" Jerome's grin grew as Mitch giggled, eyes brightening.

"Was I really?" Mitch questioned, a smile growing on his face at the thought.

"Of course you were biggums. You were the most beautiful creature I'd ever layed my eyes upon." Jerome paused, amusement barely held in as Mitch blushed, swatting the Bacca's chest. "And when we faced each other after the games had started, I couldn't bring myself to hurt such a small creature, but you proved me wrong, didn't you?" Jerome poked Mitch's side playfully, the human snorting in response.

"I couldn't let myself be seen as weak, I forced you to fight me, and I ended up winning. We met up after the games were over and you practically forced me to go on a date with you. That's when I learned how much of a big softy you really are."

They laughed together, reminiscing on their lives together and just having a good time. It would be their last time together for quite a while and neither wanted it to end anytime soon. Good things always end up ending though, and soon, Squid's guards forced the two apart, leaving the human screaming and crying in the room. Jerome was dragged away, to Squid, heart heavy, already missing his younger mate.

"Who do you want me to bring?" Jerome asked gruffly, glaring at Squid, held back by two guards. If Jerome wanted to, he could've easily taken on the two thugs, but Mitch's life was on the line and all the Bacca could do for his beloved was obey Squid.

Squid grinned evilly, leaning back against his golden throne. He looked down at the beaten looking Bacca, a sneer on his face.

"You may not have known, but I recently re-wed," Squid began, Jerome watching, black eyes watching the Underwater King's every movement. "In agreement to a treaty with the King of the Nether, my step son was given to your King. I want him back, you'll be taking him from your King and returning him to me. Once I have him back, your precious mate will be returned to you as the freedom you both crave."

The Nether Bacca said nothing, giving a stiff nod before being hauled away. Betray his King? Jerome shivered at the thought. It was a known fact that the Nether King was ruthless, who knew if the Squid's step son was still alive. The Bacca half expected to return with a pile of bones, if even that. Why would the Squid want his step son back anyways? If he was given away as part of a treaty, shouldn't the Squid fear for a war to start over this?

Jerome shook his head in bitter amusement as he was shoved into a weapons and armory room. No, the Squid wasn't worrying over a war, he had no need, he was sending in one of the Nether King's own subjects after all. If caught, a Nether Bacca would leave no trace to Squid. The sneaky bastard had thought through this completely.

He grabbed a leather sash, strapping it over his chest diagonally. He adjusted slightly before grabbing a hold of a golden axe, strapping it onto his back with familiar ease. He frowned, grabbing a diamond sword as strapping it onto his belt. It wasn't his choice weapon, but against a purebred demon, Jerome would need all the weaponry he could get his hands on. He sighed, strapping some armor onto his forearms, foregoing the chest plates and other armor of the like.

Once set to go, he left the palace, pausing only once. His black gaze was set firmly on the palace he had been imprisoned in for so long, he was finally out of there, but Mitch was still in there. Turning away, with the last reminder that Mitch and his own freedom was on the line, he headed towards the nearest Nether portal.

Sky quietly stared out one of the many windows of Deadlox's castle. A small frown was set on his face, his golden hazel gaze set upon the red colored horizon. His legs were pulled up to his chest, back leaning against the wall as he twiddled his thumbs.

It had been so long since he had last been in the Overworld; since he'd last been out of the Nether. It's been so long since he'd last seen his mother, because even if she had watched him be dragged away, she was still his mother and Sky was obliged to love her. Shaking his head, his curly bangs falling over his eyes briefly, he jumped at a sudden voice behind him.

"Why are you frowning?" Deadlox asked, curiously sitting in front of Sky, head slightly tilted as he eyed the other male. Sky stared at him, blinking as he tried to recollect his thoughts before shrugging in response to Deadlox's question.

"C'mon, why are you sad? I could smell your misery from a few rooms over," Deadlox prodded, scrunching his nose up slightly as if the scent of Sky's sadness offended him greatly. Sky held back a small laugh at the face, before his features once more relaxed, becoming slightly distant once more.

"I just miss my home, you know?" Sky conceded, rubbing the back of his neck timidly as Deadlox watched. "Not in Squid's palace, but in my house. In the Overworld. It was a small cabin, not too big or too small. It was just right. I really liked it. I spent my whole life there, and I would've continued living there if my mother hasn't married Squid." He snorted, resting his chin on his knees with a sad frown. Deadlox bit his lip, for once making sure the skin didn't break. Sky disapproved of Deadlox bleeding and the demon like making his human happy and as such, had stopped most of his maniacal tendencies.

"You don't like it here?" Deadlox quietly asked, looking much like a pitiful puppy as his wings dropped in response. Sky shook his head quickly, waving the notion away with a small smile.

"No, no, no. I like it here... It's nice. I just miss my old life. Not even that, I kinda just miss my family. Being here isn't so bad though, I mean, I have you, don't I?" Sky said, mood brightening some as he beamed at Deadlox. The demon found himself unable of speech as his face heated up slightly.

Clearing his throat after a few minutes of silence, Deadlox nodded. He ignored Sky's questioning look as he ran a hand down his face, schooling his reddened features.

"Yeah, you have me."