At any second, they would be on her.  Faira could not see what sort of state Aurora and Rhys were in, but she could hear grunts and the sounds of them fighting in the distance.  They were alive, for now, but soon Aurora would likely be mistakenly taken and Faira would be killed, if she did not say something.<br/><br/>At first, she thought that Rhys had somehow managed to come to her side, because Arahaelon’s features were obscured by the darkness around her, but when he spoke there was no mistaking who stood next to her now.  She felt a chilling mix of relief and worry at the revelation of his identity, because part of her mind wanted to believe it was the man that had once loved her at her side, but he had whispered the name of a demon.  He had called for the power of a darkness she stood so starkly against.  Before she could fully process it all, she could hear the movement, though she could not fully track it with her eyes.<br/><br/>She pushed up to her feet, squinting to try and see all that was happening around her.  Aurora and Rhys were closer now, working together like they often did, to dispatch any enemies near them.  They had an easy partnership, one that Faira did not realize until this moment that she envied.  She knew they had more than just the ability to fight side by side, outside of their duties as her protectors, she harbored a suspicion that they were romantically entangled in some way.  They had both been discreet, so she had no full confirmation of her suspicions, but it was hard to mistake the chemistry there, even know as they worked so fluidly with each other.  She would work to dispatch one foe while simultaneously working to set him up to dispatch the next.<br/><br/>She heard his voice and as much as she knew that she should not feel safe, she did.  There was a comfort in him being here that she could not deny.  Faira took one step toward Arahaelon, only to see the streak of yellow light out of the corner of her eye.  Before she could react, or even move, he had already taken steps to ensure she was not killed by this brutal blow, instead he took it upon himself.<br/><br/>Faira turned, looking past him toward the would-be assassin.  Rhys and Aurora were already dealing with the archer, Rhys taking the lead in dispatching their enemy.  Rhys was very brutal in this kill, more so than Faira had normally seen, and she could only think he was already feeling the shame of failing to protect her.  The archer had to be the last of the forces here, or at least the last member of the first way, she would not doubt that there might be more.<br/><br/>“I...I am fine.  Bruises and scrapes, nothing more.”  She explained, holding up dirt covered hands.  She almost immediately moved to touch the end of the arrow that stuck through his form, but her hand retreated before it completed its journey.<br/><br/>“You, you are not unharmed.”  She whispered.  Faira opened her mouth to say something else, but she was stopped by the sudden shouting of her two protectors.<br/><br/>“Faira!  Step back!”  Aurora shouted, motioning to her Empress to come toward her.<br/><br/>“Though we’re grateful for the help, you are still not a friend in this.”  Rhys barked at Arahaelon.<br/><br/>Faira shook her head.  She knew their intent was to ensure her safety, but she would not walk away from him again so easily.<br/><br/>“Come with us.  Come to the temple with me.  You said I am unprepared and unready, if that is so then surely I need all the allies I can get in these troubling time.”  Faira’s eyes went first to his wound and then lifted to meet those deeply red eyes he now wore.  They made her miss his old eyes, the ones that once held her in such a familiar and loving gaze for so long.  It made her heart hurt.<br/><br/>“Please, Ara.  Stay with me.”