< Gaide's Reign

Melody blinked again, scratched her head, still wheeing lightly. Her eyes narrowed,"We've seen nothing but green for the past few hours." she mummured.

"Be patient." Dalamir had repeated at least every twenty minutes.

"Do you even know where you're going...?" Dimitri asked, swaying as he walked.

"Honestly, bro," Rayan looked to his brother tiredly,"We better not be taking the wrong route..."

"Gah, quit worrying." he snapped at them,"We're almost there."

"Yeah, like we were for every hour." Melody added hastily.

"Makes me think the city keeps walking away everytime we're 'almost there'," Dimitri sighed, eyelids drooping.

Rayan looked up to the sky, as it had darkened,"Maybe we should stop for a rest...?"

Dalamir stopped again, and sighed,"Fine."

Rayan set Abi down on a bed of bluegrass, and stretched.

"Yay," Dimitri collapsed to the ground and winced when a stick wedged itself in his wound. He swore and rolled over, removing the offender and casting it aside.

Melody plopped to the ground, sitting crossed legged. She turned to Dimitri, and cleared her throat,"Meep, you okay?"

Dimitri nodded, closing his eyes "Hell yeah,"

She blinked, and looked downwards, twidling around with her thumbs,"Okay then..."

Rayan yawned, and sat himself on the ground beside them, smiling brightly,"Hullo."

Melody's gaze travelled to the stuck up elf leaning against a tree,"Can we set up camp here? I'm tired..." she whined.

Dalamir sneered, and looked to his feet,"Depends if you wanna take a risk."

"..What risk?" Dimitri asked, scratching his bandages irritabley.

"The vampires could still find us out here, especially because it's nightfall, and we're not really protected out here. But in the city, no vampires would be aloud."

Melody scoffed,"Feh, we can handle them. This place seems pretty isolated anyways."

"Jesus, are they everywhere now a days?!" Dimitri shook his head "Feh, I'm fine anyways..." he trailed "From being bitten at least,"

Melody's hand subconciously travelled to her neck, where Kaine had bit her earlier. She sighed,"Yeah." the hanyou added.

Rayan nodded slowly,"Anyways..." he plopped onto the ground backwards, and closed his eyes,"I'm sleeping. G'Night!" he instantly fell asleep.

Dimitri raised an eyebrow slowly at the dorming Elf "Good night," he said less than half heartedly.

Dalamir watched his brother, and sighed,"Fine, we'll stay here for the night."

Melody smiled,"Thank you." she said softly.

Dalamir shrugged, and sat down next to the tree. He drew some of his arrows, and began sharpening them against a rock.

Abi picked a near by flower, admiering it's beuty. She set the flower down and looked at her ring and sighed. She lay down in the grass and began crying softly and quietly.

Dalamir blinked, and turned to her. He sighed, and walked over to her,"Still hurting, huh?" he eyed her leg,"I'm sure Rayan would've given you a big wet kiss if he was awake...but," he looked to Rayan who was deep in his sleep and drooling,"He's kinda occupied. He'll tend to you when he wakes up, 'kay?" he smiled, then scratched his head, looking towards Dimitri and Melody,"I'm gonna go hit the hay now...g'night."he got up, and made his way back to the tree.

Abi ignored him and lay motionless on the ground as her eyes slowly slid shut. (don't worrie she's not dead >.<)

Dimitri sighed "Why am I the only who can't sleep after a mortal wound has befallen them?" he asked dully, leaning back against a tree trunk.

Melody looked to him, and laughed,"I guess so," she said, scratching her nose.

Dimitri gave her a look, running a hand through his unnaturally red hair and sighing.

She watched him silently for a while, thn plopped onto her back. Melody's ears twitched in the sea of bluegrass, as she stared up at the white splotched sky,"...Dimitri?"

"Yeah?" he replied, absently braiding a small strand of his hair.


Melody blinked, and paused for a while. After a few moments, she broke the silence,"After this war and all is over...and if we get through the whole thing without damning ourselves...are you gonna go back to heaven?"

"..." Dimitri was silent, continuing to unbraid the crimson stands and cast it out from his eyes. He stared ahead, stoic for a few minutes before answering "Yes,"

She quietly sat up, and looked at him for another while. Melody pulled out some blades of grass out of the ground, and started to intertwine them absently,"Oh." she replied simply.

He turned his eyes to look at her "Why?"

The hanyou blinked up to him,"Because..." she paused for a while, and sighed, casting aside the blades of grass which she once held between her fingers. She poked her fingers together shyly,"Because...I'm scared." Melody swallowed,"Scared that something similar to your last visit will occur...and you'll forget." she looked back up to Dimitri,"I-I'm scared...I don't want you to forget about...me...and Rayan, and everyone." she withstood tears and surpressed them quite well in her clear eyes,"...because these kind of experiences are kinda big...and these relationships are pretty big...you know?"

Dimitri turned his gaze from her to look to the horizon and sighed heavily. "I think..." he started "I think the reason that I lost all my mermories... was because Heaven didn't want me to remember Hell, and be haunted by it... ya know? They wouldn't be very nice if they let something like Hell be painted on my mind for the rest of eternity..." he looked up a bit, then down to his hands "This... war... this struggle for life... when it's over.. I don't know. I'm pretty sure I'll remember everything... they can't hide the truth from everyone. But I doubt that I'll come back... back to the purgatory,"

"Hmm." Melody nodded simply,"Yeah...I guess. And anyways, the only reason you could come back down to purgatory, was because of the war."

"Exactly," Dimitri sighed "But as much as I hate this war I'm trying to find a way to maybe get my memory back," he sighed absently, resting his chin on his propped up hand.

"That's a good goal...at least in times like this." Melody scratched her head, and yawned,"Well, I'm going to go to sleep, if you don't mind." she smiled warmly, and laid back, closing her eyes,"G'night, Dimitri."

Dimitri narrowed his eyes at the horizon, leaning back against the tree trunk and crossing his legs under him. He stifled a yawn and sighed "... Good night,"

---

"...what do you intend to do with that?" Kaine looked over Kuroi's shoulder curiously, as his gloved hand held the white feather.

Kuroi smirked,"You'll see in due time." he replied, gloved finger running over the feather.

Kaine cocked his head,"...are you sure this'll work?"

"You doubt me?"

Kaine blinked downwards,"No."

"...good." Kuroi looked down to the stream of water,"And now, we wait...until the angel sleeps.

---

Dimitri, who for the past couple of hours had been musing on many different topics in his mind and had found that sleep was not his friend tonight, swore softly. He blinked drowzily and was finally thankful for the nocturnal rest as he fell into a light sleep.

---

"...that's it? Do you really think that'll subdue him?"

"Be patient, Kaine. As long as we have this feather, there are endless possibilities...I just wanna try the most prolonging one first." he smiled toothily, and gently placed the feather in the nearly still stream. The creepy rippling effect from earlier occured utop the water. Kaine and Kuroi smirked, as they watched Dimitri quietly.

---

'...wake up, half ass.' someone hissed to Dimitri in his sleep.

Dimitri's eyes shot open automatically, his sences alert and the light sleepiness shaking off immedietly "..." his eyes scanned the area, looking for the source of the sound. Then he wondered if the voice was just in his head and he relaxed a bit, leaning back against the tree again.

A weird sound similar to a heartbeat filled the area, and the ground rippled as the stream wence Kuroi and Kaine were did. Slowly, Rayan, Abi, Dalamir, and then Melody seemed to dissapate from the area. Followed by the walls of green.

Silent and eerie ebony replaced it.

Dimitri was on his feet immedietly "..." his eyes widened and he looked around at the surrounding blackness. "What the hell..." he breathed, his intakes of air becoming tight as his throat seemed to close in on itself "The fuck...?"

"...So, you're awake."

Slowly, familiar cold walls began to appear around him. Everything seemed to be in some sort of sepia tone, except for Dimitri's self. Then cold metal bars apeared before him, the spaces between then small. No one could be oblivious to what this was.

A jail cell.

"Holy shit!" Dimitri stumbled back, only to collapse against the stone wall behind him. He gasped, his hand running slowly over the ashen bricks. "Oh my God..." he watched the bars afront him before walking slowly over to them and grasping the iron poles. He was still for a moment before he shook them insanely, eyes frantic "Oh my God!!!" he slammed his fist against them, sweat breaking out on his forehead "L-Let me out!!"

The jail guard looked to Dimitri, and arched a brow,"Hey look, the stoic one's talking!" he said, followed by a cold laugh,"Let you out? Are you kidding me? A delinquent such as yourself? No chance in hell!"

As Dimitri pounded aimlessly against the cold metal, even his angel wings seemed to dissapate into nothingness.

"Oh my god..." Dimitri's hands fell to his sides "It's like..."

'Someone's here to talk to you...'

His eyes widened and he fell back against the brick, hands shaking uncontrolabley. "I remember it..."

'Ten years kid...'

He collapsed to the floor staring at the iron bars "Just two doors away..."

---

Kaine blinked at the scenario, as he watched Dimitri state through the water,"You mean the kid was a delinquent? I always thought of him as some messed up church-boy by the way he kept blabbing on and on about--"

"Your sense of judgement isn't the best, Kaine." Kuroi interuppted him, turning to him,"You better work on that," his attnetion slowly turned back to Dimitri, and Kaine muttured some dark words.

---

A familiar old man walked into the hall, staring down at the crestfallen Dimitri,

"Well, I see you've gotten yourself in a predicament haven't you?"

"..." Dimitri raised his head to look at him "Oh my God..." he scrambled back on the floor to the corner of the jail cell "G-Go away, you son of a bitch!" He shook "You're--You're going to bail me out... and that'll put me... they'll kick me out and... No... No... Don't you dare!"

The old man smirked, and walked over to the iron bars. He knnelt to become eye to eye with Dimitri,"...are you scared?"

Dimitri shrank, if possible, even further into the corner "Go away...." he mumbled helplessly.


He chuckled,"Dimitri, you know very well that I won't." he grinned toothily,"And that you're gonna get bailed out, and that life's gonna be a living hell..."

Dimitri shook his head defiantly "I swear to God--- Don't you dare!!"

"Hey," the man said, durmming his fingers against the iron bars,"Would you rather be in here? Alone?...at least you had what some people would call 'friends' out in your hell...either way, you can't escape from it. You will always be this lonely, cold stoic soldier, no matter where you are, and what happens, because I know you know What's going to happen..."

"They're going to kick me out..." Dimitri choked back tears "Thye're not going to want me... I'm a murderer!" he shook violently "And... I'm not going to be able to go anywhere! I'm.... no..."

---

Kuroi looked to Kaine,"Go now." he said.

Kaine nodded, and lept off into the night.

---

"Don't you see where you belong...?" he said. The old man closed his eyes, and walked straight through the gate of metal bars. His steps echoed in the cell as he approached the shaken Dimitri. The man slowly reached out to his matted hair, stroking his head gently,"With everyone else like you, where you won't be alone..."

"Get away from me!" Dimirt smacked the old man's hand away, recoiling as if touched by something vile "This- this isn't real... I don't believe you!" he shook horribley again, tears streaming down his face. He shook his head "You're-- You're not helping me! You're just going to make it worse!"

"You sure about that, Dimitri?"

"... Yes," he whispered.

His eyes narrowed sharply, and he suddenly grabbed Dimitri by the shoulders, and began shaking him,"No matter what you think, we'll always be here to haunt you...until you're subdued. Which you will be, in this dark abyss..." he hissed at him.

Dimitri was still and silent for a moment until he let out a yell and brought his foot to connect with the man's gut. He scrambled to his feet and fell back against the opposite wall "Who are you?!"

The man staggered back, and grunted. He stood up straight, and sighed,"Who am I?" he smirked over at Dimitri,"Your worst nightmare..." his voice seemed different that insatnt- younger, and somewhat familiar. The man stared at him for a while, then lept on top of Dimitri, setting a finger on his jugular.

---

Kaine smirked, as he sat on top of the delussional Dimitri, his long and sharp nail against his throat,"G'night, my angelic friend..." with her free hand, he raised his dagger. In Dimitri's view, he still seemed like the old man.

"PISS OFF, CREEP!" Melody screamed, grabbing the wrist with the dagger, and prying him off of Dimitri.

---

Melody's voice seemed to interrupt the grim scene, as the old man staggered back again.

Dimitri scrambled to his feet, hearing Melody's voice he blinked, rubbing his neck a bit "M-Melody...?"

---

Kaine swore loudly, and threw her off of him,"Dammit!!"

Melody grunted as she hit the forest floor, but then stood back up again.

---

"Dimitri, wake up!!"

Dimitri blinked many times, watching as the surrounding stone walls faded into nothing, and the area he had fallen asleep in return. He breathed out looking at Melody, blinking "..."

Melody smiled widely as he awoke,standing in front of him, as Kaine growled lowly,

"You little bitch!!" Kaine screamed at her, and lfited his gun to her, firing two shots.

She swiftly ducked, and swore under her breath. She grabbed Dimitri by the arm, and ran to the side as Kaine fired at them again.

"...HARASSMENT!!" Rayan jolted awake at the commotion. He blinked several times, and looked around the the ruckuss, eyes widening,"Oh God..."

"What the hell's going on?!" Dimitri whispered frantically at Melody.


Abi sat up "What the....?"

"Well, almost everyone's up for the party." Kaine smirked, and fired some more shots at them.


Rayan swore loudly, and grabbed Abi before any bullets hit her, throwing her onto his back,"Shit!!" he ran deeper into the forest, and dragged his brother on the way,"Are you okay?" he asked Abi.

Melody ducked under another bullet,"They did something in your sleep that caused you to see an illusion, I'm guessing. I heard yelling, and woke up in time to nock Kaine outta the way before he stabbed the crap outta you."

"Ya I'm fine."Abi said.

Dalamir pryed his wrist away from Rayan grip, and kept running,"Crap!"

Rayan shook his head, and hid behind a tree,"We aren't outta the gutter just yet..."

Abi sat down and suddenly glowed blue for a second then a barier(sp) formed around Melody and Dimitri.


Dimitri blinked, looking around at the unnatural blue barrier surrounding his form "Oh my,"

Melody cocked her head at the blue that glew around her, and smiled,"It's some kind of...barrier."

"I noticed," Dimitri grumbled looking around for Kaine.

"DIE, BITCHES!" Kaine screamed, hopping out from behind a nearby tree.

Melody blinked, as a bullet bounced off of the emitting blue.

Dimitri's face tightened a bit "I think you need to calm down, Kaine,"

Kaine gave a confused look to Melody, then looked to Dimitri,"...calm down?"

"Yeah," Dimitri tapped the blue shield with his index finger idly "You'll waste all your bullets if you act so reckless,"

Kaine paused for a while, and growled, letting his arm fall by his side.

"Now," Dimitri brushed some dirt from his self "May I ask what you were doing to me back there?" he asked, folding his arms politely.

"What the hell do you think?!" Kaine snapped, reloading his gun. he watched the barrier for a while, and his eyes narrowed, tyring to calculate some weakness.

"I suppose, I was in some kind of nightmare illusion, using my past against me and you decided that it would be okay to stab me. What I'm asking, is why you didn't shoot me," he spoke curtly.

Kaine arched an eyebrow,"I wanted to drag it out..." he lied, snarling,"...and anyways, I was just taking orders."

Melody sneered,"Kaine...taking orders? Well, well, well, so you aren't as indpendant as I assumed."

"Shut it." Kaine snapped.

"I thought you could drag it out with a gun," he pointed bitterly at his badaged gut "Or does whomever your master is prefer for you to fall to such low tactics such as stabbing someone with a knife? When they're in a nightmare I might add. Pretty cowardice if you ask me,"

"Do not insult myself, or Kuroi..." he growled.

Melody blinked,"Kuroi?" the girl pasued for a while, then burst out laughing, even snorting,"So...this is all he's got?"

Dimitri cracked a bit of a grin "... That's kind of... sad, really. I expected more. Ya know, ripping my wings off, gouging out my eyeballs, then decapitating me. Not sending some little vampire to stab me to death," he slowly raised an eyebrow "Or are you simply scared of him? ... I don't know," he asked rhetorrically.

Kaine felt fury rise, and get ready to explode through his words, but contained himself,"There is something bigger than all of us that's planned, Dimitri...I have reason to fear him."

Dimitri narrowed his eyes "I realize that, Kaine, I'm not stupid."

Kaine smirked,"Good. Just checking." he drew back for a while, and sighed,"If you were, than this little game wouldn't be fun anymore now would it." he backed up, and grabbed a loose feather on the ground as Kuroi did before. After a few seconds he hissed, as it began to sear through his skin. Without another word, he slipped it into his pocket, and grimaced,"See ya." and with that, he fled into the darkness.


Melody sighed, and drooped her ears, as moonlight cascaded through the now peaceful forest,"Whew..."

Dimitri felt his hand automatically clench and an audible crack was heard "They're taking my feathers..." he growled.

---

From the cover of trees she watched Kaine as he passed through, slitted eyes tracing his movements with curiosity. Her combat boot scoffed the bark, allowing some to crumble beneath her. "Hello Kaine. Looks like you just had a grand old time out there."

Kaine stopped aburptly, and turned to the watching figure. He sighed,"What the hell do you want?" he asked, irritated tone in his voice. Not really caring, he continued to walk before she could answer.

---

A look of concern took over Rayan's face,"Maybe that's how they got to you and your memories, Dimitri."

"..." Dimitri grumbled some dark curses, feeling small beads of blood seep from under his nails "Should I cut them off?"

Melody sighed, rubbing the back of her neck,"They could easily find where you discarded them with just one feather."

"We could burn the discarded ones..." Dalamir said.

Rayan and Melody flinched a bit at the thought.

---

"Someone's cranky," She grinned, knee length jacket unfurling as she leaped downwards. Smirking, she blocked Kaine's path.

---

Dimitri sighed, "It wouldn't really matter if they found them or not, they'd be dead and useless," he glanced back at the twitching wings, as if they were listening to the conversing and feared dismemberment ".. not that they're any use right now..."

Melody sighed,"Well, at least we're partially out of the gutter." she shook her head,"For now."

---

Kaine shot a look of disdain at her, and eyed her dully,"...do you come along and waste other people's time for your own enjoyment?" he snarled,"Tell me what you want and I'll be on my way."

She tossed ebony bangs from her view, hooking a sleeved arm through Kaine's as they walked. "Just thought you might want to consider some outside help. Everyone knows Kuroi's been having trouble with a group of mutts lately. In fact, it's rumored there's a reward for their heads. Need a helping hand?"

Kaine smiled slightly, and chuckled to himself,"Fine." he replied, amber eyes meeting hers,"It wouldn't hurt for some more help." he laughed again,"I'm pretty sure a vampire and a prostitute couldn't do this alone...carry out such a plan as big as this one." he eyes their linked arms, his away from hers quickly.

She smiled sadistically, catching his gaze. Stretching idly, her smugness grew, "Sorry, do I make you..uncomfortable?"

A disturbed look graced his features,"I don't go for any intimacy with random people." Kaine sighed, running his tongue over the top row of his vampiric teeth.

"Nor do I!" She gasped, seemingly shocked. Her dark eyes flinted, mischeivously lit as they bore into the vampire,"What if I offered you a pint of my blood? I hear a demon's blood can strengthen vampires."

Kaine looked at her idly for a while, then tore his hard gaze from the demon, continuing to stride,"I'm not in the food to feed right now."

"More in the mood to kill?" She kept up the pace, grinning, and running a sharpened nail gentle up Kaine's spine, "I can help you with that one."

Kaine felt himself stiffen as the light pressure drew done his spine. He took a step away from her, and cocked his head,"Oh, really?"

"Yes," She replied blatantly, and drew a jagged knife to her side," Besides, I need a good challenge. Most angels are too easy these days. This one sounds like fun."

Kaine smirked,"Then you're up for one hell of a ride." he looked up into the endless black,"This one is...interesting. Extremely hard to read." he gestured to the gauze wrapped around his arm,"He even shot me."

"An angel with a gun?" She twirled the dagger, "That's something new. What's the name?"

"Dimitri-Wesley Ian Varret..." he glanced to his pocket which held his feather, and kept walking,"Better known as just Dimitri." Kaine spun his fine somewhat long hair around his finger in thought,"Oh, not only does he have a gun. He's brutal and brooding and senile...gentle though, to those who befriend him."

"Dimitri..." Her eyes glazed for a moment, "Nice name. How often has he kicked your ass?

"Pretty frequent, actually. But...one of the first few times, I shot him in the gut and left him for dead. Then his little doggy friend came along and had to be all noble and shit." he sighed,"Since he's teamed up with her, then these other elven kids, it's been near impossible to get to him."

"Sounds like you have your hands full," She murmured, thoughts begining to over take her. She shut them out, yanking at her fingerless black gloves. "So...what to do about it..."

"Hm," Kaine stroked his chin for a while,"I'm planning on taking the elves out first...just because they're like little gnats, and just make my job more difficult."

"But in the process you may be...interrupted," She leaned against the tree in thought, pushing back dark strands, "Why not take care of them all at once...You, you're bitch and I...could work."

Kaine shot an abrupt glare at her,"Don't refer to Morgan as my 'bitch'...it's not befitting at all." he spat acidly on the ground, and drummed his fingers against the bark,"Nevertheless, it could work. The only catch is..." he sighed,"Kuroi...he's planning something. Something big. Something him, myself, and even the devil himself can only know."

"Fine...whore...she is a hooker isn't she?" She sneered, arms crossed, "So what about their plan?"

"Prostitute." he corrected off handedly,"Our plan?" Kaine chuckled to himself,"I said only we can know..." he shook his finger mockingly,"If I told you, I'd have to kill you, now wouldn't I?"

---

Suddenly the barrier dissapeared and Ali fell over "Wo..that took a bit outta me..."She sighed

Rayan looked to her, and smiled slightly,"Must've. Thanks, anyways."

---

She yawned, flicking his nose, "I'd love to you see you try it."

His eyes narrowed sharply at her, and she rolled her eyes,"Well, than I guess it's too bad for you. I don't go for useless brawls." Kaine muttured at her.

---

"Now what?" Melody asked, looking onto the horizon, and luminating colours began to fill the endless black's place.

Dalamir sighed, stretching,"There's not point in just going back to sleep." he replied, looking to the hanyou,"It's nearly daybreak -- we can set out now."

"Wheee," Dimitri looked around dully "Lead the way sargeant,"

Dalamir snarled, and got up, beginning to walk south.

Rayan sighed, and shot a look of annoyance at his brother, helping Ali up,"Yes, o mighty master..." he mumbled, following quietly.

Melody shook her head, and went along as well, gazing at the sky,"It's gonna be another long day..."

---

She sneered, a malicing look taking space in her sights. "Show me where they are Kaine, I'll take at least one out for you."

Kaine shurgged, pointed to the direction which he came from,"That way, about a mile down." he glanced up at the colours starting to emerge in the sky, and swore,"They're probably on the move...I best be on my way now, before I burn to death." he waved dismissively, and ran off, dissapearing into the remaining darkness.

"Sucks to be you," She muttered, following his pointed digit with a razoring gaze. Then, fanged teeth clenched, she bent down surpressing a screech. Two webed wings stretched from the demoness's body, resurrecting towards a darkened sky. With a mischievous grin and a thin film of persiration on her forehead she waved farewell to the vampire and took the the skies. In search of prey.

---

Rayan smiled brightly, as always, ass they passed a massive pointed rock which resided jammed half way into the ground,"Yay!" he peered up to the leading Dalamir,"We're almost there, right?"

Dalamir nodded half heartedly,"Yep,"

Melody sighed in relief, ears drooping
simultaneously,"Finally."

Circling, a leathery bird cascaded downwards, perching on the landmark with ease. It's magnifigant wings collasped, revealing a dark haired predator. Claws draw, the woman crouched, eyes scanning her targets. That's them alright...

Rayan blinked, and her ears perked up. He turned to the evergreen forest, and narrowed his eyes worridly, as he saw nothing. He shrugged, and turned back to Dalamir,"So we're almost there...you sure your 'plan' is gonna work?"

Dalamir snickered,"The closest thing we have to human is the dog," he started to continue, but paused to hear Melody growl lowly. He rolled his eyes,"Just cover up her ears again, and you have an instant human. Those idiots wouldn't be able to notice,"

Melody sighed, scratching behind her ear,"Yay. More muffled hearing for me." she murmured, looking to him,"Don't you dare start to descriminate ...it's what started this whole war."

Dimitri sighed, slinging his arm across Melody's shoulders "Don't worry about it, Melody, I like your bandanna,"

A stinging sensation filled her cheeks again, and she sighed,"Nyeh, that's good to know..." Melody smiled sheepishly at Dimitri, and pulled out the piece of cloth from her pocket whilst looking up ahead to Dalamir,"This better work." she said, struggling to get the bandana over her head.

Dimitri sighed again, watching her struggle with the material "I'm sure it will, you're human enough,"

Melody brought her head up, stroking the cloth back to coner her eyes. She fixed her hair a little, and spat on the ground,"Yeah, I guess..."

"It'll all work out perfectly." Rayan smiled, and looked to his older brother,"...right, Dalamir?"

Dalamir blinked, and turned to his brother. Some uneasiness graced his features,"...yeah, right." he added quickly, continuing to walk.



Dimitri's eyes narrowed slightly and he paced ahead to walk alongside Dalamir "...Honestly, are you sure about this...?" he asked steadily.

The elf looked to Dimitri, and nodded slowly,"Yes...yes, Dimitri, I am."

Dimitri regarded him gravely, before nodding in return "Alright," he mumbled, his sandy voice grating on the dark pitch.

"Mmhmm." Dalamir added.

Melody watched from behind, slightly confused. She cocked her head, and shrugged,"So, we're really gonna see the human city..." she smiled, looking to the sky,"I haven't seen a human that was still living in a while," she said,"But to imagine a whole thriving city of them, a place where they can go about their way amongst themselves," she spat on the ground again.

"It'll be just like it was hundreds of years ago," Rayan added,"It'll be pretty damn interesting."

"You speak of the human race as if they were perfect." Dalamir said over his shoulder,"They have their flaws...the worst thing of all, is that they have the will to kill their own race out of greed. They steal, just like every other race, they brawl, just like everyone else as well." he continued to pace,"Don't expect pleasantville just yet,"

Dimitri side-glanced the storm spoken Dalamir, knowing the excitement over finally arriving at the city had been dampeed "Reason why you implore so darkly?" he asked solemnly.

"I have my reasons." He replied to Dimitri bluntly.


"Like what?" he continued, ignoring the silent warning not to press the subject that Dalamir's tone suggested.

"I said, I have my reasons," Dalamir repeated hastily, glaring daggers at the angel.

Dimitri remained indifferent under the hard look and continued talking "I'm simply asking because I don't want any reasons you have to compromise if we can avoid any extra attention,"

Dalamir eyed him for a few moments, and concluded the silence with a slight smile, and a light laugh,"Don't worry, kid." he snarled, and walked ahead,"I won't go all hasty and violent or anything else that might bring attention to us. As long as they stay off my back...I won't say anything."

Rayan looked worridly up at them, and sighed, taking the time to walk ahead beside Dimitri,"I'll explain it later, 'kay?"

Dimitri's eyes lingered on the older elf for a while before he turned to look at Rayan "Allright,"

Rayan smiled brightly, and looked ahead,"I'm guessing your experience with humans wasn't the best...I mean...you were one."

"I don't remember that time," Dimitri said callously.


Rayan blinked, and looked ahead again,"Oh!" he laughed to himself nervously,"Right..."

"It's okay," he side-glanced him "People commonly forget, I'm used to it,"

"Okay...sorry, anyways." Rayan apologised, looking to him again.

Dimitri smiled at him "It's okay, I have a tough hide,"

Rayan returned the smile, and nodded,"Sure as hell, Dim."

Melody's eyes narrowed curiously at them, and sighed,"It's so weird when males talk like that..." she said to herself, popping off a cap on one of her bottles. She dry swallowed a pill, and stretched, yawning.

"Talk like what?" Dimitri looked at her over his shoulder, his voice taking on a mock-offence pitch.

Rayan looked to her with a likewise expression.

Melody blinked up to them, and turned red, smiling and waving sheepishly,"Nothing, nothing...nothing!" she poked her fingers together nervously.

Dimitri trailed back to her and poked her painfully in the side "Like what, dear sweet Melody?"

Melody looked to him, red faced,"Nothing." she repeated.

Rayan laughed, and retreated to her other side, tugging on her soft ear,"Yeah, like what."

Melody stood there, as they both poked at pulled at her. She sighed, and hung her head,"I feel annoyingly submissive..."

"Really?" Dimitri angled his head so that he was looking up at her as she hung her head "So.. when males act like what?"

Melody glanced at him, and sighed, bringing her head back up,"I just find it interesting when males apologise and accept each other...I just find it weird, okay?!"

Rayan blinked at her, and smirked,"Oh, so you enjoy studying males...?"

Melody shot a look to him,"No!!"

"Then why did you observe us so?"

"..." she turned every possible shades of red redder.

"Rayan, my friend," Dimitri went beside Rayan hook his arm through his and grin cockily-- looking very uncharacteristic in the process "It's because we're so incredibely sexy!"

Rayan laughed," 'Tis true, 'tis true." he smiled widely, and looked to Melody,"Of course you can't help but observe us!" he poked at her mockingly,"She's a little pervert, alright."

Melody felt herself turn so red, she thought her head was on fire for some brief moments,"I am not!!" she snapped back.

"Yes you are!" Dimitri hugged her stupidly "Admit it, you're always looking at us and having little fantasies in your head!" he grinned toothily.

"Mmmm...gmmm..." Melody gave a distressed look to Dimitri, as she felt her face burn in embarassment.

Rayan shook his finger mockingly at her,"I'd think you of all people would know better, Meli."

"Hmmm..." she gave a defeated sigh,"Okay, fine, I admit, you guys are somewhat attractive..."

Dimitri stood erect, he gasped fakely "Hear that, Rayan? We're attractive!"

"No! Really?" Rayan said with enthusiastic sarcasm. He smirked to Melody,"I don't blame her, though," he held out his left hand to show the elven ring wrapped around his ring finger,"Sorry Mel, but I'm taken." he sideglanced Ali.

Melody blinked, as her mind suddenly made her change topics,"...you're engaged?!"

Rayan nodded, and waved his hand in front of her face,"Too bad for you," he walked over to Ali, and stroked her hair back a bit.

Melody gaped at him,"To Ali?!You're supposed to tell us these things!!"

Rayan sighed,"I'd thought you two would be smart enough to notice we both have the same ring." he lifted up Ali's hand, and kissed it gently.

Melody smiled slightly,"Aww, that's adorable. Congrats."

Rayan shook his finger mockingly again at her,"Don't ever try to change the subject again, Mel." Melody turned red again,"Now if you excuse me, I must tend to my fiancée." he walked on ahead with her.

Dalamir's ears twitched after the conversation, and he snickered lightly to himself.

"Well, that's one 'attractive' guy down." Melody sighed, and spat on the ground. She looked to Dimitri, and felt her face's shade of red darken. Without another moment, she walked on ahead, scarcthing the left arm with her right hand.

Dimitri smirked, walking beside her and returning to his normal passive demeaner "I find it funny that it's only when the subject comes up that he fawns over her,"

Melody laughed gently, glacing over to him,"Yeah...he's a weird guy."

"Yeah, but he's a good guy too," Dimitri smiled a bit, watching their subject walk ahead.

She nodded,"Agreed...I can't believe we didn't notice the freaking ring before." Melody said,"Ah, well, might as well be happy for him,"

Dimitri smirked toothily "Do we have a choice...?"

She snickered, and sighed,"Ah, true, true."

Dalamir stopped abruptly, and fished something out of his bag. He flung a towel at Melody's head.

She stopped suddenly, and paused, pulling off the towel. Melody looked up to him,"And this is for...?"

Dalamir snarled,"We're a few miles from the city. I suggest you bathe...you smell like a dog."

Melody shot a sharp glare at him, and started cursing. She heaved another sigh,"...fine. Where?"

Dalamir pointed his index to some bushes,"Behind there's a stream or lake of some sort...whatever you wanna call it."

"Okay," she walked towards the green, then stopped again. Melody smirked, with nothing but malice running through her mind. She stepped behind the bushes, and in a few seconds, her shirt came flying onto Dimitri's head,"Oh, the IRONY!!" she her yell echoed.

Rayan blinked, and shook his head,"My, my..."

Dimitri's eye twitched as he plucked the object of offense from his head. He sniffed it, then whirled around chucking the shirt back the way it came "He's right, you do smell like a dog!"

"Hmpf." she snarled, and stepped her bare self into the water. 

Rayan looked to Dimitri,"She bites back like a dog too." he laughed.


Dimitri nodded ruefully "Now my hair smells like her," he sneered "Not it's normal, wonderful cologne-like smell,"

Rayan snickered,"The dog's smell sticks...you can wash your hair when we get into town."

Dimitri grinned a bit, letting his hands rest on his head from where they had bneen running through his hair, trying vainly to get rid of the faint stench.

Rayan eyed him carefully,"You do realise everytime you grin, it scares the crap outta me..." he poked his arm.

His eyes narrowed dangerously "...Why...?"

He smiled sheepishly,"...it's just one of those creepy grins..."

His face fell alittle "Uh huh..."

She glanced down, decided now was a decent time to strike. She knew where they were headed now, and had had enough of their useless babbling. A beacon of stealth, the demon cascaded down from the skies, retracting her wings as she impacted with the earth. Shaking out a clawed hand from the colloision she grinned. The hell spawn stood her ground idly, blocking the pathway for her victims. "You look lost," She commented, cracking her knuckles, "Purgatory isn't the place for angels."

Dimitri turned lazily to look at the newcomer "Gee, thanks for reminding me. I suppose I'll just fly back up to heaven now after you gracious commment informed me of where was," he spoke dully, eyeing her up and down "Who're you?"

She smirked, amused by his attitude. Sizing him from top to bottom and up again, she grinned, "You can call me Nightshade."

"Thank-you, it's nice for someone to inform me of their identity without shooting me," he smiled bitterly, resting his hands in his pocket "Do you need anything?"

Her eyes rested on his, violet pistols ready to fire. She stretched, reaching into her pocket and drawing an odd looking, silver and red kissed revolver. "Nice to meet you too Dimitri...now die."

He sighed, tilting his head back slightly to inhale, then returning his gaze to her "Have I done something to you? Insulted a family member? Accidently knocked you down in the street?"

She laughed, clicking the weapon, "Not that I know of. And if you had knocked me down, I doubt you would've been able to walk away." Her eyes flashed dankly, trailing to his hair for a moment. Looks soft. "Actually, I'm just doing that idiot Kaine a favor."

Dimitri's hand clenched and cracked audibly. His eyes narrowed, black depths ablaze "....Kaine, huh?" his skin grew taut on his face as he grinned "Why're you helping him?"

"That's for me to know-" She shot up into the air, fangs drawn as she plummetted down at him, "And you to stay out of!"

He evaded quickly, side-stepping away from her as he drew his own revolver from it's respected holster, silver glinting under the morning light "Excuse me, not very lady-like are you?"

"You're definition of a lady being...?" Nightshade, ducked his weapon, side kicking his chest and plunging with him to the ground. Pinning him, her teeth were barbed.

Dimitri eyed her face, shoulder-blades stinging from the impact along with his already severed gut. He glared "Go ahead,"

"Don't be an idiot, you and I both know I can't kill you by shooting you...do you expect me to drink your holy blood like some sort of low-class vampire?" She grinned, tracing a claw along his jawline. In an instant, she grasped a large flight feather from his wings, and stood, favouring it with one hand. It tickled her grip. Like poison.

He growled, rising to his feet and standing erect "What is with you people and snatching my feathers?!" he cursed, glaring back at the usless, feathered limbs.


She pushed strands of black from her view, glancing back at him with annoyance. The white object was tucked firmly into her pocket. "You've never killed an angel before have you? There's only one way to do it. Besides," She smirked at the towering ivory limbs, "you have no real use for them anymore."

"I know," he hissed "That's why I'm cutting them off,"

She waggled a finger idly, taking a seat at the base of a nearby tree. "Go ahead, if you want to make my job easer."

He sighed, looking over at Rayan and Damalir, then back to Nightshade "Why?" he asked, feeling incredibley stupid and helpless at the moment.

"Because that would make you a fallen angel, idiot," She put a hand above her brow to block out the sun, "Which means you'll be trapped in purgatory, with all of your o-so-heavenly powers withdrawn. That basically means--you're screwed."

"Gee, thanks," he rolled his eyes, tilting his head to the side as he took a shot at her leg randomly.

Nightshade snickered, glancing at the stray bullet lodged near her. She didn't even bother to flinch. "You do know a silver bullet has no effect right?" She stood, stretching out her full form while eyeing her prize, "I'm not a werewolf you know."

"Go figure," he returned his gun to his holster "It made me feel better,"

"There's a lot of things that make us feel better," She commented, sly gaze apparent, "Doesn't mean you can just do around doing them."

"Will you shut-up? I don't know why Kaine's out to get me. I honestly don't. The worst I've done to him is shot his arm. Furthermore I don't know why you're helping. I don't know you, I don't have a grudge with you, I have never met you, so get lost," he cursed, taking a seat on the ground.

"Temper," Nightshade yawned, playing with the wrist wraps, "you should take up smoking. I hear it calms your nerves."

"I quit, a long time ago," he glowered at her "Why are you still here?"

"Whatever cranky," She muttered, violet eyes piercing him, "You're still alive aren't you?"

"No, dumbshit, I'm dead," he gestured unnesssacarily to his wings, which were twitching occasionally, apparantly in their own state of mind.

"You know what I meant asshole," She glarred and walked over to him, kicking Dimitri in the side before seating herself once more.

Dimitri winced, pain throbbing in his infliction from the impact. He recovered quickly and sighed "We have somewhere to be, so why don't you take my little feather, take it back to Kaine and Kuroi-" his tone clicked uncomfortabley on the name "-and plan someway to kill me, since apparently I am now the source of everyone's unhappiness,"

"Aw, not liking being the center of attention?" She grinned, glancing at Melody, "don't flatter yourself. I still need to take care of your dog-bitch girlfriend here."

"..." his eyes narrowed dangerously "Why? What did she do?"

"Struck a nerve? Good," Nightshade fiddled with her favourite blade, "Well, for starters, she's a halfbreed. Disgusting critters that seem to meddle everyone's plans."

His hand cracked nervingly on his black and silver handle "...And...?"

"She's in the way." Nightshade grinned, a smile that never seemed to reach her eyes. She observed his movements with curiosity. To protect someone out of affection was something the demon couldn't relate to. It fascinated her. She was fasinated with it as a kid might be with ants and a magnifying glass.

"Please stop avoiding the question," he growled bitterly "In the way of what?"

"Something that neither you nor I know completely," She murmured, "But I'm assassin this is what I do. Even in death."

He glowered at her "Then you belong in Hell," his eyes wavered "Blood money will never suffice as a source for you to live on. It will come back and bite you," he glared instinctively.

"Yeah no kidding," She muttered, rolling her eyes and expanding her wings once more," That's kinda where I live. Yeah yeah yeah, say what you want Mister High-and Mightly. I know who I am."

"Good, then you can get back to what you were doing; leaving,"

"Heh," Her face twisted in a sadistic expression, gun pointed at Melody, "Who ever said I was leaving?"

Muttering was heard from behind the ebony green. Melody emerged from the plants, hair wet and drooping. The half-breed blinked up to Nightshade and barrel of the gun,"...I obviously missed something." she muttured, taking the time to eye the current situation carefully. She sighed,"All I know is that some bitch from Hell is pointing a gun at me...and I'm not liking it." she quickly drew her blade.

Nightshade pressed the trigger, wasting no time as she drew her blade, firing with deadly accuracy all the while. With a sideglance, she kept a close eye on Dimitri.

Melody lunged upwards, and landed behind Nightshade, laying the edge of her sword on her back,"What the hell do you want?!"

Nightshade twirled expertly from the weapon, back kicking it from the girl's grip. "To take you out."

Then, all of a sudden, behind the group, came the sound of a scream and a loud thump.
Almost as quickly as she had fallen out of that damn tree, Leerah got up, and began to brush herself off, unaware of the other people around her.

Dalamir blinked to the girl who fell out of the tree,"...oh my."

Melody sideglanced Leerah briefly, then turned to her opponent. She bit her lip, and hopped into the tree wence the girl fell, throwing daggers at Nightshade.

Leerah then noticed people around her. "Uh, oh..." She turned to nightshade, who seemed odly familar. where have I seen her before? she thought.

Nightshade glarred, using the fallen girl as a step ladder as she bound into the tree after Melody.



The half demon glanced at Nightshade, and cursed under her breath, hopping higher into the tree.

Dalamir watched them flee up into the elk tree, the walked over to the fallen girl,"You okay?"

Leerah turned to the person who had spoken and said, "I will be when that girls head is on a plater." She quickly jumped up into the air, tossing two daggers accuratly at Nightshade. She had been in that tree for quite some time, and didnt like it whne people killed others, just for being in the way, or because they didnt like them. Sure, she was an assassin, but no one had giving her a job in a while..so she wasnt used to killing. And she didnt like being stepped on.

Nightshade glowered at the girl, evading her knives as she sprang easily after the hanyou, "Don't get in my way."

Leerah mimicked the girl. 'Dont get in my way, is that you are capable of saying?" She grabbed her daggers out of the tree, and sprange after her.

Melody looked down at the two pursuing, and arched a brow,"Yeah, this really isn't helping." she mumbled lunging her way back to the ground. She grabbed Dalamir's crossbow as she whizzed by, and smirked, waving dismissively.

Dalamir's face darkened,"You better not break that, mutt!!"

Ignoring the comment, and sprang up into another tree. The hanyou paused, realising she had nothing to fire at Nightshade. Melody turned red, and chucked the weapon back at Dalamir,"Dammit!!" she drew another dagger, and threw it at Nightshade,'I'm running out of weapons here...' she thought nervously.

Leerah stopped, kneeling on a tree branch. I wonder what the girl will do if she tuns out of weapons, Leerah thought as she pulled out one of the girls daggers from the tree.

Nightshade growled, the knife grazing her thigh. Black liquid trickled onto her leather pants. With a laugh, her wings expanded, gliding her towards Melody. Her revolver fired directly at the half-demon, a whizz of smoke trailing from it. Trackers.

Melody turned to see the offensive object move towards her. She jumped onto another branch to evade it. Her eyes widened slightly as it made a sharp turn, still on pursuit. She swore, and made a feeble attempt to run it out,"That's hardly fair," she mumbled.

Leearh watched, interested. how interesting....trackers she thought, then, she realized that maybe this, nightshade girls was descracted, she she tossed a dgger at her back, with good aim, and accuracy, hoping that it would hit.

"Hello, demons don't play fair," She replied nonchalantly, hearing a sharp cut of air slice behind her. Turning, the weapon lodged deep in her shoulder, hilt erect. With a grin, Nightshade placed her own blade in it's hilt, jerking the one inside of her loose. With a smile, cocking her head, she licked the edge and whirled it back at Leera. "From Hell with love."

Melody sprang behind a giant trunked oak tree, as the bullet zoomed into the tree. She heaved a heavy sigh of relief, and peered over to it see Nightshade and Leerah.

Leerah turned to the side, and for a moment, stood still. We she turned back, the dagger was between her fingers. She smirked. "I've been to hell, and there isnt any love there." She jumped, down, and began to walk towards Nightshde. She twirled the daggers in her hands, getting ready to strike.

Nightshade shrugged, drawing a gun in each hand. Flying upwards, she fired at both the women, her cuts healing simutaniously. "Maybe that's why I like it. And what are you doing, attacking a fellow hell-spawn anyways?"

"I have my reasons." Leerah said as she jumped up into the air, tossing another dagger, this time aiming for her heart. By now her eyes were a deep red, and her fangs had grown long, showing that she was angry.

"Oooh, PMS, I get it," The assassin winked, giving a toothy grin and holding her ground as she caught the knife by the blade, hurling it at Melody. " 'I have my reasons'? Bullshit."

Leerah moved to the side, catching it in an occcward way, cutting her hand. But the wounds quickly healed as her eys turned a piercing red. "No, I just dont like being a stepstool." She said as she lunged at Nightshade.

Melody veered back behind the tree, as the blade got caught in the wood. She turned back, and pryed it out. She looked to Nightshade and Leerah,'This doesn't seem like my battle anymore...' she smiled, and ducked behind another tree. Her brows furrowed, running her finger along the blade.

Nightshade glanced around. ' I don't have time for this...I'm here for one thing only.' She leap higher, stretching her wings above the treetops, out of range from most weapons. 'Now where is she..?'

Melody swore, as she saw Nightshade flee into the sky. She kept low, hiding behind the sanctuary of the shade below the leaves. She suddenly remembered the others,"Now would be a great time to help..." she mumbled to herself.

Rayan blinked at the comotion, and ducked behind trees every now and then, helping Ali along the way,"Where the hell did she go?!"

"Pfft," Dalamir snarled, looking around,"Just like her to dissapear..."

Leerah mumbled to herself, looking at the people, her eyes still a bloody red. She then turned back and started to sharped one of her daggers.

Circling like a hawk glazed in metallic oil, Nightshade whirled in indirect patterns, sharp eyes in search of the hanyou. At least Dimitri was easy to spot with his gigantic white limbs.

Melody crawled under another tree, and blinked, as a pistol was placed in her hand. She turned to see Dalamir, nodding. She simply nodded back, and mouthed,'Thank you.' she ducked under another tree, and peered up at the dark demon, aiming though the spaces of the leaves,"C'mon..."

Bang.

She caught a glimpse of metal, swerving away just in time, the bullet only knicking her wing. But that was all she needed. Diving downwards, she grinned, "There you are!"

Leerah turned to the boy. "So, what does she want with you anyway?"

"Well, that was smart." Melody cursed under her breath, and continued running. She fired a few more shots at Nightshade.

Keeping her distance, she swooped, firing more trackers with ease.

Melody evaded them as best she could, and skidded to a stop. They all fired into the tree beside her-- except for one.

The next thing she saw was red. When the smoke died down suddenly, she fell to the forest floor, holding the right side of her face with her hand. Crimson gushed down her right hand, and she drew back, vision blurred. Tears filled her remaining eye, as she bent over in pain.

Leerah gasped as she tossed many daggers at nighshade-to keep her occupied. She ran over to the girl, and knelt beside her. "We need to get you outa here, and fast."

Nightshade's mouth watered, sliding down to ground level. 'Bull's eye.'

Melody glanced at her with her left eye, and grunted, shakily getting up. She moved away from Leerah,"I don't need your help right now." she muttured. Her knees shook, and she fell again. With an unsteady hand, she raised the pistol, and fired two shots at Nightshade,"Bitch."

"Fine." Leerah said simply as she jumped up into a tree to watch. IF she was un-needed, then she would move out of the way.

Nightshade sailed through the air, allowing one bullet to pass through her tricep undisturbed. She plummeted downward, striking Melody and crushing her under her weight.

The hanyou screamed, and fell to the gorund, assasin utop her. She swore strings of profanity, as she tried to sqeeze out of the situation. She bare her claws, and slashed Nightshade across the face.

"That wasn't nice..." Nightshade gripped her throat, ignoring the slight sting, and sunk the claws of her index fingers into the juglar. She smiled, "Don't move."

Leerah thought about doing something, but descided against it.

Melody made some strangling noises, as her eyes widened. She gasped the for breath, as she tried pushing Nightshade away,'Get off,' she mouthed, since she couldn't speak.

The demon pressed down harder, splintering her ribs. She clung to her throat with one hand, drawing a gun with the other.

The girl gave a strangled scream, and her eye darted to the gun in the offenser's hand. Quickly, Melody grabbed her pistol, and shot Nightshade's gun from her grip.

Leerah watched from above, and thought, nice... as she glued her eyes to the fight.

"Dammit," She cursed with annoyance, striking her hard across the face, leaving a pair of deep gauges along her features. She released her neck, grasping the hanyou's arm and smashing it to the ground, forcing to either drop the weapon or lose the limb

Leerah thought that this was getting out of hand, so she came up behind Nightshade and stabbed her in the back, hoping to let the girl get a chance to leave.

Nightshade grit her teeth, keeping her hold and shooting back at Leera, straight into the chest. Glancing at Melody she smiled, and released her. She'd finish her off another day...right now, she had what she needed. Taking to the skies, her wings flooded, the wound from her back closing. In a moment, the demon assassin dissapated into darkness.

"Goddamit.." Leerah stood up, and began to try to get out the bullet.

Dimitri stood there, feeling incredibly stupid beyond belief that he had just sat around watching the whole thing without even helping at all; watching blatantly as Melody lost her eye and was put under the violent dominancy of the demon now known as Nightshade. Although he did find some comfort in the fact that neither Dalamir nor Rayan had helped in the feud.

He stood only a few more seconds before cursing the demon's name very darkly and stumbling over to the fallen hanyou and blinking "..."

Leerah mumbled to herself, her fingers getting slippery from the blood. "Now where is that bullet?" she said out loud.

Melody panted over, slowly bending over forward. She clutched the right side of her face, and her crimson splattered neck with her other hand. Her breaths were let out strangled and full of panic, as beads of sweat mixed with the red liquid. A hoarse and croaky whine let out, as the realisation that she lost an organ, and the pain hit her. Tears flew down her single eye.

Dimitri winced, reaching out to touch her blood soken hand "Mel... Mel, don't touch it," he muttered passively, watching her carefully.

Melody flinched back from Dimitri, and winced, whining again,"It...it hurts..." she whispered coarsely.

He nodded slowly "I know, I know it hurts, but just focus on not passing out for now okay?" his expression remained faceless, realizing she most likely couldn't see him at the moment, soo he changed his tone to a softer one instead. "But we have to bandage it up, okay? I know it hurts, but you've gotta be a little stronger than usual right now, okay?"

She cried out breifly in pain, and cried her best to contain as must compusture as possile. She nodded,"O-Okay..." Melody shakily drew back her bloody hand.

He smiled, despite himself and made a gesture over his shoulder for either Rayan or Dalamir to come over.

Said persons ran over, and peered over each of Dimitri's shoulders. Dalamir grimaced at the bloody sight,

"I guess the pistol wasn't such a great idea, huh...?" he gave her an apollegetic look.

Melody laughed lowly,"Yeah," she replied simply, sitting up slowly.

---

The vampire smirked to himself in his darkened abode. He tapped his fingers against the couch which he sat perched upon, as he blew out a long drag,"She failed," he muttured to himself, laughing hollowly. He looked to the curtains dragged over his windows quietly,'...nyeh, I miss Morgan.' he thought off handedly, plopping his back onto the couch,'Ah well...What can you do these days? I'm not exactly sure that Kuroi and Him and planning...they don't fully trust me yet.' he dug his cigarette into his ashtray, and sighed,'I'll show 'em.'

Nightshade stepped into the cavern, wings retracted, licking the blood that stained her finger-tips. "The angel will be dead in three days," She replied, fondling the feather in her grasp, "And the hanyou will be no problem for you now that she's half-blind...where's my cookie?" She smirked, taking a seat.

Kaine looked up at her, and smiled slightly,"I'd tell you to come in, but it seems like you've already made yourself at home." he he blew another drag,"You did a pretty good job," he said, sticking the cigarette in his mouth and reaching into his pocket. He pulled out what seemed to be dozens of bills of money, and started counting.

Her shoulder twitched, eyes sliding through the current of gray coming from his mouth. She turned her gaze to the money and growled, "Can you put that out?"

Kaine smirked, and paused for a while. He shrugged, and put the whole pile of money on the side table,"Take it. You didn't kill anyone but...what you did was good." he pulled the cigarette out of his mouth, the ashtray again, leaving it here.

She attempted to block the stench from her nostrils with failure, taking the money slowly, off handedly. With a grin, she stood, winking at Kaine as she exited, "Pleasure doing business. Now excuse me while I go bathe in the sun. Would you like--oh wait, you're a vampire. Nevermind."

---

Leerah then quickly pulled out the bullet, and the wound healed."Thats better." She mumbled to herself. She walked over to the boy and girl. "Sorry, for interferring." She said as she looked down.

Rayan peered up to Leerah, and drew back a bit,"Erm, it wasn't your fault...I think either way the result would've been the same."

"You dont have to be afraid, I wont suck your blood." Leerah said as she looked at her blood-stained shirt. "Great.." she said sarcastically.

Rayan snarled,"I have reason to be afraid of anything and everything right now," he sighed.

---

Kaine snickered, and waved at her dismissively,"Go on,"

---

"Sorry." Leerah said, then looked at the sky. "I'll be toast if I dont find shelter..." She began to walk away.

"Won't we all," Dimitri hissed bitterly, turning to look at Rayan "Well don't just satnd there like some gawking moron, I have no bandages. She's bleeding, dammit, do something!"

Leerah felt bad for the girl, and took off her sweater, and handed it to the man. "You can use this." She said, pushing a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

Dimitri grabbed the sweater from her hand and glared "Who are you anyways?"

"The name's Leerah, and I'm just your average vampire." Then Leerah, paused, and said, "Who happens to be on the friendly side...I guess that you could call it trying to make up for my past sins."

"You cannot absolve your sins, you're in Hell, live with it," he sighed "What are you doing here anyways?"

"Being lost." Leerah said simply.

"Well, isn't that wonderful," he growled.

"It isnt my fault that I got stuck here.....and you need to watch that additude." Leerah said as she leaned against a tree.

He turned to glower at her "Oh, please excuse me, I have a friend who's eye just got shot at, I have an assassin whose out to get me because some psycho vampire decided it would be fun to rob me of my only holy possession and send me disturbing visions of my past, which I can't remember! How could I honestly be bitchy, right? What was I thinking?"

"Well, sorry I asked." Leerah pushed her self up from the tree, and looked up at the sky.

"You didn't ask, by the way. And can you go do something that doesn't involve distracting me while I'm trying to stop Melody's head from losing all it's blood?"

Leerah began to walk away, then stopped. "Sorry." She began to walk away again.

Dimitri rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to the bleeding Melody.

Melody groaned, as her remaining vision began to get blurry,"Nyehhh..." she sighed,"I have another roll of bandages in my bag," she whispered. She coughed out some blood, and ende dup rolling her eye. She smiled lightly ,"Just when I took a bath, I get all bloody and dirty again..."

"Well, once we get to that what's-it's-face city, that human one, you can take all the bathes you want," Dimitri sighed, rummaging around in Melody's pack until he found the object of his desire. Unwrapping it he proceeded to cover her wound "Is your other eye okay?"

---

Leerah continued to wander around aimlessly, until she came to a cave. SHe smiled to herslef, and went in, to the very back of the cave, and began to sleep.

---

"Yeah," she replied, trying to clear her throat,"My vision's just a little blurry...guess it's because of the loss of blood."

Dimitri nodded slowly, "Okay, well, let's go to that city place, most likely some sort of doctor there," he turned to look at Dalamir.

Dalamir nodded,"Alright. Once we get in, we'll go to a hospital or a medic or something." he walked on,"Dimitri, help Melody on the way."

Rayan looked worridly to the hanyou,"So you're gonna be okay?"

Melody smiled gently,"Yeah, I'll be fine."

Dimitri's brows furrowed, "Suure, losing an eye is just fine..." he rolled his eyes and stood, waiting to be a cane.

Melody sighed, and staggered up. She slid her hand over his shoulder, and pushed herself upwards. Her knees shook for a while, but they soon stopped, and she stood as straight as she could,"Okay, l-let's go."

Dimitri nodded and began walking at a slow and steady pace, seeing if he should slow down or speed up to match her most comfortable pace.

---

Leerah woke up, breathing heavily. She looked around her with widened eyes.It was just a dream.....

---

In several minutes, they reached the brink of the forest. Rayan smiled widely, as he stood by the last of trees,"Whew!!" he smiled, and looked up at the horizon, eyes widening,"...whoa."

There stood, actually more or less floated, Argazeth, the human city. A floating citadel for those humans whom seeked shelter-- a way back to a world when these magical creatures were nothing but lore.

The city seemed seperated into at least seven or eight floating pieces of earth and rock, connected by human bridges, and covered by small towns and large glass coated buildings.


Melody blinked up tiredly, and smiled widely,"Wow..." she gasped.

Dalamir looked over the sight proudly, and sighed,"There you go."

Rayan smiled, and ran forward,"Oh God, this is gonna be so--" after a while, Rayan seemed to dissapear into the grass. A loud scream then an equally loud 'thud' was heard, as he ran off the edge of the higher ground which the forest stood,"...ow."

Dimitri blinked hazardly "And, tell me again how all of us get in?"

Dalamir sighed, and walked around the steep edge of the forest gorund, onto the more leveled grass,"There's a gatekeeper at the edge of the land which resided under the city. Once we cover up Mel's ears and show him how injured she is, he's sure to let us in, and opened the way to the city."

Rayan rubbed his head, and wlaked over beside his brother,"That's pretty high up..."

Melody sighed,"Meh," she twitched ears, and spat on the ground.

Dimitri side-glanced her, "Watch where you're spitting," he hissed, then turned to look at Dalamir "Well fine, but how do we get into the actual city?"

"Erm...I think beyond the gate is either a giant staircase-"

Dalamir got cut off, due to the fact that Rayan was already moaning irritably and mumbling and complaining about how much his legs were going to hurt.

Dalamir rolled his eyes,"It's either that, or some kind of flying vehicle. Or perhaps an...um...'elevator'?"

Dimitri "Okay, well let's get a-moving,"

Melody nodded,"Heh, yeah..." she sighed, and took another tired step forward.

Rayan stood erect, and looked up at the city all the while he was walking,"This is gonna be interesting,"

Dalamir shot him an irritable look,"This isn't a field trip, you know,"

Dimitri sighed tiredly, thoughts foggy 'Can we get there already...?'

Soon, they neared the gate. Melody ran her tongue over her front row of teeth, and sighed,"And thus, the act begins..." she looked to Dimitri,"Bandana, please?"

Dimitri sighed again, a seeming habit and looked at her "You're already wearing it,"

She blinked, and turned red, which seemed very strange against her blood drained face,"Oh...um, right..." Melody smiled sheepihsly, and took a teep breath,"Okay, okay, okay." she swallowed, as they neared the gatekeeper,"Here we go."

The human gatekeeper leaned lazily against the gate, making a clucking noise as the large group approached. He pushed himself off of the iron, and drummed his fingers against his spear,"Well, well, well , well, what do we have here?"

Melody cleared her throat,"Um...hi..." she smiled sheepishly,"Erm, we'd like to get into Aragoodbo..eee..."

Dalamir nudged his lightly, and whispered,"Argazeth."

"Argazeth!!" her sheepish smile broadened,"Yeah!"

The human chuckled to himself, and pointed to the other four with his spear,"And? What about Santa's helpers and the heavenly pillow over here?" he said, gesturing to the four elves and Dimitri.

Melody blinked,"Um...well..."

"We are her escorts," Dimitri said roughly, shifting the added weightly mildly "Under the order of her father, he's busy today and can't very well take his injured daughter to the only place he considers safe. Therefore, we were hired,"

Melody nodded,"What he says is true," she said.

Dalamir nodded,"Please let us in...the girl has lost a ludicrous amount of blood, and one of her organs." he pointed to the bloody bandages,"She needs to see a doctor right away."

The gatekeeper eyed all of them carefully, and concluded to a sigh. He tappe dhis spear onto the ground, and the gate opened,"Very well. You dare disrupt the city, and you all will be taken care of." he gestured to an elevtor completely made of glass,"Take care."

Melody nodded to him,'Thank you, sir."

Dimitri rolled his eyes angrily at the mannerisms, walking along with Melody's pace.

Rayan eyed the human for a while, in curiousity. The gatekeeper shot him a look, and he ran off with the others.

As they all stepped into the elevator, rayan looked up to the city, with widened eyes,"Gah, this is so exciting...!!"

Dalamir sighed,"Get ahold of yourself--"

"NYAH!!" Melody yelped, as the elevator shot up, and this weird turning feeling filled her stomach.

Dimitri took an intake of breath, stumbling a bit before regaining his balance. "Jesus..."

Pretty soon, the city came in full view. Melody smiled slightly, as they passed several tall buildings and busy humans,"Wow..."

Dimitri growled "Can we please just get to a hospital of some sort?"

"Patience, patience..." The elevator stopped, and they exited to a firm, paved ground. Melody blinked up, and looked around, as several humans stopped to stare at them. She turned red at the negative attention, and took another step forward,"...I suggest we don't engage in conversation with anyone." she whispered.

"Go figure," Dimitri grumbled, looking around at the the homo sapiens "I hate humans..."

Rayan nudged him gently,"Speak nothing of your hatred for them," he said, looking around, turning red,"I'm already scared as it is..."

Dimitri looked at him harshly "They have horrible hearing, they're humans," he hissed "Every intake of breath three feet from them isn't heard." he allowed a smirk to settle on his lips "Why do you think they're robbed so easily?"

Rayan smiled slightly,"True, true."

Melody mumbled dark words, and looked around,"...now to find the freaking hospital."

"Yup," Dimitri looked around then glanced at the tall elf "Dalamir, you seem to know this place well, any idea where the hospital is?"

"Two blocks from here, eastward."

Melody cocked her head,"...what's a 'block'?!"

"A usually rectangular section of a city or town bounded on each side by consecutive streets," Dimitri mumbled in robot-like-tone.

She blinked,"Oh..." Melody smiled,"I get it!!" she sighed,"Alright...let's get going then."

Soon, they reached an immense building. Melody blinked up,"...that's damn big."

"Greeeat..." Dimitri cursed "Well, let's hurry up," he said irritabely.