There was a moment of absolute silence as Plazos eyes filled with blank shock, violet blood drizzling out the corner of his mouth. Almost as if in slow motion his weight crumpled on top of Lahnia, falling into wounded unconsciousness. Lahnia was in full panic mode.

Oh my god, please don't die, please please don't die!

Lahnia quickly shimmied out from under his weight, his blood staining the middle her rough brown dress. Myra just stood there in shock, almost as if she couldn't believe that she did this. Even if he was an enemy she had never been violent in her entire life before. Lahnia knew Myra would need time to recover her thoughts, so she surveyed the damage of Plazo.

He was laying on his stomach, with the machete still lodged in his back. Luckily, as Myra was not a skilled warrior, she had neither the strength or aim for a deadly attack. However, a machete was still a ruthless weapon in anyone's hands. Myra had missed his heart and it was lodged below, in between ribs. Violet blood was streaming out at an alarming rate and amount.

Lahnia reached down and tore the bottom of her dress off, and quickly pressed it down around the machete where his wound was. If she took out the machete he would lose too much blood, so it had to stay put for now.

"Myra, I know you're shocked right now, but he cannot die. I know he is the enemy, but he is also my friend and he does not deserve to perish for my mistakes. Now, please come over here and press down with this on his wound to help prevent too much blood loss." Myra's shocked gaze faltered, she looked at Lahnia and tensely nodded, bending down to take over the job.

"I'm so sorry" She quietly said. Lahnia didn't know if it was meant for her or the fading demon, but she moved on. Plazo had quickly fallen into unconciouncness since he was stabbed, but just to make sure he wasn't dead Lahnia held a hand under his nose and was reassured when she felt his breath.

Now that she was stalling his death, she had to figure out a way to actually keep him from dying. It would probably take him only an hour or so to bleed out, so she had to think of something fast. She had no medical skills, neither did Myra. The village healer was skilled, but even she could not bring back someone on the brink of death. Nor would she be easily convinced to help a demon.

They needed something better than medicine if he were to live, they needed a miracle. Her eyes began to water as she realized Plazo was really going to die. How could they help him now? They were just eluding death for a little more time, but eventually it would catch up. And she would be the cause of his death

Wait.

They needed a miracle…

Or magic.

Her eyes widened with realization, and she immediately knew what she must do. Lahnia quickly turned to Myra.

"Myra. Listen to me. I am not mad, I appreciate you trying to protect me. I need you to do this for me though. Stay with him a bit longer and hold down his wound. In the time it takes for the wind to rise in the dawn of light, leave quickly and head straight home. I will be safe, but I am not coming back. This will be the last time I will see you. Do you understand?"

Fresh tears rolled down Myra's already tear stained face, and she curtly nodded. Lahnia smiled, and pressed her lips to Myra's forehead.

"I love you"

Before Myra had time to react, she had already dashed off into the forest.

"I love you too" Myra whispered to a now empty clearing. Empty except her and a dying demon.

XxXxX

"My lord!" A demon soldier burst into Ghirahims office, breathing heavily. Ghirahim had been discussing battle plans with several commanders, and they were all huddled around maps and documents talking tensely. The air itself seemed to still at the unwelcome intrusion.

Ghirahims eyes narrowed viciously, it had better be a good reason for this interruption or the demon would get to play his favorite game: Death.

"What is it?" The words oozed with cold malice, daring the demon to answer him at all.

The demon almost chocked on his words, obviously he had not known he was interrupting an important meeting.

"The cook girl. She is back and she is requesting your immediate audience" Ghirahim was taken aback, unable to control the puzzled expression that crossed his face.

She was back? Of her own accord?

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"The north tower, just outside…" Before he could finish the demon lord had already disappeared in a cloud of ruby colored diamonds.

XxXxX

Lahnia had her hands on her knees, and she was panting heavily. Never in her life had she run so fast, not caring if branches hit her face or bruised her legs. Thorns had imbedded themselves in her arms and legs without her recognizing the pain in her panic. As a result the Lahnia that stood before the north guard tower was covered in mud, new bruises, bright red blood from her cuts, and of course the ominous violet blood that had already hardened and stained the middle of her dress.

She was trying to catch her breath after bursting out through the woods and yelling at the guards to find Ghirahim. They tried to subdue her but she yelled at them until one finally went to fetch the Demon Lord. If it had been because of her request or the fact that they had a yelling bloody elf on their hands, she did not know and did not care. Five demons had encircled her as they waited, but she couldn't care less. They did not come to close as if they were confused if they were supposed to take her orders or contain her.

Not soon enough the familiar tinkling sound of diamonds filled the air, and sure enough the Demon Lord materialized in front of her with his arms crossed in an annoyed fashion. His face held the expression of anger and suspicion, but he raised an eyebrow at her appearance.

"Well well well. What brings our escapee here to us, without her guard, and apparent…"

"YOU NEED TO SAVE PLAZO!" Lahnia had abruptly interrupted him, and without thinking clutched at his arms in desperation.

Wrong move.

At the sudden outburst and blasphemous touch, Ghirahim brutally slapped her and sent her sprawling against the ground.

"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH ME?" He roared. Snarling, he continued.

"And ask for my assistance? Is that any way to ask a favor?" Lahnia was still on the ground, her face hidden by her hair that had come undone in her run before. Her hands clenched together in fists, which just irritated her cuts sending fresh blood through her wounds.

"Please…I'll do anything… He doesn't deserve to die because of my actions!" At this she looked at Lord Ghirahim with fiery passion in her eyes, her face stained with tears but nonetheless with a sense of order and sorrow that it even reached through the demon lord's cold demeanor. He paused, and tensed his lips.

He had meant what he said to Plazo earlier, he would honor his word if Plazo brought her back within two days' time…but he wasn't here with her. That didn't quite qualify his gracious second chance he had bestowed on them. However, she did come back because of him… and he was presented with very intriguing bargaining chips.

"You will do anything? Anything at all?" Lahnia tensely nodded.

"Then promise to never try to escape me again, and heed my every order. If you do try to leave I do not care what excuse you give. I will kill you, and Plazo as well." Lahnia only hesitated for a moment then nodded slowly.

She stood up quickly, even though it was obviously painful for her now with her fresh wounds and tired muscles.

"You will save him? He will not live much longer"

Ghirahim looked at the girl and saw a determination that seemed to grow with each passing second.

He stepped towards her and placed a hand on her arm.

"Yes. Close your eyes and focus on where he is" She did as instructed and soon the noise of the camp disappeared and soft crickets replaced the sounds.

XxXxX

She snapped her eyes open and found her and the demon lord standing next to Plazo, Myra nowhere in sight.

The demon lord bent down over Plazo and murmured a spell, an intricate diamond sphere materialized surrounding the body of Plazo. Ghirahim stood up and Plazo hovered where Ghirahims hand was, suspended in the sphere of diamonds.

"I'm afraid he's worse than I had imagined. I have to take him to the healers of our kind at once."

With one hand still outstretched towards Plazos sphere, Ghirahim reached his other hand and tapped Lahnia on the shoulder. She at once found herself in the dark, and she felt the contact of Ghirahims hand disappear from her shoulder.

"Ghirahim?" Even as she mouthed his name, she knew they were already gone. That was fine by her, she did not want to get in the way of Plazos healing. She groped around in the darkness, completely blind in the pitch black. She felt a cold stone wall meet her touch. She traced it farther, finding a corner, then another, then another, then finally her hands felt wood. A door. She felt around till she found a handle, which she tried to open. It was locked tight, but she honestly expected nothing different. He must have left her in a cell until he could deal with her later.

With the deeds of the night done, there was nothing else she could do to help. Plazos life was in Demon Lord Ghirahims hands now. The night's events finally took grasp of her mind, and she slowly slid down to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her legs, and cried.