Protect

Perses rose to his feet and scanned the surroundings. A small, delicate figure hugged his body as he rose and straightened his back. With a look of pure horror, he faced Machia's miserable, wounded state.

"I, I didn't mean-"

As Perses spoke weakly, his eyes wandered around the curious location he had awoken in. But his attention was soon snapped away. Machia's state was dire. His nose's cruel, loose state reminded him of what he'd done. Alongside that, his eyes were closed and drowned in a layer of thick, wet blood, not to mention the arm that was no longer there. 

Seeing the one that he trusted most desecrated in this way upset Perses. Sure, he had a sinister side, but he didn't hate Machia at all. He admired him. Awaking from his dream-ridden state had changed nothing. He wholly expected whatever was happening to be explained and solved in a typical fashion.

But something turbulent and invasive also resided within him. Looking down at the devil girl's cowardly state as she hid behind Perses had spurred him to act. Despite the lingering regret, Perses stood his ground defiantly. An aching responsibility etched into his being. 

"So, your awake. Perses. I could do with your help in solving all this... if you would just call off that girl. You see, it's making it, a little hard to focus."

"Firstly, is she the one doing that to you?" 

Fresh blood continued to flow down Machia's face, pooling together and then dripping down from his chin. Despite the precariousness of his wounds, he stood calmly. His even tone also persisted. Rather than follow that cleverly crafted command, Perses hesitated. He thought, and then he examined. 

"If I tell her to stop. Will you, you won't attack us, will you?

Machia nodded his head with a bloody smile. 

"I won't put a finger on her."

Whilst he may have been smiling kindly, it was out of place for anyone so wounded to do so. Machia's soft, determined stance filled Perses with dread. Remnants of deranged desperation concealed themselves in that tone.

"...If you're eyes are like that then. How is it you're able to see?"

Raising this concern, Perses felt compelled to look up. 

It was exactly how it had been before. A thick, dark blanket shrouded the sun, casting its shadow across the battlefield. Machia's brows furrowed as he prepared a response, but he was slow. 

"Then, this is just another thing you didn't tell me about Machia. Back then, when you showed me your powers, that might have been the greatest lie of all. But more importantly, before I tell her to stop, you'll have to tell me, who is that?"

Machia didn't twitch. He knew exactly who Perses was referring to. After all, she was heading this way with blinding, intense speed. An array of giant corpses lay in her wake. Machia tilted his head in her direction curiously as something lunged at her. 

A humungous red sphere collided with her speeding figure; she stopped to intercept it but was slowly pushed back. The impact sent fierce ripples of air pressure that spread across the battlefield. With a yell, she punched the jagged red spheric tail of the beast barehanded, sending it flying back. With a jovial intoxication, Machia turned back to face Perses, smiling. 

"Even now, your hesitating. Just answer me, Machia. Why won't you trust me?"

Machia shrugged as he listened to Perse's words impatiently. 

"Perses, I already told you. It's not about trust, your just not like us, you're weak."

Suddenly, Machia vanished. His depraved, injured body disappeared with astonishing speed. A blow rocketed forth into Perse's side. A devastating fist forced its way into Perse's gut, causing him to hunch over as he reeled from the strength of the blow. Perses had no time to question how someone so wounded could move so fast. He wasn't even given the chance to meet Machia's shrouded gaze. 

Instead, a foot flashed into view. Machia kicked perfectly with his heel, striking the very tip of Perse's chin and sending his head into the clouds. Literally, the strength of the blow was enough to lift Perse's enhanced body off the ground. 

Perses watched, dazed and helpless, as Machia dove straight for the devil girl. He gripped her between her horns, grasping her head crudely, which he then shoved into the grassy plain, face down. With shallow breaths, Machia grinned as he maintained his vice grip on the girl's skull despite her fruitless struggle. 

"Impressive, so, tell me who the hell are you?" Machia tilted his head curiously. It seemed this was now a habit of his. The devil girl desperately kicked her legs and her arms, clawing to escape his clutches, but it was useless. 

"Not much of a talker then, but you had me scared for a minute. You must be something like a summon for Perses. How interesting, and who knows, it could be the other way around, right?"

Despite Machia's friendly tone, she wasn't much for conversation as she furiously attempted to scratch at his hands. Machia took one last scout of the battle before turning his ominous gaze towards the girl. 

"Your ability, it targets the brain, right? The blood loss was one thing, but honestly, I still feel like I'm about to fall asleep. You need eye contact, though, to enforce it. But still, if you can do this, how come you lost to my old man? Oh well, too bad, because it looks like I can do this now."

Shadows dove out of the ground towards Perses. They chased after him as he continued to soar higher from the blow. Black tendrils twirled and churned through the air, preparing to encase him once again, but he had no way to move in freefall. They wrapped around and gripped him with overbearing might. Slowly, they contorted and tugged him towards Machia.

"Sorry, Perses, but I need you to sleep once more for me. Once things have settled down, I'll have all the time in the world to explain to you what went wrong." 

Machia's bloody smile and his white pupils created a fearsome visage despite his soft tone. The closer Perses was brought towards those mad eyes, the more anxious he became. Forced to look at that despairing, miserable smile was insurmountably painful for him. With a gentle hand, Machia released the devil girl and raised a single finger as he reached for Perse's forehead amidst the shadows.

"This time, she'll do what I say, this time there won't be any choice but to surrender. Then, all of us, will work togeth-"

A silver singe slashed apart the amassed shadows, tearing them apart as it dove towards Machia's throat. With a look of pure misery, Machia rescinded his hand and moved his head back just in time to save it from being skewered. 

Green radiant light burst out from the stagnant silver sword, cleansing the surroundings of all its shadows. Again, Perse's body was caught by a single gentle arm.

Cautiously, she tore her apprehensive gaze away from Machia's hostile figure. Perses looked up at the thick, dark shadows that hid his guardian's face. Nevertheless, her radiant green glow eventually repelled that darkness. Her indifferent face was interrupted by the mild quivering of her lips. This disruption blossomed into a beaming smile as she stared at Perses with luminous emerald green eyes.

Abruptly, she moved her face closer towards Perses, startling him. With a frightened gaze, Perses trembled. He flinched, closing his eyes as he expected the worst. A wetness dripped down Perse's face that was not his own. Soon after, a gentle touch warmed his skin as he opened his shaky eyes. With sceptical, frightened eyes, he watched as the woman laid her head against his own.

"I, I. They hurt you, didn't they, and I wasn't here Waaaahhhhhaaa"

Gently, Perses was nuzzled by the strange woman as she let out a wail. Slowly, his fear evaporated. He didn't understand her, this woman. Her sentiment was lost on him. But a faint resemblance lay amidst the tear-stricken embrace.