In natural form, the demons represented the very essence of restricted evil, their skin tight along the robust muscles that ran along every inch exposed. They clothed themselves in very little, their look of defiance causing even the strongest of will to look away in fear or disgust, perhaps at times a mixture of both. Sera moved from behind her father's closest friend and set in place a facade that would assist her in gaining victory in the task assigned her, or be the very cause of her fall. She knew the male demon that she'd be paired with would be malicious and violent, she only hoped that part of the accordance in their working as partners meant that he'd play fair in their dealings. 

This task was not a competition between heaven and hell, but against something neither had much experience with - a principality of earth itself, spawn from emotion and apathy. How they would deal with their enemy was a different concern than the one that sat upon her heart at the moment - how they might actually deal with one another.

She was not chosen for the task because she was weak or overly kind and caring, but because she possessed the strength of a warrior and the intellect of a scholar, her father God's left hand man namely because of the same traits that had befallen her. Nathaniel knew better than to comfort or speak to her in the presence of the demons, but time was of the essence. Her counterpart had yet to show and her escorts huddled around her to offer a bit more support and guidance before the moment came that would forever separate them. The only portion of the assignment that would be clouded in darkness to both parties would be the very fact that they could never return home and earth would then become their resting place for the remainder of eternity. That was a sacrifice God and his nemesis were willing to make and yet no one had or would divulge that information to the travelers. 

Sara turned a bit as Nathaniel and Malachi moved in closer, a look of calm resolution on her lovely features as she squared her shoulders a bit more and let her eyebrow raise in curiosity. "What..."

Malachi cleared his throat, his ivory hand covering his mouth for a moment as crystal blue eye bore into her. She repeated her question once more with a bit more attitude and he finally broke the intensity of the silence. 

"You should be aware that once the joining ceremony happens that you and the demon will be one." He looked to Nathaniel as if the other guardian might want to add something to that. 

"What exactly do you mean - one? Like two become one in holy matrimony?" Sara felt her chest tighten as the very thought of sharing anything with evil incarnate. 

"Not exactly. The joining is a blood letting ceremony, so there will be a part where you will share blood." Malachi spoke quickly with a timid tone.

"Share blood? Why in the world would we need to do something so vile?" She felt her cheeks coloring, the earth moving as others joined them. Neither she nor Malachi looked away as Nathaniel turned to speak with the guardian that would conduct the ceremony. 

"Because it is necessary to tie you to one another so that you will have one heart and mind in fixing this devastation that has befallen us. You will still be you and he will still be very much himself, but evil will invade your spirit and goodness will invade his. It's painful and quite uncomfortable, but there is a sense of peace that you'll not understand that befalls you when the two of you are together and moving in harmony. It's part of the design."

"I don't und.." She was cut off my Nathaniel who touched her shoulder and whispered that the time was drawing near.