Angelic Altercation

Wearing her usual blue t-shirt and khaki cargo pants with boots, Leona carried her backpack of supplies, her Nightshade Machete on her left hip, and wore Argent Gloves on her hands as she walked on a road cutting through green plains with ankle-deep grass. She had traveled pretty far afield for this job. In fact, she had traveled to the Unknown Lands for only the second time in her brief but eventful mage career. The first time was when she traveled with Quill to his homeland of Drachma several months ago.

Research at Silver Wolf's library did not help too much because the Unknown Lands were just that... unknown. Well, they were not exactly unknown, but there was no real way to neatly classify what was in the lands, so they were given the moniker of "Unknown Lands." That name stuck because it was appropriate. Leona was working alongside a mage from the Legal Guild Sabertooth who was named Masha Dymonrel. Perhaps she had more knowledge of the Unknown Lands than the blonde did.

Leona walked along the open road while keeping a watch for bandits or hostile creatures. She saw nothing. No matter how long or how far she walked, she did not spot a single person or animal coming down the road. That was strange. The Unknown Lands had to have some people who used the road for travel and commerce because otherwise there would not be one to start with.

Leona's attention was drawn to a crack in the air that sat squarely in the middle of the road. It looked like a typical crack one could find in a wall that desperately needed maintenance, but unlike normal cracks it emitted a bright yellow light and gave off a continual humming sound. It was also tall and wide enough for a human to comfortably fit through. It seemed to beckon to her like Beanstalk Forest did when under the influence of evil magic almost a month ago. However, the blonde was not going to take the bait.

Leona would wait until Masha got here before getting any closer to it. Then the pair would investigate the strange crack in the fabric of reality together. If trouble was on the other side, they would have a better chance working as a pair than they did working alone. Leona was slowly starting to grow out of her reckless tendencies, but she could not eliminate them altogether. The blonde was still adventurous and would still take the lead in exploring new places if it became necessary.

[Word Count: 426]
[Total Word Count: 426/7,000]

Masha tore across the expanse in front of her. "Not again, not again." She muttered to herself as she tried to tug on her zipper. Why did she always have to try the latex bodysuits? They were a disaster waiting to happen where she was concerned. Hell, the mob behind her wasn't exactly the worst that could have happened with this stupid thing on. Masha glanced behind her. Some of her pursuers were lagging but apparently most of them were in good shape. Damn it. Just once couldn't she attract a crowd of ugly, sweaty, overweight men and women? A crowd she could easily get away from? Once she was done vomiting of course. Her sense of aesthetic wouldn't allow anything less. People were meant to be beautiful. It was disturbing when they let themselves go so far by the wayside. Masha felt sick just thinking about it. She checked behind her again. Nope still hadn't lost them. Sigh. She had a job that she was trying to get to. Hopefully her partner wouldn't mind a large crowd of overly amorous men and women.

A woman in a drab outfit came into view. The outfit wasn't very flattering, given it was only functional. T-shirt, khakis and what looked like boots. Ugh. Masha couldn't deny that the outfit did a little something for the girl but come on! At least make the t-shirt into a crop top and lower the khakis to give a sexy glimpse. It was sad how little some woman cared about their sexiness. Wait a minute. A light rose color touched Masha's cheeks. That was her partner for this job. Leona. A shame really that that was the outfit chosen. Leona was quite the looker. Masha wouldn't mind seeing a little more skin. Wait! Leona could help her with her problem!

"Leeeooooonnnnaaaaaa!!!!" Masha called as she ran. The dirt was a little looser then the succubus thought. It caught under her feet nearly sending her tumbling into her partner. "I need you to kiss me! Now!" Wait... that wasn't what she wanted to say. What was her problem again? Masha bit her lip, looking deep into Leona's eyes. She could get lost in those eyes. What would they look like in the throes of passion? Mmmm. Clamoring voices brought Masha's attention back. Oh! That was the issue! "Big crowd, big trouble. Help me get unzipped!" The succubus checked over her shoulder. The crowd had gained while she was stupidly lost in her lust. "Quickly! I'll explain as soon as you do!" Looking over Leona's shoulder, the succubus saw the reason they were here. A rip in the air, glowing and looking rather disturbing if not very pretty. Masha felt a need to touch it deep in her gut. She shook her head, making her ponytail flop about. One thing at a time. Zipper then pretty rip in reality.

WC: 482

Leona was pondering the mysteries of the crack in the fabric of reality when she heard a voice calling to her from behind. The blonde turned to look and found a red-haired young woman wearing a latex bodysuit. A latex bodysuit. That was an interesting choice of clothing, but somehow it could have been worse. At least it covered her body, which was attractive even though Leona did not look at girls that way.

The red-haired young woman called Leona by name... she must have been Masha. Masha's turquoise eyes met Leona's green eyes and the effect was hypnotic. For a moment she forgot where she was and the purpose of her trip to the Unknown Lands. Then some spoken words brought the blonde back to reality. Those words belonged to Masha and were spoken in the form of a request.

At first it sounded like Masha wanted Leona to kiss her, but then the former abruptly changed the request. Now she wanted to be unzipped. Unzipped. Unzipped while a group of people were nearby.

Masha's request caught the blonde by surprise. Masha wanted her to quickly unzip the bodysuit before the crowd got to them. Leona looked over the redhead's shoulder and saw exactly what she meant by the word "crowd." A large mob of young men and women had been chasing her job partner without any signs of slowing down; none of them showed fatigue in any way, not even by breaking a sweat.

"O-OK." Leona said awkwardly as the former located the zipper, then put her right thumb and forefinger on it. She then gently pulled down on it, making sure not to destroy the only way Masha could secure the precariously tight outfit. The more the blonde pulled the zipper down the more awkward she felt. Masha had the body of a goddess; her chest was threatening to pour out of the bodysuit, making Leona's face turn beet-red. Despite the awkwardness of the situation the blonde felt attracted to Masha and could not quite look away.

Leona pushed aside the awkward feelings; her teammate had made a request for help and Leona would fulfill it. Leona kept unzipping until the zipper was down to Masha's stomach. Somehow she felt like that would not be enough, so she mustered the courage to unzip the outfit all the way. Leona kept going until the zipper could go no further. She then backed away to give Masha some personal space.

"Is-is that enough? Is there anything... anything else I need to do?" Leona asked with a beet-red face. The blonde's face was burning so hot that it was a wonder she did not catch fire. Life in the desert had NOT prepared her for this. Nothing could have prepared her for this kind of situation. There was a first time for everything, even awkward situations such as this one.

[Word Count: 480]
[Total Word Count: 906/7,000]

Masha felt the relief immediately as Leona pulled the zipper down. The pressure that had been building under her skin lessened immediately. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see the crowd slowing down. The magical aura she emitted lessened with every inch of skin revealed. When Leona pulled the zipper all the way down, Masha turned her attention back to the blonde. A regal eyebrow raised. There was no issue baring all of her body but Masha hadn't thought Leona would be interested in her. Seeing Leona's blush and hearing the hesitation in her voice was tempting. Masha wanted to tease the blonde. The succubus stepped into the blonde. "Why yes there is! That request for a kiss still stands." Masha licked her lips slowly. "Would you mind indulging my hunger?" She paused to see what Leona would do. A kiss was welcomed but what Masha really needed was the blonde's lust. If Leona froze, Masha laughed daintly. The zipper was pulled up but only enough to barely cover her.

"I do need to feed but all I need is your lust." Masha said stepping away. "You don't need to do anything but feel lots of lust. That'll be enough for me. After a little while, I'll have enough energy to tackle the job." She smiled widely at the blonde. Her eyes took their time taking in every inch of her partner. What a thrill it would be to sink her teeth into that ass. "I'm Masha by the way. It's nice to meet you, Leona." Her eyes snapped back up to Leona's face. "Very nice."

The rift they were supposed to be investigating crackled and spat. Yellow tendrils shot from it creating larger cracks all around it. Masha felt something unpleasant ripple down her spine. This thing wasn't safe. Not for normal mages and not for civilians. The sooner they dealt with it, the better. However, the only faster way to recharge her mana was sex. That wasn't an option at the moment. Masha had been trying to stay away from one night stands, trying to reach for something more lasting. Karasuki's re-entrance into her life had only strengthened her resolve. Masha had pulled the poor girl from the safety of her book shop. Had put on a semblance of a normal relationship but hadn't trusted Karasuki with her greatest secret. Their relationship had shattered when Karasuki found out Masha had cheated.

Thinking of the past distracted Masha from the current danger. The tendrils were getting closer to the mages, stretching out like they were searching for something. "Perhaps we should move." Masha said slowly as she took a few steps away from the rift. Without warning, the tendrils rushed forward. They wrapped around Masha's waist. A mighty tug pulled Masha into the air toward the rift. "Fuuuuu-" Masha's scream was cut off as she vanished into the rift. The activity of the rift calmed once Masha was pulled inside. It returned to its normal size while the tendrils disappeared. There was no sign of the succubus. She had vanished completely.

Masha found herself kneeling on a marble white floor. There was no ceiling to this room only brilliant blue skies. Large white columns rose from the floor to create a semblance of walls. Two large winged figures held her arms. What appeared to be dogs, alight with blue-white fire, stood snarling a few feet away. From what she could tell, there were four of the dogs. A regal feminine figure stood in front of her. Large than those that held her arms, the woman seemed to be residing over a trial. Masha had a bad feeling that the trial was hers and that it wasn't about to end in her favor.

WC: 624
Total: 1,106

Things were getting weird. Very weird. Masha still wanted the kiss. And instead of discouraging the amorous gazes, Masha actually wanted them. She explained that those feelings helped her recharge her energy.

Leona was not sure what to make of that, but she would need Masha's help for this job, so she would endure the awkward feelings for the redhead's sake. It was nothing that Masha had done, but a result of Leona's upbringing in a remote desert village that was a frequent target of raids and famines. Her village frowned on same-sex relationships not so much on moral grounds as on the grounds of simple pragmatism. Everyone was needed to help produce the next generation of Nebdoui residents.

"OK." Leona said to Masha with a hint of reticence. That reticence soon evaporated whenever the blonde laid eyes on Masha's face. Her attention was drawn to those turquoise eyes. Why were they so interesting to look at? Why was it so hard to look away from them?

Leona found herself edging closer to Masha. She was about wrap her arms around Masha to actually kiss the redhead when the tendrils reached out for the latter and pulled her into the rift. The blonde frowned. Whoever kidnapped Masha was so rude. It was time to go get Masha back from wherever it was she was taken to.

Leona took a breath and leaped into the rift. There was no predicting what was on the other side. She had to be ready for anything.

-On the other side-

Leona landed on a marble white floor and was immediately set upon by two large winged men. She punched at one of them, forcing him to back off. The other grabbed her from behind in a chokehold and wrestled her to the ground. Leona felt her possessions being taken from her.

Leona turned to face an angelic woman who seemed like she was sitting in judgment. She was larger than the males who had accosted her. If she was trying to be intimidating, the woman was failing. The blonde was too angry to be afraid.

"What's the meaning of this?" Leona asked the woman. The indignant blonde would not stand for people stealing her possessions. If they wanted their own machete or gloves, they could go out and earn them just like she had. There were plenty of bandits to beat up and plenty of materials to get to make their own weapons. Leona managed to calm down long enough to express her thoughts in a way that did not involve swearing.

"You kidnap my job partner and when I come here to find her, your pals try to choke me out and then steal my stuff. What's wrong with you people? Why didn't you just ask us to come in?" Leona ranted. She really should have been calmer in dealing with the unknown people, but their ill treatment of Masha and herself sent away any thoughts of a civil discussion. Their hospitality sucked.

[Word Count: 500]
[Total Word Count: 1,406/7,000]

Jealousy and anger swirled through Masha's stomach. Leona had been about to kiss her. There had been hesitation in the blonde, that much was obvious. Yet she was still going to kiss Masha. The redhead could only imagine what it would have been like to feel those lips against her own. Would it have sparked a fire like Artemis Dagger? Would the cold icy grip of dread follow the kiss like with Ruvel? Masha hadn't kissed many people despite being a succubus. She tended to try and keep her lips 'sacred' in a way. The redhead would never take kissing lightly. Though she had offered it to Leona rather flippantly. Masha resolved to try and avoid that occurrence in the future. The angels on either side of Masha tightened their grip upon her arms. It was as if they could sense her malevolent intent.

The regal angel simply stood there listening to Leona rant. A twitch of her fingers had the angels releasing her. However, four others levels spears at the mage. Masha could barely see from the side of her eye. It looked like Leona was boxed in and there was no telling how many angels stood on the sidelines. Masha glared up through a curtain of hair at the judging angel. "This woman is a demon, attempting to infiltrate our lands. I understand your confusion. Demons are tricksters that use those of pure heart to their own evil ends." The angel unsheathed a sword, holding it to Masha's throat. "My guards will escort you back to your lands and return your weapons. This demon will be disposed of to discourage her followers and fellow demons from entering our world."

Masha scoffed, flicking her hair out of her eyes. "Are you blind? I'm not a naturally born demon. I was made into this... demonic form." She wrenched her arms from the angel's grasp. Before any of them could react, Masha stood up. The latex body suit was peeled off the upper half of the succubus. As the angel pulled her sword back to strike Masha, a bright flash came off the redhead's body. The magic hiding all her scars fell away. The angels gaped. Thin white scars spaced an inch apart covered nearly all of Masha's torso. Only her face seemed to be void of the scars. She stared defiantly at the angel that stood before her. Slowly, the sword lowered. "Perhaps our judgement was a bit hasty." The female said slowly. "However this could simply be another trick." Masha scowled. She bared herself for these morons and they thought it was another trick? How paranoid were they? "Therefore, you must undergo the Trials. If you pass them, I will admit your innocence and lead you personally back into your world."

Masha smiled slowly. A prolonged fight wouldn't be difficult to win. She'd cut her teeth on those kinds of fights since she was little. With Leona being released, there was nothing to worry about. "Your companion must fight with you. We have no proof that she isn't the demon in this couple despite her innocent appearance." The smile vanished. What the hell was that logic? Masha might not be the demon so Leona was? Before she could protest, the angel snapped her fingers. Angels picked up Leona and Masha. They were flown to a large round building with a sand floor and no ceiling. There was a sinking feeling in Masha's stomach as they were placed in the center of the sand. There was no exit from here unless they pitched themselves off the edge into the sky. "I'm sorry for getting you roped into this" Masha murmured contritely. "I swear I'll get us out of this. Then I want that kiss. I'm so angry that they interrupted us. It's not every day I can get kissed by a beautiful woman."

WC: 644
Total: 1,750

Leona listened to the angel's words and started to reconsider. Maybe she had been too quick to judgment herself. That feeling was suddenly thrown out the window when suspicion was cast on her as the potential demon. Really? Leona, a demon?

Maybe they had a point... a small one, but it was still a point. Leona did take a lot of jobs that involved fighting and preferred them above other types of job. However, the blonde believed that her record spoke for itself. She did not attack the innocent. She only fought and killed those who tried to kill her first... necromancers, doomsday cultists, the undead, werewolves, serial killers, and bandits of all kinds.

"So you guys think I'm the demon, huh?" Leona asked indignantly. She would admit that was no angel. She had blood on her hands and was likely to get more on them before her life was over. That did not automatically make her a demon. Or maybe the blonde was labeled a demon because she did not take the ill treatment lying down.

"And you think that undergoing your trial will show whether I'm a demon or not?" Leona asked the lead angel. Leona sighed. She thought that angels were supposed to be wise and merciful beings. This bunch seemed as prone to mistakes as human beings were.

"Fine. I'll take your Trials. I'll take your Trials alongside Masha." Leona answered with confidence. Seconds later she and Masha were flown to a large round building with a sand floor and no roof. It looked and felt like some kind of arena. Moments later she heard Masha's apology for getting them into this situation. Leona was not upset with the redhead.

"It's not your fault, Masha. When us mages take jobs, things like this come with the territory." Leona said to her companion. Leona recalled briefly seeing Masha's true form, the scarred one without the magic disguise. She also recalled hearing the Sabertooth mage's brief explanation of how she was forcibly made into a demon and not born into the race. The blonde did not think that the redhead was lying to save her own skin. There were people in the world who would gladly mutilate others for their own gain.

Leona picked up her gear that was lowered to the sandy ground by angels who hastily departed lest her wrath be directed towards them. Leona picked up her machete, her backpack, and her Argent Gloves. She hastily put them to be ready for the upcoming fight. Once she had her equipment back she turned towards Masha. Green eyes looked into turquoise ones.

"You still want that kiss, huh?" Leona asked rhetorically. She could see the answer in Masha's eyes. Somehow the blonde could not say no to that request.

"OK. Once we get through these Trials, I'll see what I can do." Leona said to Masha. She then prepared for the fight. She had no idea what the angels could throw at them. That did not matter. Whatever came at them, the mages would deal with it together.

[Word Count: 512]
[Total Word Count: 1,918/7,000]

Masha smiled slowly at Leona. "I'll hold you to that, Leona." She winked at the other mage. "Hopefully it ends hot and sweaty with both of us very satisfied. It's the best kind of ending." Someone made a hacking noise behind them. "Disgusting creature. Mating is meant to be sacred. You desecrate it with your meaningless flings" Masha looked over her shoulder to see an male angel spitting on the ground. He was pretty to look at, his cheekbones sharp, his shoulders broad. A 'perfect' male. Now if Masha could course correct that attitude, she'd be happy to take him to bed. She'd never had an angel before. A small grin began to form on her face. Then Artemis' face flashed across her mind. Ruvel's followed soon after. Then Karasuki's. Her hopes for a normal future despite what the scientists had done to her. The grin faded. The choice would never be easy for her. It was something she was beginning to realize.

The angel had a friend with him. The friend was only slightly less handsome and both had shovels on their shoulders. Masha turned toward them, a seductive grin spreading across her face. "Come over here and I'll show you how much fun mating really can be. I can take both of you at once." The first angel gagged but his friend looked amused. "I suppose you two are the beginning of our trials?" When she received a nod, Masha's grin turned vicious. "Good. Leona, let me handle them. Save your strength for later." Masha had no doubt that the other mage was likely the better fighter. The succubus tended to get a little too focused upon her opponents. The first angel scoffed. "You think you can take us both on by yourself? You're arrogant, demon!"

Masha merely smiled in response. The angels were well within range of her spells. "Mara, Makena" She murmured under her breath, stretching out her hand. She needed relatively little power for this spell. The entities that shared her body and perhaps her mind rose quickly. This was the only opening they had to take over Masha's body. As soon as Masha had the barest tendrils of their power, she unleashed the spell. Three green chains burst into existence. They flashed across the distance to entangle the angel's friend. The jagged edges cut into his bronze skin causing a golden ichor to seep forth. A keening sound came from the captured angel. Masha raised an eyebrow. They were that weak? This would be no sweat off her brow. The angel that kept insulting her roared. He charged across the distance toward her. Masha laughed and charged in turn. Her bouncing chest reminded her that the bodysuit was still about her waist. Ah well. Anyone watching would get a show.

Vibrant emerald runes imprinted themselves before Masha's fists. She'd torn more power from Makena, ignoring the echoing scream the entity sent through her mind. The angel viciously swung his shovel. It was easy to dodge. Masha went under it, delivering a powerful blow into his side. At this range, the wind blade sliced right through him. Somehow, the angel remained standing even as ichor doused the lower half of his body. "You were outmatched from the start, sweet cheeks." Masha taunted. She continued to slam her fists into his body. He swung wildly trying to hit her. The succubus could only laugh. With Makena's power running through her, her body was as light as air. She was much faster than this feathered male. Wind continued to cut through him. She had no remorse for her opponent.

Something stopped Masha from delivering the punch that would take the angel's head. She wasn't sure what it was but her fists lowered to her side. "Yield." The angel simply nodded before his body crashed into the sand. His golden lifeblood quickly created a pool about him. The succubus turned her back on the angel, trotting to Leona's side. "First, I think that performance was pretty fantastic. Almost worth another kiss, yes?" Masha looked down and pushed her chest up with her hands. "These perky things would love a kiss from you, my sweet." The succubus giggled. "Second, do you have a hair tie? My hair kept getting in my face during that fight and it was annoying as hell." The redhead completely ignored the angel wrapped within her wind chains. He could be dealt with in good time.

WC: 742
Total: 2,492

HP: 400
Mana: 340

Spells Used:

Leona was incredulous. Their first opponents were angels wielding shovels caked with manure? That was insulting. She also felt bad for them because of their unenviable place in the angel hierarchy. She wondered what transgression they had committed in order to end up with such a crummy job.

Masha handled them with effortless ease using three chains that bound them in place. Leona felt sorry for them because defeating people who took the Trials was likely the only way they were ever going to get out of their situation. Now their hopes of obtaining freedom were dashed and they were stuck as heavenly stable boys. She was not sure what was more humiliating for them... being stuck cleaning stables or getting defeated by a single artificially created female demon. Leona's money was on the latter.

Leona heard every one of Masha's flirtatious remarks and was not quite sure how to respond to them. The redhead stated that she wanted another kiss, but this time not on her lips. Masha grabbed her large chest and pushed it up with her hands, an act which made Leona blush furiously. Things suddenly got awkward again. Leona found herself barely able to look away, and even then it took quite a bit of willpower to do so.

"Lemme see if I have a hair tie in my backpack." Leona said to Masha before taking off her pack and diving into it in search of something that could work as a hair tie. So far she had come up with nothing. Her pack had more supplies than it did accessories because there was not much point in dressing up when a sandstorm would undo all that effort in the span of seconds. Leona's hand touched something rubbery, so she fumbled until she closed her fingers around the item and fished it out.

"I have a rubber band that might do the job. I'm sorry that I don't have anything more fashionable." Leona apologized to Masha while handing over the rubber band. It was not the fanciest hair tie ever, but it would do in a pinch. Fighting angels in an arena in what looked to be Heaven would definitely qualify as a pinch. Leona was a simple person who tended to carry only what she needed. Aside from a spare change of clothes, she did not carry much of a wardrobe in her bag because the space was devoted to medical supplies, food, water, and her desert cloak.

Leona's wardrobe was not much to write home about. It was plain and simple, just like she was. She did not have much reason to invest in expensive clothing because her clothing did not tend to survive the jobs she took on. Her shirt was the article of clothing that was damaged most often. She was glad that Masha was not there for the werewolf-hunting job after Leona lost her shirt to the claws of the werewolves or the situation could have gotten awkward very fast.

A blond male angel dressed in a white metal cuirass and golden pauldrons on top of a white robe landed in front of her. He wielded a well-made sword that glimmered but did not have any magic. He looked like he had something to prove to himself and to the other angels.

"So you're my opponent, huh?" Leona asked the confident warrior angel.

"Yes. Your defeat will secure my promotion to a higher rank. Prepare yourself." The angel calmly answered. Leona drew her machete and prepared to fight the warrior. She did not know how well her machete would stand up to a clash with the well-made sword of the angel. The blonde mage was about to find out.

"Stay back, Masha! I'll fight this guy!" Leona warned the redhead to keep her distance. She did not know for certain if the sword did not have any magic, but it might have it. It might also be made of a holy metal that granted it the ability to harm demons without having to channel magic first. Leona wanted to keep Masha away from any such weapons for as long as she could. The pair still had a lot of angels to fight before this ordeal was over.

[Word Count: 706]
[Total Word Count: 2,624/7,000]

Masha enjoyed the blush that spread across Leona's cheeks. Teasing this mage was nearly as fun as teasing Artemis. Though with Artemis, it had been give a little, get a lot. Masha shivered, remembering their dances together. His mouth on hers. His touch on her skin. She shook herself and pulled her body suit on once more. While she enjoyed teasing, there was a point where one had to get serious. "A rubber band would be perfect, darling. I don't need anything fashionable for my hair. In fact, I can do without too many fashion accessories. I just need you draped all over me." The succubus winked at Leona as she put her hair up. A ponytail would have to suffice for now. There wasn't anything saying their opponents wouldn't be thrown at them one after another. Masha expected the angels to play dirty. They were only demons in their eyes after all.

The angel warrior landing put Masha on the defensive. She hadn't dealt with the second angel from her two yet. He was still wrapped in her chains. In fact, he should be able to move now. The succbus glanced over her shoulder. The angel was indeed on his feet, grimacing as the chains wound into his flesh. Two other angels were stepping up next to him. They smacked shovels into their hands looking none to pleased with her. "I'll leave him to you and take on those weaklings. Can't have them attacking your back!" The succubus pressed her lips against Leona's cheek. "Win for me, sweetling." With that, Masha twisted and charged across the arena sand. Her spell was still primed upon her fists. As soon as the angels were in range, she'd unleash a windstorm of punches against them. Keeping her mana til they knew it was over was important. There was no telling how long it would last. If she needed to, the succubus could always pull Lover's Kiss from its hiding spot. However, she wanted that surprise to wait. Best to use it as a last resort.

The trio of angels was rightfully wary of Masha's power now. As she swiftly approached, they split up. The one with her chains running through him faced her straight on. The male with lightning blue hair and matching wings moved off to her left. The female went off to Masha's right. Damn. Masha didn't like uneven odds unless she knew she was stronger than all of her opponents combined. It helped to keep up her confidence. Now she was facing three opponents that may or may not be weaker than her. The first angel's arrogance hadn't allowed the succubus to get an accurate power read. Briefly, the thought to use her summons came across her mind. It was dismissed swiftly. Her summons could get hurt in this fight. Unless Leona was in imminent danger of dying, Masha wouldn't pull them into her fight. Time to fight with strategy.

Masha launched herself into a flying kick once she was close to the angel with chains. Her flying attack took him by surprise. "Suck it, pretty boy!" Masha shouted. The kick barely even jostled the musclebound angel. She used two wind blades to launch herself up and over him. Landing in a crouch, Masha placed a seal on the ground before rolling away. The angel spun, his intent all over his face. Masha dared him with a twitch of her finger. A feral roar rent the air. The angel didn't even look as he charged at the succubus. Attempted to charge. The moment he stepped upon the seal, tentacles burst from the ground to entangle him. "Today is just not your day" Masha giggled at him. He growled, snapping his teeth at her. "Ooo darling don't tempt me. I love bites. I'll let you go if you promise to bite me hard." The angel recoiled just as Masha had intended. "Too bad." She punched him a couple times on principle. You couldn't just deny a girl because you disliked her race. That was just sooo.... racist.

Now she had two more shovel wielding angels to deal with. They hadn't wasted time trying to sneak up on her. Not that it had worked. After the scientists constantly creeping into her cell, Masha made sure nothing could sneak up on her. Except Dewi cause she was the Queen of Shadows. "Were you two trying for a threesome? I'm not in the mood, darlings, sorry. I'd rather kick ass." Masha flicked her wrists at both of them. Tentacles unfurled. At this range, the tentacles wrapped around the angels' throats before dousing them with red mist. The angels choked on it while the tentacles disappeared. "Dear me!" Masha gasped as the angels opened their eyes. Their nostrils were flared. Their pupils expanded. Desire basically dripped off their skin along with barely repressed violence. There were probably a few other sins in there but Masha  only really cared about those two. The spell had been more effective than she thought. Both angels must have kept their darkest desires under tight lock and key. Masha wanted to test their limits. That however wasn't a smart battle strategy.

A flurry of blows sent the two angels flying back into the sand. The surprised looks on their faces pulled a laugh from Masha. Perhaps they were enjoying their dip into forbidden territory. Pity Masha couldn't give them the full tour. The spell enchanting her fists flickered. "Damn... time's up." She murmured before the spell failed entirely. This wasn't a battle she could fight with her weakest spells and no weapons. The succubus looked for Leona. The angels were getting back to their feet and this little succubus could use a dashing warrior princess. One that would carry her off to a tower where they would spend hours... Not the time! Masha readied herself as the angels approached. If Leona didn't appear, she'd handle this herself.

WC: 988
Total: 3,480

HP: 400
Mana: 340

Spells Used:

Leona faced down her opponent, who made the first move. With the aid of his wings he dashed at her with sword pointed directly at her. The blonde blocked it and spun around to swing at his back, but the angel had sped away by the time she could complete her spin. He was an experienced fighter who knew how to use his wings to his advantage.

The angel came around for another pass, so this time Leona was going to knock him out of the sky with a spell. He dove again and Leona threw a Fast Ball at him, which nailed him in the face but failed to knock him down. Instead he deliberately slammed into Leona and knocked her to the ground, sending her machete sliding to Masha. The blonde mage's plan did not go according to plan.

"You think that you can beat me with such a weak spell?" The angel asked before bringing down his sword in a one-handed chop. Leona blocked it with her left Argent Glove and fired a Wind Blast with her right hand. The surprised angel was sent staggering backwards for three steps before righting himself with a single flap of his large wings. He looked at her with some measure of respect.

"That is an improvement. I will have to take you more seriously." The warrior said to her. Leona drew her knife from her left boot. The angel looked at her incredulously.

"Do you expect to defeat me with a simple knife?" The man inquired in a tone of mild disbelief.

"Maybe. We'll find out soon enough, won't we?" Leona asked her own question. The angel smiled.

"You are brave. Demons are not usually brave unless they have an advantage. They flee at the first sign of danger. But do not be too proud, mortal. Bravery alone will not be enough to defeat me!" He said to her before launching himself straight into the air with his wings. Leona was ready this time. She observed his pattern and waited until he committed to a diving attack, then threw another Fast Ball at him. He dodged the spell and tried to slam into her again. This time Leona waited until he was close enough to grab her, then used a Mach Straight to punch him in the face.

The angel crashed into her and brought both of them to the ground. Both combatants stood up and backed away from each other, then rushed in and began trading attacks. The angel led off with a downward stroke of the sword and Leona blocked it, but this time he added a swift kick to the stomach. Leona staggered back and cast a Smashing Crescent that he barely dodged. He rushed in and made a lunging stab which Leona avoided by rolling to the side and launching another Wind Blast.

"You are good, mortal. But you have not won yet!" He said to her after recovering from the knockdown. He made one last charge at her and Leona countered with another Mach Straight that slammed into his face. The angel dropped his sword and bent to one knee.

"I have lost this battle. Finish me." He said to her. Leona put away her knife. She was not going to murder him. He had done nothing to deserve it.

"No." Leona stated her refusal. The angel looked surprised.

"I'm not going to kill you. There's no point in it. I don't kill for the sake of killing." Leona informed him. He looked surprised, but then he nodded. He stood up again.

"Maybe... maybe you are not a demon after all. A real demon would not spare my life after I lost. I will live to fight real demons. Perhaps one day I will earn my promotion to the higher ranks. Thank you." The angel thanked her before picking up his sword and bowing out. Leona turned around to see Masha in trouble. Two more of the shovel-wielding angels were after her and they looked angry. What had she done to get them so vexed? Leona probably did not want to know.

"Hold on Masha!" Leona shouted before sprinting and jumping between them and her. The pair stared her down. The blonde did not budge. She felt her machete at her feet. She kicked it behind her where Masha could reach the weapon.

"I suggest that you step away from that... that demon." One of them warned her. He was a musclebound man with brown hair.

"I'm not going anywhere." Leona replied firmly.

"So be it. You will share her fate. You two will occupy the same grave." The second muscular angel said ominously. He had short red hair that was almost copper.

"Masha, use my machete! It's behind my feet!" Leona said to her. The blonde stood her ground as the two angels attacked at once. She used a Wind Blast to knock one back while the other charged with his shovel raised. He brought it down with a powerful swing that she blocked with her Argent Gloves.

"Why do you defend her? Why do you defend that demon?" The red-headed angel asked as he struggled to gain leverage. Leona was not going to let him win. She needed Masha to be ready for the upcoming battles.

"She's NOT a demon!" Leona defended Masha both physically and verbally. The angel scoffed.

"And you believe her? You are a simpleton. I almost pity you." He expressed unconcealed scorn for the blonde.

"I don't need your pity!" An angry Leona shouted before kicking him in the stomach. His partner rallied and soared towards her with shovel raised. Leona blocked his strike and hit him in the face with a Mach Straight. The brown-haired angel dropped his shovel and rubbed his jaw. His red-haired friend took up the attack and swung his shovel in a horizontal swing.

Leona ducked under it just in time. Even if the angels were blinded by their arrogance, they were good fighters. They were strong and unwilling to back down.

[Word Count: 1,008]
[Total Word Count: 3,632/7,000]

Masha scooped up the machete Leona had kicked to her. Hearing the angel telling Leona to step away, Masha half expected the woman to do so. There had been very few people that had ever stood up for her in her lifetime. Most would rather throw her under the bus. Her surprise was very real when the blonde defended her ferociously. It sent a warm tingle curling in the pit of her stomach. Perhaps some people were worth being friends with. Just friends. Not whatever it was Masha did. Touching the tattoo on her chest, Masha whispered "A shattered heart, A broken mind, A feeble body. All but need a Lover's Kiss!" The sword hilt felt right in her hand as she dragged Lover's Kiss from her chest. She was glad for all the practice she had been putting in. While she wasn't an expert sword wielder, the succubus was competent enough to handle a few opponents.

Leona ducked underneath a shovel strike. That was what she needed. Masha rushed forward. The shovel clanged into her swordbreaker. A grin formed as the shovel snapped with a subtle twist. The angel gaped at the weapon. Masha drove Leona's machete into his shoulder. "Die demon!" The brunette slammed into Masha's middle. Her weapons dropped into the sand. She didn't know if he'd forgotten his shovel or ignored it. Whatever the case, she was wrestling with him as best she could. His bigger frame gave him the advantage as he straddled her hips. A brutal punch connected with her cheek. Masha could feel the bone crack, a bruise rapidly forming. The angel raised his other fist, ready to hit her again. The succubus spit blood into the sand. "I've had girls who hit harder than you. Come on!" His face contorted and Masha knew she'd won.

His fist struck the sand as she moved. Her fist came up slamming into his chin. The other fist struck as well but much lower. The angel fell off her with an agonized squeal. Masha rolled away, hoping Leona had taken care of the redhead. She grabbed Lover's Kiss, placing it back into her chest. Time to return the machete. Masha hurried over to Leona. Her eyes were probably gleaming with unshed tears. Maybe with more than a little desire. Masha flung herself onto Leona, wrapping her up in a hug. "Thank you." She whispered brokenly. "Its rare to find someone who'll stand up for me." The succubus wanted to kiss Leona. A full hot tongue filled kiss but she'd learned her lesson with Ruvel. Sometimes that wasn't the appropriate response for a situation. People weren't dolls for her to play with. "Thank you" She said again, caressing the side of Leona's face with the tips of her fingers.

The moment was ruined by a new group of angels slamming down. Three of them wielded only a sword. Surprisingly they were all women, one with blue hair, one with green hair and the last with pink hair. The final angel, who appeared to be leading, wielded a sword and shield. His head was crowned by shaven blonde hair. Masha made a face. She hated close shaved hair. It didn't look good on anyone in her opinion. The lead angel leveled his sword at the two mages. "Prepare to die, demon. I, Lord Sariel, will free that mortal of your influence and lead her back into the light! My choir will keep her busy while I send you back to Hell!"

Masha sighed. This really was going to be a never ending battle. She kissed the tip of Leona's nose. "Shall we teach them a lesson, my dear?" She looked at the angelic bodies spread out all around them. It seemed as if they would be constantly teaching lessons. Masha pressed the machete into Leona's hand. "You'll need this more than I will. I'm better with my fists." She pressed another kiss against Leona's cheek, catching the corner of her mouth. Then the succubus stepped away. She dropped into a ready stance. This was a fight for their lives. It was time to stop holding back.


WC: 689
Total: 4,169

HP: 370
Mana: 340

"No problem." Leona said to Masha as she received her machete from the redhead. She wanted to say more, but the presence of armed and angry female angels made the blonde cut short the conversation. The Sabertooth mage was appreciative of Leona's effort and made it clear in both speech and gestures. The redheaded male angel frowned.

"You let yourself be controlled by that demon. You let her vile touch taint your face. You are beyond help." The male sternly commented. It was Leona's turn to frown. Who was the angel to judge her?

"You don't know anything about me." Leona said to him. He rushed her with his shove and delivered a downward swing that she blocked with her left Argent Glove. Her left arm was knocked aside and he closed in for another strike when the blonde gave a Mach Straight to his face, knocking him back.

He rushed her again and Leona used her machete to cut the shovel handle in half, stunning the statuesque man. She slugged him in the face with another Mach Straight and knocked him down. Leona kicked him in the chest. Before he could make a move she seized him by the collar.

"Go ahead. End it. You will only prove me right." The angel taunted. Leona looked into his eyes and let him go after a few seconds. She could not murder him in cold blood. She had already won their fight. Killing him now would only make her the demon they feared.

"No." Leona replied to him.

"Why would you spare my life?" He asked her bluntly.

"I'll tell you like I told your friend. I've already won the fight. There's no point in killing you. I'm not the demon you think I am." Leona gave her answer. He seemed surprised by her answer.

"I do not know what to make of you. One moment I felt that you wanted me dead. Now you are sparing my life. You and your kind merit further observation before we rush to judgment. I thank you for your restraint and allowing me a second chance." The redheaded male admitted. He stood up and flew away without further preamble. That was fine with her. Masha needed her attention because the angel leader had arrived with three friends.

The three angelic warriors were all women. One had blue hair, the second had green hair, and the last had pink hair. They might have all been women, but that changed nothing. Leona would fight them all to protect Masha.

"You are an interesting young woman. You would stand up for this demon despite barely knowing her. I do not know whether you are a simpleton or incredibly brave." The blue-haired angel commented. Leona frowned. What was it with them calling Masha a demon? What did they not understand about her conversion being forced and involuntary? Maybe they did not care and had already made up their minds that Masha had to die.

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?" Leona asked the blue-haired angel. Leona did not want to kill angels because they were supposed to be protectors of humanity. She was also being a little selfish... when she inevitably died, she hoped that at least one of the angels she spared would be moved to intercede on her behalf with whatever divine power held sway. That was not why she was doing this; she was supposed to be fighting for selfless reasons. Leona would be a liar if she said that the possibility of gaining heavenly intercessors did not exert some influence on her decision.

[Word Count: 600]
[Total Word Count: 4,232/7,000]

Masha kept her body relaxed as the brute of an angel approached her. His three lackeys were headed after Leona. No doubt the other mage could handle herself. Though the succubus couldn't help but feel a tinge of worry. It was three on one after all. The blonde in front of her however took up more attention. While his sword wouldn't kill her the way he probably thought it would, it would still hurt should it cut her. Lover's Kiss wouldn't help here either. The sword summoned succubi and Masha was sure it was demonic. No way it would hold up against a angelic sword. The angel lunged at her suddenly. She spun away from the attack. "Sariel, was it? May I submit the conjecture that you're wrong? I'm not a demon, never have been a demon and never will be a demon." Masha said sweetly once she was facing him again. The angel scoffed, his head barely rising above his shield. Masha put her arms behind her back. Everything in her screamed to take the shot he presented but that would only confirm their suspicions.

"You are clever, evil one. However, the Lady Gabrielle is never wrong. It is only by her mercy that you take the Trials at all!" Masha raised an eyebrow at his zealotry. Did they all believe so blindly in their leader? Or was it merely this one? She had yet to take an angel's life. While she hadn't held back when attacking, the succubus had made sure not one of her foes was mortally injured. "Well if that's the case, I must prove my innocence through combat." The succubus felt rather confident that she could handle this one angel. He might be big and waving around his sword but she had truth and justice on her side. The thought made her stop. Ugh. When did she become a sparkly sparkly goody goody who fought for truth and justice? She had always despised those mages. A heavy sigh raked her body. The distraction cost Masha. The tip of the angel's sword went through her arm. "You may be clever, demon, but clearly you are no fighter."

"Indeed she is not. However, I am. At the request of a friend, I'll leap to the aid of this on." The voice boomed. Masha paled, realizing who had spoken. A black dragon appeared beside her. The dragon was slim rather than barrel chested as most dragons were. She looked rather like a black noodle. She was missing horns which was customary for her breed and her wings were rather oversized. Masha had seen how fast those wings could carry her. Despite being somewhat smaller than a regular dragon, Dewi towered was large enough to tower over Masha by three or four meters. A flick of her black tail sent Lord Sariel flying. "Is that other mage yours or shall I leave her to her fate?" The dragon asked in a bored tone.

"Dewi! You stupid dragon! They wield weapons specifically meant to harm those associated with shadows and evil!" Masha screamed at her summon and stomped her foot. She was acting like a child but Masha was scared. Dewi could get seriously injured. Since Masha hadn't summoned her, she couldn't banish the dragon to keep her from harm. Despite the dragon's antagonistic nature towards Masha, the succubus had no desire to see the dragon harmed. Dewi leaned down to give the succubus a droll stare. "I am not evil. Perhaps, you have a point however." Dewi's scales flickered before the dragon vanished from sight. Masha's heart was in her throat. Dewi was merely hiding now. That wouldn't necessarily save her.

Masha wanted to cry. How could she protect a stubborn dragon and her partner? Especially against opponents that were stronger than her? Lord Sariel landed next to her. "I don't know where that beast came from but I will see it hunted down." He said striking out at Masha. The succubus snarled at him, leaping away from the attack. "No one is hurting Dewi. Go to sleep!" She snapped her palm outward towards him. A pale yellow rune zipped across the distance, latching onto his forehead. Lord Sariel seemed confused for a moment before the spell took hold. "Dina! Ariel!" He cried happily dropping his weapons. Masha turned her back on him. He'd be busy for a while.

Dewi was toying with one of the angels that had attacked Leona. She used her stealth to strike the angel, spinning the female around. When the angel tried to attack the air, Dewi would attack from a different direction. Masha could hear the dragon taunting and laughing at her opponent. The succubus closed her eyes for a moment. Why couldn't the stupid dragon simply finish her opponent off? "Leona?! You got this?!" Masha called out as she ran across the sand. She had no idea how the other mage had fared while she fooled around with Lord Sariel. Hopefully, Leona was alright.

WC: 832
Total: 5,001

HP: 330
Mana: 300

Spells:

Leona watched as three female angels charged at her with swords ready. Her job was to keep the angelic trio away from Masha while she dealt with the big guy who was probably their boss. The blonde mage led off with a Wind Blast that caught all three angels and knocked them backwards, but they righted themselves in mid-air with the help of their wings. Undeterred, they charged her simultaneously. This time Leona had to dodge.

She ducked under the flying stabs, but the pink-haired one landed on her feet and swiped at her. Leona blocked it with her machete and the pair leaned towards each other in the blade lock. That was a mistake. The blue-haired angel made a diving slash and almost decapitated Leona, who ducked to avoid that attack but was kicked in the face for her trouble. Leona got a measure of revenge when the pinkette reached down to grab her and the blonde hit her in the face with a Gale Cannon.

The pinkette staggered as the other two came swooping in for more attacks. Leona dodged the two diving angels and focused on the third, who rushed in with a punch. Leona stepped to the side and caught the blue-haired angel in the face with a Fast Ball. The blue-haired angel veered off course, slammed into Leona and knocked both of them down, making their weapons clatter to the floor. Masha would be jealous to see an angel embracing Leona, but this was no romantic interlude.

"I do not need a weapon to end your foul life. My fists will be enough. Die hellspawn!" The blue-haired angel yelled while doing her best to punch Leona in the face. Leona blocked the first four punches but caught one to the mouth and one to the left eye. She punched the angel in the jaw and then hit with a Mach Straight to the face, forcing her to let Leona up. Both combatants got up and they raced for their weapons. The angel reclaimed her sword but the pink-haired one swiped Leona's machete before the blonde could reach it.

"This weapon is crudely made and its enchantment is weak. Perhaps studying it can give insight into its owner." The pinkette mused. Leona frowned. The female angel talked a big game for someone who almost got their halo knocked off only a minute ago. It was time to teach her a lesson in how mortals did battle. Leona threw a Fast Ball and hit the pinkette in the face, making her drop the machete.

Leona scooped it up and fended off a sword swing from the enraged angel, who did not take kindly to being hit in the face. Leona blocked a few swings and waited until the angel overextended, then kicked her in the stomach and knocked her back. When all three angels attacked her from as many different sides, the blonde mage used Storm Impact to stagger them and disrupt their attacks.

The blonde slugged the pink-haired angel in the chest with a normal punch, then followed up with a Mach Straight to the face. She quickly put away her weapon and bowed out, flying away to avoid further punishment. Leona was content to let her go because her two friends were quick to pick up the slack left by the departing angel. The blue-haired angel slashed at Leona's back and cut part of her shirt while her friend grabbed the blonde and kneed her in the stomach.

"Your efforts to protect that demon are in vain, but you will not have a chance to learn the error of your ways. You will die before she does. Now go and prepare a place for your mistress in Hell!" The bluenette commanded, kneeing Leona in the stomach again. The blonde had had just about enough of being called a demon slave because she had stood up for Masha. She was going to give some firsthand feedback to her critic.

"This fight's not over yet!" Leona retorted. She was not going to lay down and die because some bimbo with wings wanted her too. Leona would fight to the end.

Leona hit back with a Mach Straight and hit the second angel in the shoulder before being grappled from behind. Leona's hands were forced behind her back. The mage stomped straight down and onto the foot of the angel, making her scream in the former's ear. The stubborn woman refused to let go of the blonde's hands. Now might be the time to call for help.

"I need some help, Masha!" Leona called out to her companion while the blue-haired angel strode towards her with sword pointed at her. Leona's knees were kicked from behind and she was forced to kneel on the ground. For some strange reason the blonde could not call her summons. This was a bad situation.

[Word Count: 814]
[Total Word Count: 5,046/7,000]

Masha grinned, able to comply with Leona's request. Dewi may have summoned herself, but the dragon was bound by the contract magic to Masha. "As you request, my love. Do your best and we'll have some fun tonight!" The succubus called out. The three angels jerked in surprise, looking at the succubus in disgust. She waved a pinky at them saucily. It was too tempting to pass up this opportunity. "Maybe these three girls would like to join us?" The one with green hair shrieked in anger. She swooped toward Masha, her sword at the ready. The cheerful demeanor slipped off the succubus' face. "Now, Dewi" She said coldly striding through the sand. The dragon slammed into the green haired angel, still invisible. The angel thrashed as Dewi slashed viciously, tearing wounds across that succulent skin. Masha watched the angel flail against her invisible opponent. "Do try not to kill her, Dewi, dear. While the angels have been nothing but bigoted bastards, we try to rise above."

Masha could almost feel the dragon glaring at her. She hid a smile as she advanced upon the remaining two angels, who were still harassing Leona. "Eenie meanie minie moe." The succubus said under her breath. "Right, what am I thinking?" A yellow mist began to cover her hand. Aiming at Leona, Masha fired off the gathered power. The yellow mist shown brightly around Leona before the blonde disappeared. The angels stopped in mid air clearly shocked. The one with pink hair whipped around, an expression of ugly triumph on her face. "See?! See how she betrays you!" The pink haired angel howled. The blue haired one seemed a little smarter than her friend. She knew that what Masha had done probably hadn't hurt Leona. "Dewi, blue one. Clip her wings." Masha ordered, already preparing another spell. She was burning through her mana but it seemed necessary at the moment.

The steel circle floating in front of Masha's fist lined up with the pink haired angel. The stupid bimbo was still ranting about the treachery of demons. "Shut up already!" Masha shouted, losing her cool. She punched out. A screaming vortex spat outward, slicing through the pink angel's wings. The poor dear hit the sand hard. At the same time, Dewi cut the bluenette's wings. She plummeted toward the ground as well, landing next to her friend. "I think you better deal with them, Leona" Masha said, her voice sounding odd. "I'm finding it rather difficult to control myself and I'm not sure what I'll do to them." Dewi shimmered back into existence. The dragon had a look of concern upon her face. Masha rarely lost control unless she wanted to. It was even rarer when others were around.

"Come, human mage. We'll give them a warrior's death." The black dragon turned, raising her tail for a final strike. Masha said nothing looking on coldly. Dewi glanced back at her master. The succubus didn't want her to kill the angels. She'd said so only moments before. Now Masha was content to sit back and watch them be killed? Dewi lowered her tail once, twice, a third time. Each blow missed the angels by a hair. To their credit neither flinched. "On second thought, I'll not bother with these weaklings. O Great Seductive One!" Sarcasm dripped from the title. "Release the stronger angel, that I might have a greater opponent." Masha smiled, though the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Dewi sighed heavily. This was not her area of expertise. She dealt death, not council. "When you are finished with them human, may-hap you'll talk to your partner. The angels' constant nagging is finally getting to her." Dewi curled up, her head resting upon her coils. She appeared to be asleep but only a fool would truly believe that.

WC: 636
Total: 5,637

HP: 330
Mana: 250

Spells:

Masha's intervention was quick and decisive. With but a hand gesture and the aid of her dragon, all three angels were now on Leona's level, which was to say on the ground. Now that they had been deprived of the wings that granted them flight and superior speed, they were easier for Leona to deal with. The blonde quickly climbed to her feet and retrieved her machete.

"Thanks Masha!" Leona called out before turning her attention to the trio. She would owe Masha a lot for today. The debt she owed the redhead was already much higher than something a kiss could cover. The debt was going to climb until this job was completed. At least Leona was still alive to pay it... the blonde could not complain about that.

"What now? Are you going to kill us?" The blue-haired angel asked while using her sword as a crutch.

"No." Leona said to her.

"Is your mistress telling you not to kill us or are you thinking for yourself?" The angel asked snidely. She sure was talking a big game for an angel who just lost her wings.

"She's not my mistress. I'm not a demon." Leona affirmed.

"I don't believe you." She countered.

"You haven't believed anything I've said this far. At least you're consistent." Leona dryly retorted. The angel brandished her sword and rushed the blonde. The green-haired angel joined her colleague in the attack. As if that was going to make a difference. Leona used a Wind Blast to knock the pair down with contemptuous ease.

"YOU!" The blue-haired one bellowed. The pair jumped to their feet and rushed towards the blonde again. This was not even a fight anymore. Leona hit them both with an Air Burst, hitting them with three balls apiece before they closed in. Once the pair reached melee range they swung blindly at the blonde mage.

Leona blocked their swings with little effort because they were not even using finesse anymore. It was just blindly rushing at the target and hoping that one of their rage-fueled attacks broke through Leona's defense. Instead Leona kicked the green-haired angel aside and entered a blade lock with the blue-haired one.

"Why? Why do you defend her? Why do you persist in following her?" The angel inquired.

"For the last time. She's not a demon!" Leona replied. She was getting tired of this game. These so-called angels were about as intelligent as the mage's backpack. They either did not want to believe that Masha was not a demon or they just did not care. Leona would elucidate them.

The bluenette broke the blade lock and raised her sword in both hands. Leona took the chance to hit her in the stomach with a Mach Straight. The bluenette dropped the sword and staggered backwards. The green-haired angel charged straight at Leona until a Gale Cannon hit her in the stomach and knocked her down. The pair got up and prepared to charge again when their pink-haired colleague spoke to them.

"We cannot win this one. Just stop." The pink-haired angel counseled them.

"What?" The pair asked in unison.

"It is over. We cannot win this fight. Without our wings, we do not have any advantage." She continued.

"Are we supposed to let the demon's slave just kill us?" The green-haired angel asked. Leona sighed. Not this again.

"I already told you. I'm not going to kill you. You can ask the other two angels who fought me." Leona assured them, putting away her machete as a sign of good faith. She might be leaving herself vulnerable, but she did not want to kill anyone. The angels were only misguided, not actively evil.

"It is a trick! We should slay her now while her weapon is put away!" The bluenette declared. The pinkette slapped her across the face. Leona and the greenette recoiled.

"Just let it go already! If she wanted us dead, we would not be standing here!" The pinkette argued. Leona could not argue with that. If she or Masha really wanted them dead, they would already be lying on the ground in a heap.

"There's nothing to gain in me killing you. I've already won this fight. Please. Just walk away." Leona urged them. She saw that Masha was having a hard time exercising restraint as it was. If the angels kept pushing the redhead, she might decide to quit holding back and just kill them. Even though they were annoying, Leona did not want to see the angels die.

"You... you would let us walk away?" The bluenette asked.

"Yes. Walk away and I'll consider the matter settled. I won't attack any of you." She assured the trio.

"We did not expect mercy after all we had said and done. Thank you." The pink-haired angel told Leona. The trio put away their swords and walked away. Leona remained where she was and did not pursue them. Once they had walked away, Leona turned her attention to Masha.

"Do you need help, Masha?" Leona asked the redhead.

[Word Count: 842]
[Total Word Count: 5,888/7,000]

Masha watched as Leona dealt with the angels. She stood by ready to help if need be. However, it seemed as if the blonde had this well in hand. The succubus knelt in the sand. She muttered to herself as she dragged a finger through the sand. Stupid angels. Stupid people. Stupid scientists. She wasn't a demon. She wasn't. Her finger shook violently as it was dragged through the sand.

Dewi watched her friend, her worry increasing. While she chafed at taking orders from anyone other than a dragon, she didn't like seeing Masha in this state. The shadow dragon had seen it before and the end result usually wasn't pretty. Yet Dewi didn't have the words to comfort Masha. She was a soldier. An operative of the Dragon Empire specializing in covert missions. Perhaps the human could help. She had dealt with the angels quite well.

The black dragon snaked her neck over toward Leona. She opened her mouth to speak. "Don't Dewi. It isn't your story to tell." A sharp reprimand came from the succubus. The dragon peered over her shoulder. Masha smiled icily, getting back to her feet. "I don't need any help, Leona. Play with Dewi for a bit. I'm sure the dragon would like some company for once." The dragon in question growled but Masha had already turned her back and was headed toward the last angel of this wave.

"Stay with her, Leona. I know not what she will do in this state." Dewi admitted settling onto her forepaws. She was under contract to Masha. Unbeknownst to the succubus, that meant Dewi couldn't harm her even for a friendly knock upside the head. "I fear her dark past may bring forth the worst parts of her." The dragon didn't know all of Masha's past but she knew enough to worry about the immobile angel. Masha had great darkness swirling about beneath her skin. That darkness was barely held in check at the moment, if at all.

Lord Sariel was kneeling, hugging the air. Happy tears ran down his face. There was a great pity within Masha's heart. It warred with the need to draw blood, to hurt those that had hurt her. That was how she'd been raised. The succubus knew that darkness wouldn't ever disappear. However, this angel had done nothing but follow orders. Now he was seeing a vision of lost loved ones. Love radiated from his entire being. It was enough to briefly push back the swirling darkness within her. "Come back to us, Lord Sariel. All dreams must end." Masha reached up and wiped the symbol of her spell from the angel's forehead. The light faded from the angel's eyes. He clutched the air attempting to hold onto the vision he'd been in.

"You truly are a devil. I am defeated, finish me." The angel said looking up at Masha with tear stained eyes. "You showed me the only things that could break me." Masha carefully knelt next to the angel. He seemed surprised by the action. "I am not a devil." Masha said sadly. "I've never been one. I've never wanted to be one. I'm sorry that the spell showed you a painful memory of your daughter and wife." Lord Sariel chuckled softly, shaking his head. "My daughter? Wife? No I saw my sister and her child. I serve... my wife but she does not... deign to notice me." A ripple of surprise went through Masha. Who could ignore such an impressive specimen. "Your wife is missing out. May I have your surrender? I do not wish to fight a broken opponent." Lord Sariel hesitated. Then he laid his sword at Masha's feet. The succubus smiled, laying a hand on his arm. "Go to your wife. Rebuild the family you lost and bring back joy into the world." The angel managed a small smile for Masha. "I hope you survive, little demon. Your heart is kind and the world needs more kind hearts." His powerful wings spread, pulling him into the sky. Masha watched the angel go, wishing him all the luck in the world.

The succubus turned back toward her dragon and her partner. The darkness hadn't lifted from Masha's eyes. The ice had receded but a little. This contest for the truth was clearly wearing through everything Masha had. Perhaps that was the point. The succubus was scared of what she would find underneath all her defenses. Would it be a scared little girl? Or the monster she'd been called her entire  life? "If I lose it... Leona... put a sword through me. Please. I don't want to be the monster they claim I am but I'm not sure that I'm not a monster." She looked down at her hands. It was almost as if they were stained red. "I have done so many bad things. Killed. Stolen. Cheated. Lied. I'm not sure I shouldn't be put down by this contest..." The succubus wrapped her arms around herself. She looked like a wounded woman, beaten, defeated.

WC: 839
Total: 6,476

Leona was being pulled between what Masha said and what her dragon Dewi said. Masha wanted her to play with the dragon. Dewi wanted her to stay close to Masha and prevent the redhead from giving in to her darker side. Leona sided with the dragon.

The blonde listened to the dialogue between Lord Sariel and Masha. It was genuinely upsetting to hear of a man who put duty above his family. It reminded the blonde of her own situation because she had been getting into perilous adventure after adventure without much thought about her own family. She had only been able to visit them again just recently, but Leona had put adventures and Silver Wolf above her own family. In a way she could not help it.

Silver Wolf had become a family of sorts to her. She had gone from rank-and-file member to Ace to Guild Master in a surprisingly short period of time. Leona was devoted to defending the guild and helping it prosper. She would continue to regard Silver Wolf as a family until she was killed or the guild was no more. As Leona watched the male angel depart in peace her attention turned to Masha, who was struggling with an unpleasant side of herself.

Leona knew that feeling all too well. Kasim's ghost had forced her to confront it during the fight with the pumpkin tower and its minions in Celestial Sanctum. There he memorably asserted that Leona had knowledge of nothing in life but killing. He also asserted that she brought death to everyone she met. Masha's plea to kill her if she fell to her dark side only brought what Kasim said back into the front of her mind.

Leona would be lying if she claimed that the plea did not affect her. The front of fighting for Earthland even if it was unpleasant to her was starting to slip. Masha never asked to be turned into what she was. Still, she acknowledged the threat she could become if the worst happened. Could Leona bring herself to kill the redhead if the situation demanded it?

Masha was a mage of power equal to Leona's. That would make the fight difficult enough. Then if one added both her summons and her pheromones, the fight became even more of a challenge. Leona might need help to defeat Masha, but that could bring its own set of problems. It was unknown if anyone could resist the redhead's pheromones; that meant that Masha could turn any backup Leona brought against her and magnify the problem.

In the end, Leona could not boil such a complex decision down to simple statistics. It was too hard to attach statistics to a face, too hard to dehumanize someone who was all too human. Masha was clearly vulnerable and full of regret over her past actions. Leona had no room to throw stones. She had done many things she still regretted to this day.

"I hope I never have to fight against you, Masha. But if I have to kill you, I'll make it quick. I won't drag it out." Leona said to Masha. It was not romantic or uplifting, but it was the only comfort the blonde could offer in that sort of situation. Leona did not believe in torturing people or making them suffer before she killed them. Demons enjoyed that kind of thing, but the Silver Wolf mage did not. She was not a demon either.

Leona opted to walk over to Masha and hug her. Leona needed help for the last wave of angels and the head angel herself. However, the gesture did not have purely practical motives. In a moment of such vulnerability, Masha needed someone by her side right now. Leona was that person.

[Word Count: 630]
[Total Word Count: 6,518/7,000]

Dewi's growl carried across the sand at Leona's words. The dragon's lip curled back over her teeth, giving anyone looked a good eyeful. Her talons dug furrows into the sand and the dragon opened her wings to push herself into the sky. Masha ignored her servus' actions entirely. She smiled tiredly at Leona. "Thank you, Leona." She wanted to say more but the succubus struggled to find the words. They seemed to slip her tongue every time she tried to speak. Masha wasn't sure how to express the feeling in her chest. Not love. Nor appreciation. It was frustrating to find her absolute control over herself and her emotions had slipped.

Leona's hug surprised Masha. It also warmed the succubus to her core. Her arms wrapped around Leona as her face buried into Leona's neck. Hidden from the world, the tears gathered in her eyes slipped out. The crying was brief and it was clear Masha forced herself to stop. Her lips brushed against the junction between Leona's shoulder and neck. "Thank you" Masha said huskily. Even after crying, her voice managed to sound somewhat sexy. The succubus found it rather irritating. She'd like one thing, one flaw that was entirely hers. Something the scientists hadn't erased.

Masha raised her head, kissing Leona's cheek. "Perhaps we should give the angels a show." She whispered in the blonde's ear. "I can slip right out of this and all you have to do is use those scrumptious lips on me." There was heat in Masha's words but something was off about it. Like the succubus was ignoring everything that had just happened, pushing it away with her usual sexual advances. A shriek from Dewi brought Masha's attention skyward. Her eyes widened in fear.

Dewi was engaged with six different angels. The succubus couldn't make many details out but the dragon was clearly bleeding from several wounds. The deep purple blood was falling like rain on another part of the arena. "Dewi!" Masha cried, stepping out of Leona's arms. The dragon didn't seem to hear the succubus. Another angel attacked. A sword flashed before cutting a deep gash into Dewi's back. "No!"

Masha flung a hand out toward her dragon. A golden sparkle shot out of her hand. When it touched Dewi, the dragon was enveloped in a golden aura. Masha glanced at Leona. The mage probably didn't need the help from her spell. She was plenty strong on her own. Masha's hands and arms flared with fire as she activated another spell. The succubus looked skyward once again. Her beautiful face twisted with absolute fury. Masha hated seeing her servus hurt. They trusted her. They were under her protection. She punched toward the angels. Another projectile flew from her fist. This time it was red in color and when it struck the angel's wing, the projectile erupted into a fiery explosion. Masha punched again and again. Explosions filled the sky. The angels, those that weren't falling into the arena, dodged as best they could.

"Please deal with those that fell into the arena, Leona" Masha commanded coldly. There were three of them, two with burnt wings, the last missing an arm. It was apparent all the angels were equipped with swords and shields. Masha would have dealt with them but she was afraid of losing control. Killing them with this spell would be rather easy. Dewi landed heavily next to Leona. Her draconic head laid in the sand, her eyes half open. "I'll rest...now..." The dragon wheezed. Blood began to pool around Dewi. Masha shot the dragon a worried look. Was Dewi alright? Was she mortally injured? Or was she sleeping to try and heal herself somehow? It was hard not to focus on her servus despite the enemies still circling above. Masha wanted to rush to the dragon and check over all her injuries. She was going to scold Dewi once the dragon was better. What had she been thinking taking on six angels?

Empower 1/4
Explosion! 1/4

Mana: 150

WC: 663
Total: 7,139

Leona was not going to argue with Masha right now. They were fighting what appeared to be the last wave of angels and the mages could not afford to let up now. Masha had knocked three of them to the arena floor, where they would be a lot easier to deal with than they were in the sky.

"I'll handle these guys!" Leona affirmed, turning to face the trio of angels who had been left to her.

"So you think you can handle us?" An angel defiantly asked. They charged at once, two on foot and one by their wings. Leona simply raised a hand and used a Wind Blast to knock the three of them down. This was not even a fair fight.

Leona fired a Gale Cannon and knocked the one-armed angel back. All he had was a sword and she was not letting him get close enough to use it. He stood up again and clenched his teeth while brandishing his sword. He was visibly determined to fight to the end. Leona did not want to fight someone who could not defend themselves.

He charged with wings flapping and sword pointed right at her. Leona simply waited until he was committed, then hit him with a Fast Ball to the face. The angel swerved off-course and slammed into the ground a short distance behind her, dropping his sword. The other two angels simultaneously leapt to avenge their colleague, but Leona was ready.

Her first slammed into the ground, casting a Storm Impact that knocked them back. Leona jumped at the first one and punched him until he dropped to one knee in submission. The second angel put up more of a fight, but two normal punches followed up by a Mach Straight to the face ended the skirmish.

"I suppose you want to kill us now that you have kept your word and handled us?" The one-armed angel inquired.

"No. I didn't kill your friends, so I won't kill you. Just go. Leave now and that'll be the end of it." Leona said to the three angels. The trio looked surprised that she would let them go shortly after they attempted to kill her. The blonde did not want to kill anyone who no longer posed a threat to her. These angels were no longer a threat.

The two angels stood up and helped the one-armed angel to his feet. They nodded appreciatively and put away their weapons before walking away from the fighting and out of sight. Leona was glad that they took the opportunity to walk away. She was not sure that Masha would be so forgiving, especially after her dragon took on six angels and ended up bleeding on the ground for its trouble.

Leona watched Masha face the remaining three angels. Masha was clearly not in a good mood. The blonde was somewhat worried about whether the angels would survive the encounter with Masha in her current state of mind.

"Do you need help?" Leona asked the redhead. She was trying to bring Masha to a less violent frame of mind. That would not be very easy to do.

[Word Count: 526]
[Total Word Count: 7,044/7,000]

Masha wasn't taking it easy on the angels. Each punch created another explosion near or on the angels. The succubus was avoiding hitting their heads or anything vital but it wasn't from empathy. She wanted to watch them suffer. To make them feel pain until they understood the magnitude of what they had done. Two of them dove at her while the third tried to attack Dewi. Masha screamed, losing control. Her vision went dark and the succubus lost all track of time.

Akane sighed happily as she stepped into the body. She would have to thank Masha somehow. The succubus rarely lost control and now Akane could have some fun. Perhaps with a room full of dead bodies. She could really do with letting off some steam. Two feathered beings were flying at her, their swords raised. Another seemed to be attacking a black dragon. The dragon appeared to be unconscious. There was also sounds of fighting from behind them. More enemies perhaps? Akane gathered the power in her hands and punched violently. The explosion caught one of the angels coming at her in the shoulder. The feathery bastard careened into the sand where he lay still. Akane smiled coldly. A sword cut into her shoulder.

"AHHHH!" Akane screamed, the flames on her arms reacting to her anger. "Fuck! That hurt you stupid cunt! Come back here so I can kick your ass!" A line of explosions followed the retreating angel. None of them managed to strike the angel which only made Akane's rage grow. Akane turned toward an answering scream. The other angel was on the ground, slowly pressing her sword into the dragon's side. The cold smile on her face enraged Akane even more. The rage charged across the sand. She caught the angel in the side with a flying double kick. A satisfying crunch of bone reached Akane's ears. Her attack had destroyed the angel's wing. Akane drew back her fist to finish off the angel. The dragon tapped her on the shoulder and weakly said "The red rose whispers of passion. The white rose breathes of love. Oh, the red rose is a falcon-" The words pierced through Akane's rage. They were a chant Masha used to regain control. Only her most trusted companions knew it. "NO!" "-The white rose is a dove."

Masha gasped as she regained control of her body. She didn't remember anything except that angels had been attacking. Yet now she was over by Dewi, a fist raised against a defenseless opponent. The blonde angel in front of her, stared defiantly as she waited for the blow. Masha slowly lowered her fist looking at Dewi. She opened her mouth to speak but the dragon gestured behind her. There was an angel still airborne. He was flying at them at high speed. Masha raised her hand, palm facing the angel. Dewi growled softly. The dragon didn't like the succubus leaving herself open.

"I have no wish to fight but I will." Masha called out to the angel. She wanted the fighting to stop. She had lost control. She was sure of it. There was no other way for her to be over by Dewi without remembering the trip. There was a bad feeling in her gut as well that whoever had taken over hadn't held back. The white haired angel slowed to a stop in front of Masha. He was ready to fight. That was easy to see. Leona called out to the succubus at that moment. His expression changed quickly from one of confidence to one of doubt. Masha couldn't answer her partner. She needed to strike now while he wavered. "You face three opponents alone, angel. You will lose even if you inflict damage. Take your wounded and go. Please. There has been enough bloodshed." The angel lowered his sword slowly. Then he nodded.

Only Dewi's roar let Masha know someone was attacking. The little blonde she'd had at her feet slammed her sword through the succubus' stomach. She gasped stumbling back against Dewi. The dragon breathed writhing shadows over the two angels. The shadows pierced their armor, tearing into flesh. Masha scowled at Dewi through her pain. That wasn't the plan. They needed to keep their opponents alive. Two punches threw the angels from Dewi's breath weapon and knocked them unconscious. Grimacing, Masha pushed herself up. This pain was nothing. Nothing. She could do this. Stars flickered across the succubus' vision. Maybe not.

Masha fell heavily to her knees. A loud familiar voice echoed through the heavens above them. "Enough! You are all incompetent, unable to off a single demon and her human slave. I'll take care of them myself!" The large female angel from earlier began to descend into the arena. Terror gripped Masha's heart. This woman could kill Dewi easily. She dragged herself across the sand, leaving a line of blood behind her. Dewi tried to pull herself away, predicting what Masha intended but the dragon was too weak. The succubus slapped a hand on the dragon's side. "I thank you for your service this day." Masha said, coughing near the end. Blood wet her lips. When the redhead lifted her hand, a golden hand print was on Dewi. Godlen cracks webbed outward from the hand print. They covered the entirety of the dragon before Dewi disappeared in a large white cloud.

Masha collapsed into the sand. The sword moved painfully with the movement. "I may need to leave this last fight to you." The succubus told Leona weakly. "I'm not sure I can walk much less fight at the moment." She smiled at the blonde. "I know you've got this. Go get her, Leona"

Explosion! 2/4

HP: 210
Mana: 150

WC: 949
Total: 8,088

Leona was about to face off with the leader of the angels since Masha was currently unable to. The lead angel had made quite the dramatic entrance, complete with chewing out her followers for being unable to fend off a single demon and her so-called slave. Leona was getting tired of being called a slave. She was not Masha's slave. She was no one's slave.

Leona stepped in front of the white-haired angel, placing herself between the angel and Masha and her companion named "Dewi." It was a risky move to make. The angel was strong and was obviously spoiling for a fight.

"You are making an unwise decision, young one. You should reconsider stepping between me and that... that demon." The woman said. Leona refused to budge. She had dealt with several angels who thought themselves better than Leona and the blonde had sent them packing. This time would be no different.

"What is it with you and demons? Is everyone you don't like labeled a demon?" Leona asked bluntly. The woman glowered. Leona was not intimidated by the staring contest. After several tense moments the angel finally deigned to answer the question.

"Since you are obviously deluded by the mind control that demon has cast upon you, I will explain. That woman you travel with is a demon. She controls the minds of men and women and bends them to her dark will. You are but her latest victim." The woman explained.

"It is pathetic, really. You are stronger than she is yet you willingly give yourself to that succubus. Why do you serve her? Did she offer you money, power, immortality, or is it... something else?" The woman asked.

"I don't serve her. She's a job partner, a fellow mage. We were sent to investigate this rift in reality. Masha approached it first and was pulled in. I followed her in and here we are." Leona answered.

"There are some places that are best left unexplored, but you will not live to learn this lesson. At least some good will come out of this mishap. We will remove a demon and her slave from this world." The angel said darkly before brandishing her well-made longsword sword. Leona silently brandished her machete. This was not going to be easy. No one ever said that fighting servants of a higher power would be easy. The angel rushed at her and the two blades clashed.

"You chose the wrong side, young one!" Gabriella hissed as she leaned into Leona, her eyes meeting the blonde's. Leona's retort was non-verbal. She simply drew back her left hand and used a Mach Straight to punch the angel in the face. Gabriella stepped back.

"You will pay for your insolence with you life!" Gabriella angrily declared.

Gabriella ran at Leona and split the air with a single mighty downward swing of her longsword. Leona rolled to the side and threw a Fast Ball, which the angel avoided with a sidestep. Gabriella simply looked at the blonde with incredulity. She looked insulted that a spell in the form of a simple ball was thrown at her like she was a common bandit. The reply was swift and sudden.

Gabriella swung her sword and cut Leona on the right forearm where the Argent Glove could not cover her, causing an instant cut and an intense burning sensation. Leona dropped her machete and clutched her burning arm. Gabriella smiled.

"Now you see who you are dealing with, young one. I am no lowly bandit to be taken lightly." The angel smugly taunted. Leona frowned as she recovered her weapon. She would wipe the smug look from the angel's face before this was over. However, Leona needed to land some more hits before she could start planning her victory speech.

[Word Count: 632]
[Total Word Count: 7,676/7,000]
Gabriella's HP: 920/1,000 (-80 HP from Leona's Mach Straight)
Leona's HP: 475/500 (-25 HP from Burn)
Burn is on Turn 1 of 4.

Masha breathed heavily from her place in the sand. Blood was steadily leaking from the hole in her stomach. It trickled down the sword before plopping onto the ground. It hurt. The succubus was able to block the pain out, partition it as if a third party observer. That didn't mean it was easy or that she could do it right at that moment. The redhead was watching her partner battle Gabriella. Fear gripped her heart. This wouldn't be an easy fight. Masha wanted to help. Well she could. Fire still curled down her arms. However a punch now would cause much pain.

The redhead gripped the sword impaled in her. It needed to come out if she was to be any use. Gabriella was clearly focusing on the stronger of the two fighters. That gave Masha a little time. She bit her lip as she drew the sword a little ways. The pain of the movement had her breathing shallowly. Bloody hell this wasn't going to be easy. The succubus bit down on her lip hard as she drew the sword completely out of her body. Her vision flashed red and black. Blood trickled down her throat from her lip. She'd bitten it too hard. The sword was out though. Masha waited for her vision to clear.

When she could see again, the succubus pulled her arm back and threw the sword. A punch and a scream propelled it forward on an explosion. Gabriella partially turned, keeping an eye on Leona. The sword ripped into the angel's shoulder. Masha grinned before her eyes rolled back in her head. She hit the sand unconscious from her efforts. She wouldn't have relief for that long however given her training with the scientists. They'd basically programmed her to 'reboot' within thirty seconds of falling unconscious, provided her body could manage such a feat. The training made it difficult for Masha to sleep some days. Here it might prove to be quite useful.

WC: 331
Total: 8,419