Aris stared frightened and dumbstruck, her back pressed to the trunk as the demons approached, seeming eager to complete their mission. How had they caught up with her so quickly, she wondered, she had a head start and Nathaniel... She shook the thought of the demon prince away; he was long gone by now.<br/><br/>They began to cut off any escape routes the girls could take, essentially sealing their fates as prisoners and, far worse. Aris spread her wings in alarm as the sound of a crossbow bolt popping a hole through one of the demon's skull plate rang in her ears. The demons whirled around, looking for the one who shot at them, as a few more went down. The largest one growled, approaching Aris as a quick pace. Her eyes grew wide, her legs failed her as he stared the angel down.<br/><br/>Just then, his head jerked back suddenly. Smoke began to spew from the hole between its eyes as he glared at the angel, reaching for her regardless of the gaping wound in his head. "Come'ere you little- guh!" A sliver of metal appeared at the base of his throat; he grabbed at it, smoke coming off it in thick plumes, he screeched as he collapsed to his knees, then fell face first in front of the frightened angel.<br/><br/>Behind him stood a young man, holding the silver dagger he had used to take the monstrous beast down. It appeared he had been running, judging from his jet black bangs sticking wetly to his forehead and the way he breathed deeply to regain his breath. He stared at Aris, who disappeared in the cloud of smoke emitted by the demon, its body blowing away like smoke. When it finally cleared, Aris could breathe again, though she still looked wary of the newcomer.<br/><br/>"What are you children doing in the forest?"<br/><br/>She turned to face the woman, looking rather confused. "Children? I am hardly a child, many years your senior, I am certain." Aris spoke with dignity and grace, things that were expected of angels like her.<br/><br/>"The way you stopped and let the demons catch up to you was childish, however" the male muttered, sheathing the knife and folding his arms. Aris turned to look at him, "There is only so long one can run, Pri-...Nathaniel" she retorted, being cut off once by Nathaniel's steely glare at the title.<br/><br/>"Hmph, you couldn't have waited for me to catch up, but really. Letting mere mortals do your fighting for you?" He eyed each of them, his gaze catching on Danise. "You even let a demoness get near you... foolish" He shook his head, black bangs brushing past his eyes as Aris gasped, looking at the women, wondering who was the demoness. Nathaniel pulled out his blade again, pointing it at Danise's throat. "Why don't you go and tell your master that you failed your mission? Or would you rather me kill you now?"