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____ Blair finally reached the park and the starting area of the sunset path. She came here often as this path at the edge of the park snaked its way west along the lake before turning from stone bricking to hiking trails that passed outside the city limits. For those that knew where to look there were more trails than the marked and sanctioned trails that looped into the edge of the forest. Blair found many game trails and the like to let her explore the town's surroundings. Her foot steps were uneven and slow as she tiredly made her way over the stone to the grassy fields opposite where carefully tended trees stood. She slipped between the two closest benches to the nearest of those trees. Turning to hit her back roughly against the bark before sliding down to sit between two large roots at the trunk's base. She barely felt it all. Her body was covered in throbbing aches and stinging pains, or it had been. Now it all felt more numbed.

____ Her mind was a bit fuzzy too as she sat there trying to focus. She hurt but numbly, all she really could feel clearly was cold. Why was she so cold. She remembered the weather report earlier had said it would be warm today and tonight. It was perfected weather to go out and explore, which is why she had done so. Her eyes turned up to the sky and her vision blurred at the movement, the darkness at the corners stretching in threateningly before receding as her eyes focused. The sky was darker but it seemed only like it was late in the sunset, light still was there but it was oddly dark for the time of day and so cold. As she tried to order her thoughts and feelings she noticed more sensations. The pains made her gasp and grit her teeth as she noticed them more but beneath that there was moisture and some warmth. Her head feel forward weakly as she tried to look down and move an uncharacteristically clumsy hand to her waist.

____ Her head spun as did the world. The darkness creeping in once more just before she squeezed her eyes shut. Her vision somewhat clear once more when she opened the dull red browned orbs. Her body now in a subjective gaze. She was covered in dirt and blood. Her hand already was red before she placed it onto the large wet red spot on her clothing. There was so much of it. Her fuzzy mind responding to sight by recalling her earlier trip. A ravine she was exploring. The bank was steep so she was going down slowly from tree to tree. A decent she was handling very gracefully and that her younger self would of avoided as it wasn't something for the clumsy to try. She was about a third of the way to the bottom when a patch of loose dirt gave out under her feet. But not just under her feet but along the entire area of the slope as well. The dirt fell away from the short roots of the scrawny new tree she had grabbed hold off and the tree pulled free of the soil. She fell. As she rolled down she hit a few trees and some broken branches tore at her cloths and scratched at her skin. But one got in deep in her side. She woke up at the bottom of the ravine hours later with this fuzzy mind of hers that was forgetting important things and a deep bleeding wound on her waist.

____ How could she have forgotten she was injured? She wondered as she pressed her fingers against the wound. It was the only warmth she could feel. The blood that still leaked out from the tear in her skin beneath the wet shirt.The cold made sense to her now. How much had she lost so far? I need to find help soon. She told herself as she looked up at the sunset path. She fought back against the darkness at the corners of her vision. Pushing it back and fighting for consciousness as she looked around. The path and park were empty around her. It was just her luck she managed to get back just after all the couples watching the sunset had left.

____ The gaze that sought help returned back the way it came. Following the sound of hope til the form of a woman was found. She sat on a bench in a position that could be called alluring. It was a way a girl looking to draw eyes sat. She was blurry and shaded to Blair but she could tell through that a few details and see colors upon her. Blinking didn't make any more focus come to her gaze. Whoever she was she came closer. She was so cold now and it was hard to think but despite it a clear thought still came through as this stranger came into focus upon moving to stand over her. She is beautiful... Blair failed to comprehend what was being said to her. It was growing so hard to focus but she knew what it was. She didn't need to be told. She was dying. As surely as her blood flowed out of her so did her life, what little of it was left after getting this far.

____ Blair gasped in pain when she was disturbed. Her breathing labored when if finally faded and she looked around to find this person again. She had been moved to that bench she realized and that voice was talking to her again. She know's my name.. Who is this woman? Is she an angel...? She is so pretty.. Blair wheezed and then coughed a little as she forced out a questioning, "O-o-offer?" The coughing had caused a metallic taste in Blair mouth and a little trail of blood to fall from the corner of her mouth. The taste told her what had happened. The internal bleeding must be bad if she was coughing up blood. She weakly used the hand not on her wound to wipe it off before the stranger touched her. She couldn't feel her fingers on her chin but knew what was happening as she helped steady her gaze upon the redheaded mystery talking to her.

____ It was getting harder to understand this woman. She was talking of her eyes. Her words also spoke of peace and sanctuary. Her religious training from her parents kicked in at that moment. She found herself once more wondering if this beauty was an angel coming to take her to heaven. Yet it seemed more like a way out at the same time. She was growing confused as her mind failed her. Blair arched her body a bit and groaned when Cerise disturbed her hand covering the wound. She felt that sharp pain from the length of wood still inside her. At least it told her she still lived for the moment, if only just by the sheer force of will to do so. The pain focused her mind as she turned her head towards the strange red-haired woman. She didn't return her bloody hand to the wound and instead felt about til it found the warmth of the hand that had moved it a side a short time ago. Blair still had a surprising amount of strength in her body as she squeezed that hand. "... Don't want.. die... offer.. please help.. me." She managed as her gaze of the other became blurry and dark even at this close distance.

____ Surprisingly a bitter sweet smile crossed over Blair's lips. "I see.. an end no... human can... escape from.." She muttered softly. She coughed again and again tasted blood in her mouth. She let her head hang back and tried to look up at the sky but it was dark. Or perhaps she was just too far gone to see the remnants of light still up there. Her breathing was labored and ragged. Coming in slow uneven paces. She felt as if she were floating in the dark, and only just vaguely remained aware of the warm hand she still held onto. The time between breaths grew longer and soon after each one it seemed that it was over, but eventually Blair forced her lungs to take in another shallow breath. Perhaps even surprising Cerise with her fortitude as she would be able to count though breathes that refused to give in. Defying fate at ten, at twenty, and even at fifty. It all ended at sixty-three though and Blair died...

____ Blair suddenly snapped out of the darkness. How long had it been. She swiftly looked around. This place seemed like it was a world of dreams. It appeared a little unreal to the girl. Looking down at her hands she realized she did too. Within this dark realm she realized she wasn't alone. The other girl from before was there. Finally this savior who stayed with her in her waning moments was very clearly visible. Blair knew she was pretty but now that she could really see this woman she came to know how short of truly understanding her beauty she had been. Blair opened her mouth to speak and shut it as this stranger spoke again to tell her there was no time for them to talk. This meant no questions. She said someone would come for her and that made her wonder who she was meaning. But clearly she wasn't allowed to ask.

____ The other woman grabbed her right shoulder in her left hand and squeezed down. She seemed real enough then as she was touched and pain shot through her. She was shocked and went rigid at first before screaming in agony as her shoulder burned. The sensation lingered and she instinctively grabbed her own shoulder and held it tentatively after Cerise let her go. She shivered when the sensation stopped and looked at the other woman as she stated very simply that the deal was sealed now and claimed ownership over her. She was a little confused and lifted her hand so she could look down upon herself. She stood naked so there was nothing to hinder her vision from coming to rest onto what looked like a multicolored tattoo that resembled a wheel branded upon the front of her right shoulder. She lifted her head to gaze at Cerise as she came to the realization that her savior was not an angel but rather a demon of some kind. As Cerise looked back upon Blair there was a look of understanding on her face but it wasn't followed by any form of hate or distaste at what had happened to her. Blair's form didn't change much besides the sudden appearance of black, leathery demon wings upon her back and a brief glimpse of a demonic aura that resembled a succubus' but differed in slight, nearly unnoticeable ways. The two then disappeared from this dark world.

____ Back in the human world it took a minute for Cerise to get a reaction from Blair. The girls dead body suddenly arching up as its chest sharply rose when the girl took a sharp and very large deep breath. A 'breath' of life so to speak as the corpse was revived. Blair relaxed and panted for a few seconds before shaky hands stated to move. She adjusted herself for a second before getting settled. She fixed her eyes upon Cerise for a moment. The new life had returned all the proper colors to Blair's eyes and skin. This plus her new racial status gave her an inhuman beauty as she studied her master. Slowly she looked down and moved shaky hands over herself. Her clothes were still torn and dirtied but her body itself was fine. No sign of dirt, blood, and most importantly any trace of injury. Even the rod of splintered wood that had been lodged in her belly was gone. Her fingers caressed the smooth pale skin of her waist in disbelief for a moment. When she stopped she looked at Cerise not sure what to say to her now...

____ Blair glanced down at her hands as the other demon reached out and took them. She rose up to her feet as she was helped up. She nodded when Cerise said 'Let's go home Blair'. The other had a warm smile on her face as a odd portal appeared beside them. Blair had been born a new woman now so when Cerise stepped into the portal Blair followed her with no hesitation. Her movements graceful and even seeming unguided despite their interlocked hands as she stepped forward into her new life.

{EXIT}