"~This time...I've lost my own return, in spite of...everything I've learned~"

I could hear the distant song playing among the constant noise. It sounded like it was seeping from a broken radio, pushing every muscle in the poor radio to break it outside. And even though the radio was barely breathing, the song was blasting its way out of it. I could almost hear the heaving sound of the poor radio as it just barely kept up with the song.

I soon became aware of the predicament I was in. I wasn't dead, for one. But things were worse than just that. I opened my eyes, which made a crisping sound, more horrible than anything you can imagine. I could tell from the rubble digging into me that the ground was shattered, there was a lot of smoke and dust and I could barely see or breath. I felt extremely light, it was almost scary. I couldn't yet feel most of my body, but I could at least tell that I was in one piece.

"Here?!"

I heard two distinct voices, approaching me. I wasn't in the right mind to think of who it could be. The thought of Nasty II hadn't even passed my mind yet. I was still figuring out what had happened.

The footsteps grew louder, until they came into vision.

"Oi, which one is it?"

"I can't tell, ya damn idiot!", the second voice was feminine.

"Just smell it, what else are you here for?"

"Do I look like a frickin' dog? Just use your goddamn brain, ya mutt!"

They sure were loud.

"Just shut up", the other one then sat beside me. I think he was observing me.

"He's alive through all this? Gotta say, our little boy there sure grew some damn balls", the lady said.

"Can't tell if this is human, even."

"Huh?! So it ain't our boy? They could be dead then..."

"I doubt it. Let's go ahead for now", he got up and began to walk away.

I wanted to stop them, maybe ask for help. But there was no way I could do it in my condition.

They weren't Prophet and Lucy, I realized at least that much. That's right, I was fighting Lucy and then...

So I survived! The realization stung me a bit too bad. She must have wiped out everything else, but I made it. And though I couldn't speak for much, I was at least all intact. I was so elated I could die, there would be nothing to mull over if I died now. I had made it through after all. Then I remembered Nasty II. I wondered where he was, he could be in trouble, I needed to get to him.

Thinking that, I made an effort to get up but my body wouldn't move at all. I began breathing really hard, although it hurt unimaginably.

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"Oi, hold on", the man stopped the lady and turned back.

"What?"

He came back over to me and stooped down to pick up a melted rock like thing beside me.

"Thought so", he muttered, "I was feeling a little itchy."

"What are ya up to?"

"C'mere, he's the brat, after all", he showed her the rock, "This is Ebony."

"Ya sure, it looks like golem shit to me", she opined.

He then leaned over me, examining my face closely.

"Yo, Seraph", he grinned strangely, "As pathetic as ever, you like being rescued that much?"

I didn't exactly know that voice, but it made me glad to hear it. For some reason, I liked hearing my name from him.

"Someone sure did a number on him, what the hell happened here?", the lady came over as well.

"I got a clue", he answered.

"You don't think it was Prophet, do you?"

They silently watched me for a while before quickly getting up. They were sensing an incoming presence.

"God..."

"This is horrible...what's the plan, mutt?"

"No quick moves, let him come closer", the two were on guard.

My eyes were tearing up from all the smoke and although it wasn't exactly possible, I felt like I was going to die.

"Hello, friend one and friend two."

Prophet...or rather, it was Lucy. I wanted to lift my head and see him but it was futile.

"Hah!", the lady chuckled nervously, but on guard, "Funny, I don't remember being friends with ya."

Lucy sniggered.

"What brings you to my domain? If you are thinking of taking him back", I think she was talking about me, "there's no way I'm giving him up alive. He messed the whole thing up. I hate brats like that."

"I doubt you'd be willing to take an apology then", the man spoke.

"Ya got that right! Get outta my place before I-"

"Sorry, girly. Gotta disappoint but ya got two of our lads. We'll be taking 'em back, one way or the other", he interrupted her.

Lucy broke into a terrible laughter. The two stood guard.

"Let me just make this easy", the lady spoke.

"A'right I'll pin this one down."

Saying that the two moved into action. I should have told them to look for Nasty. Lucy was going to kill them without any thought. Prophet...why won't he wake up already? I was beginning to retrieve feeling in my fingers. I knew it was the demon blood in me.

Nasty! I needed to look for him. I pushed myself the best I could, I just wanted to be able to move. My fingers were moving and I could just barely move my lips. My jaw was too weak but I could feel tingling in it.

I couldn't see them fighting but it sure got loud real soon, although it was surprising that Lucy hadn't laid them to rest already. I guess she was recovering from that mass destruction she had caused earlier. Still to think she was walking around like nothing had happened was surprising as it is.

I kept my focus on being able to move. I kept breathing hard, forcing my hand and feet to just respond.

That's when I felt a weak touch on my forehead. Those very familiar tiny hands, although I could only barely feel them, I knew it was him.

"N...ast..."

He walked beside my head and came into vision. If I had been well, I would have screamed in joy to see him alive. He looked miserable, but happy. He was injured, his big round eyes were drooping and his tail was just dragging behind him. He had no power to hop around like he used to. He placed his tiny hands on my face.

"N...asty"

He struggled to climb onto my chest, his powerless tiny legs finding it near impossible to climb onto my charred body. I was just a husk, with no skin, just a charred piece of coal. My eyes were cloudy but I could see him clearly.

He walked near my mouth and started pouring his blood in drop by drop. There wasn't much left and yet, there he was, saving me again.

"NO! STOP!", I wanted to scream but I could resist with neither words nor actions. Why did he have to put out his life like this for me? I had just paid one of the debts I owed him and there he was again, pouring his life into me again. My eyes began to well up, although a husk, my tears simply wouldn't stop.

I'm sure he was smiling, as he ran out of the last drop of his blood. He lay there right on my chest, with his tiny arm sprawled toward my mouth. I said nothing, laying there with him, helpless as I was. He was peaceful, he was happy, he was the best guy I knew.