Queen's note:Feels! Feels! Who wants feelings?! -flings emotions around for everyone reading, gods knows she had them writing–

Garnets

Chapter Six:

Still Human

It was more than a wee bit horrifying to realize that what was left of her dad had never moved as fast as he could have every time Lily had seen him. The few times she had almost gone into the hall to grab the chain on his neck before he could realize she was there. Now the woman realized if she had, Lily would have been dead several times over.

The creature that was once her father roared as he bodily lifted the smaller possessed off her. Taring into it in a mix of dark blood and sea water as the young woman scrambled to get away. To sort out where she had been tossed to.

Maybe it would have been better to be stuck under the Slayer's arm.

She saw yellow on the deck and realized she needed to get up higher. Or back inside the platform. She was on the second level up from normal sea level, as a wave rolled almost right under the decking. Lily too rolled up to her feet, fumbling as she tried to get up, and finding out that the small tank had been ripped off her person. And her water bottle.

Lily was not sure what was more upsetting as she ran to the nearest set of stairs. Tightening the mask again and pulling out the connecting hose, she did not take it off though. It still had filters and an emergency valve that would keep water from flooding the mask.

As Lily ran across the deck, the panels shifted from solid to 'open' grating and let her see something pale and glowing with an unearthly glow. Not even like bioluminescent plankton, it had Lily stumbling.

Her chest was starting to burn, as she looked between the stairs and a swirling orange portal crackling to life. At the same time a set of massive hands, almost as big as she was, hit the open grate from below. Those dark claws from before scraping between her and the stairs. Lily yelled, scrambled and had to duck under the gray swinging arms of the newly summoned. They were definitely different from what had been lingering on the platform this whole time.

A lot more hostile as a rasping voice hissed out unknown words from underneath them. The big hands were pulling back and trying to push through another spot near Lily.

The mass of blue armor and altered muscle hit the nearest demonic creature that was just grabbing at Lily's legs. The water rose up almost to her knees before sinking, making the newly summoned things scream in pain and then anger. Not fully under control of what summoned them, they turned on the only mortal living thing.

The only exception was what was left of Lily's father.

Even has he roared and moved far faster than he ever had as a human. What was left of Fredrick Hawkins bloodily tore through the creatures that got too close to his child. It was not just the influence of the higher demon being his wife had altered into, that linger part of his mind that fought to remember.

He loved his daughter more than anything.

He had suspected something was off, confirmed when hearing the screams below.

Saw the same being that the demonic side that always fought for control howled in fear over with his daughter running for the west dock. Same one inside the platform.

He wanted his daughter safe.

Almost gave into the siren call of what his wife had turned into.

What was left of Hawkins knew his daughter would never stay safe on the platform.

He fought off the screaming urges to fight the green armored being. Instead bypassing to follow his daughter over the rails. And now was trying to help keep the others away as they focused on Lily.

It took a while to realize she was heading to the west dock. Not sure why, but what was left of Fredrick dodge the green and tan form. Jumping on something that was too close, inadvertently slipping out of the way of a large hand.

It was a twisted sort of reverse tag, even with the waves rising to interrupt things. The titanic form under them breaking through the ground to blindly grab was also not helping.

Lily dove into the water as it was rising past her knees, grabbing onto the anchor point. Something built into the supports that normally was for securing equipment to the platform. Her chest was burning as the water started to go back down. Her arms locked around the anchor point, her body almost limp as the flow of the water kept her to the deck.

The young woman coughed, for a horrible moment she could not inhale as the mask did its job to keep water out. She popped her head up again as the water drained through the deck. Not the only one looking around to see where they or others had been moved too.

Large hands wrapped around Lily's upper arms as what light was from the Platform was blocked. The young woman was being picked up off the decking and off her feet as she was back to coughing, and saw to her side the Slayer rolling over and back to his feet.

Wide eyes turned forward to look at the altered face of her father. Lily reflexively curled her legs, as if to try and draw back or an instinct to try and kick away. "Dad? Dad don't-"

The possessed man gripped tighter onto her arms and sides. Claws digging into her left arm, still blunted human fingers brushing her right. Teeth bared as eyes flashing a mix of yellow and green. What was left of Hawkins took two, three, five long steps and threw the human he held. Not over the nearest rail to the sea below, but over higher so she would land over that open corner to the west dock.

For a moment (minutes?), Lily was still before pulling herself up right. Looking around without the mask, as it had been ripped off partly as she landed. Finding where she was, and where she had been, Lily turned to see the possessed man yelling something lost in the storm. Not a wordless roar but an attempt to tell the girl to run. That part of him half buried under the demonic being sharing his body. Then yelling over all as a newly summoned creature latching onto him.

Everything was hurting now, more so her chest, and whatever warmth that she had for what should have been a short trip was… well Lily was freezing. Breathing was becoming harder to do as she staggered upright. Trying to get the mask to strap back on again as she headed for the nearest stairs to get to the upper dock again.

Everything was narrowing in her vision with the flood of adrenaline. The sound of the true apocalyptic storm was an all consuming roar of water and wind as she got her hands on the stairs. The inhuman screeching from behind oddly dulled as water pulled at Lily's legs. Survival instincts were kicking in, Lily knew the dangers of living around and one the sea all too well. It dominated her awareness now more than what was happening on the other section of the platform.

She had to keep one hand on the metal stairs at all costs, as her legs could get pulled out from under her if the water rose back up higher. Lily's mind focused wholly on the top of the stairs.

The woman was not sure where the portal would open on the west dock, but being separated from her protection she had to do her best to get close to the next source of safety.

Metal was screeching as Lily pulled herself up to the upper deck of the dock. The woman tripped and rolled on her back as the stairs seemed to be pulled out just under her foot at the last second.

There was a dull yellow-green glow from behind, and Lily finished the roll to her other side. To put space from the glow as she was suddenly acutely aware of how her chest was on fire. Could not get enough air, and fully pulled off the mask to gasp in desperation.

Air was thick and almost like she had to swallow and breathe in the rain water until she was propped up on forearms. It still burned down her throat though, not being nearly as bad as it would be on the mainland. The air on her homeworld was still (just) breathable, but it was still changed enough to affect already burned lungs.

Large hands were grabbing at Lily, making her try to kick despite choking. It did not stop the bigger demigod from lifting and turning the human over. The mask was grabbed off the ground, shook and pressed back onto Lily's face. It was like being twisted up in thick metal bands, and for a frightening moment Lily was stuck in place. Unable to breathe, just uselessly gasp and look up at the nearly impasse helmet above her.

Maybe it was the adrenaline high, but seemed like there was a green glow under the dark visor. As well as curling orange mist that rolled off the bigger being, as if the heat rolling off of the Slayer was visible.

The heat seeped into Lily's sides, back and wherever his arm was, and the hand was holding the mask back in place. Not moving as she tried to pull his hands away in that desperate need for air, despite her own lungs not working.

The Demigod was about to try something else as the human was resorting to weakly scratching at his gauntlet. He saw the bleed off of his own energy seep into the girl just before she gasped air in probably for the first time since he found Lily again. It was a strange sort of… if not instinct, it was close to it.

He pulled his hand back from holding the mask to cover the human's chest. That red and orange energy that crackled on him normally, was transferred to the smaller body. Only a little, as much as he dared to. The Slayer could see how Lily's eyes suddenly dilated even as she was on the verge of passing out before she gasped a second breath. He pushed the mask back in place, looking up and around before spotting the flair of blue in the storm.

Vega had either just closed a portal or he was about to open a new one.

The Slayer looked back down, giving the young woman just enough of a shake to keep her conscience. Standing and lifting the human at first, he was about back on his feet as part of the dock was ripped to the side.

He had to land on his side so as not to crush Lily, and the Demigod gave a snarl as he pushed himself back up. The blade on his left arm snapping back out, using his other free hand to pull Lily back on her feet. He almost vibrated with the sudden want to dive at the large form trying to claw it's (her?) way out of the twisting supports where she had gotten herself stuck.

Lily pulled her arm free of the big hand, holding the mask in place on her own. It was not quite like she had a second wind, but close with the want to survive and escape driving the human. Starting to the flicker of blue against the grays of the storm and platform.

Gantlets creaked as the Slay clenched his fists as a large yellow and green glowing eye opened and looked at… not him but the young woman. He had to launch into action again as the Demonic words hissing out while the creature reached out.

"That… is… mine…!"

He almost twisted into the giant's grip, using his hands and the blade to break the pointer and middle fingers. Before this new greater demon could get a hold of Lily, and forced it to draw back with a scream. In turn hitting the dock to try and force it to collapse or get a new grip to drag her massive and elongated body closer.

"I'm not sure what you have done to the young woman, but it seems to be fading." Vega warned, getting the slayer to turn and reach out, catching the girl as she was dropping with the sudden slant to the deck.

Holding her by the right arm the demigod was pulling her back up. Getting her to either be carried or slung over a shoulder was not clear as one of those titanic coils were appearing. The pale giant pulling her head back and away from the danger, but not aware of the portal as of yet.

Did not stop the 'ground' under both living from starting to crumple metal and break the concrete.

The Slayer had to launch himself forward. Pulling Lily up to his chest again as he tried to stay on his feet. Already learning his lesson about not ignoring the storm, the man had to split his focus in a way the Slayer had not since leading Argenta for the first time. There was another summoning scream, only not nearly in control of what came through. Some attacked the pale coil as much as they saw him.

Something flashed a warning in the Slayer's visor as a blue armored clad form appeared in his peripheral vision again. Ripping off several of the summoned hell creatures and tearing into them. It spawned infighting rapidly as the massive coil started to squeeze again.

It was an odd sensation of wanting to jump in himself, and frustration at his own self imposed responsibility. The Slayer used his free arm to cut through what was ahead of him. Lily was trying to keep her bearings, where she was while pulled along. The Demigod needed both hands, the creatures were not that much of a threat to himself, just many.

Lily wheezed as the arm holding her tightened just that little too far. Using the heel of a hand to smack the broad chest plate as she started to cough again. That seemed to refocus the Slayer as he adjusted his hold. Both arms holding Lily bridle style before jumping over a new gap in the ground. He seemed to be focused as there was a flare of blue.

Vega opened the portal again, this time keeping it open. Inadvertently a beacon like a lighthouse thirty feet away.

Lily tensed, half expecting to be thrown through.

She almost was as something bigger ran head long and horns first into the Slayer's back as the deck was ripped at again.

The young woman felt what precious little air in her chest was knocked out while hitting the edge of the newly separated decking. She scrambled to find grip, but the same reason as there was no ragged edged digging into her middle with the clean break, was why it was hard to find hand holds.

Gods damns it mom, why couldn't you stay asleep? Lily thought as she held her breath while trying to use old muscles to pull herself up. Legs swinging a bit, it was not the same as pulling herself out of the water but the mechanics were the same with upper body and core strength. Right?

Lily scanned around and could not find the mask, but she got a knee on the edge of the slanting deck. She could just hear the snarling fight below as Lily was forced to take another burning breath. Something in her chest was almost numbed against the burn. Lily was not sure what it was as she carefully climbed up, but it let her try to breathe.

The deck shuttered, and the woman scowled down as her balance became precarious.

"No." Lily hissed at the deck as if it would help at all, doing everything in her power to not look back at the questionable sounds. Do not look back, and reach for the next handhold as cracks formed in the decking.

The portal was ten, fifteen feet away? It was so close and just up slope from her.

Wait.

Slope?

"Fuck!" Lily hissed as she tried to lean forward to keep balance, a lot of emotion in that curse as she dug fingers into the widening cracks on the deck. She had no alterations like her father and yis former unit. Not an 'advanced' cyborg human, not a mythic demon slayer.

Just a human desperately trying to survive when the world seemed to want her dead. Lily did not want to starve in a few months after her birthday. Or resort to jumping off the platform that had been her home to drown herself.

There had been an offer at survival, and for better or worse Lily had decided to trust it.

She just had to get to that bloody Portal.

It was surreal to watch as it seemed to move as Lily finally lost her balance. Though it was the whole west dock shifting under the portal.

There was a moment of freefall, then Lily hit the broken deck below. Sliding down, under and away from the portal… and jerked to a stop. Right arm caught and strained with her full body weight by a big hand wrapped around the elbow joint.

Lily stared at the broken, twisted opening in the dock below as well as the dark sea. She looked up and something that was a mix of a coke and a laugh blurted out. "Dad?"

The snarl on the altered man wavered, lips pulling back into what might be a grin. The mostly possessed man had the claws of his demon arm dug into the deck braces against the storm and shuttering dock. The grip on her arm was bruising but unwavering. Something solid.

He mouthed something soundless before lifting and pulling his human daughter up. Lilly grasped at the wet and stained blue armor, grunting as the changed man let go to grasp her waist. Pulling both backwards and looking up at the portal.

Understanding enough to realize where she was going. Needed to go? What was left of Hawkins let go of the dock, flexing to lift and try and toss her up. His good eye watched as Lily almost grabbed the edge of the upper dock again.

She was just too short.

Before Lily could drop again, there was a blur of stained green and tan. A hulking silhouette in mid motion of clearing the gap, turning to grab the smaller human. It was a deceptively smooth motion, despite Lily crying out as she was heaved up and tossed through the portal. The Slayer jumping in after, the glowing portal spiraling closed in a flare of light.

Frederick Hawkins loved his daughter more than the thing sharing his body could handle.