Lord Protector Corvo Attano sat alone in his room. Everything was in place. Every preparation complete. Two years had passed since Emily's coronation. His little girl had grown into a brilliant ruler. The great rat plague was made nothing more than an unpleasant memory for the citizens of the empire. The city was well on its way to recovering from the devastation it had caused. All of the empress' enemies had been brought to heel and all those responsible for her mother's murder brought to justice. He was proud at how well Emily had handled those long and arduous trials. She had shown that she was a fair and impartial judge. That coupled with the massive effort forced from the nobles to restore Dunwall, had made her a beloved ruler. Just as the Outsider had promised. Corvo stared hard at the human heart in his hands. He had been forced to lock it away deep in the bowels of Dunwall tower. He had been able to resist the Outsider's influence for many months but the heart constantly whispered in his mind. He could not bring himself to destroy it. It was the last connection to her he had left. He steeled himself for the struggle to come. He had fought many times to protect Emily from harm, but this would be a battle, not of bullets and blades, but of words and wills. He laid down on his simple bed, closed his eyes and whispered to the heart "Take me to the Outsider." He felt a familiar pull. The odd gray nothingness of the void greeted him when he opened his eyes. The same broken buildings floating at different angles. "So you have not forgotten me Corvo." He whirled around to find the Outsider only a few paces away. He looked the same as before. Only his black eyes gave evidence of his great power. Corvo remained silent waiting for the Outsider to make the first move. "You are truly a fascinating individual. No one has ever shunned the power before." It was true that Corvo had made no attempt to use the energies from the void since he had slowed time to avoid Havelock's last cowardly attack.
"I've seen what becomes of those who use your power" Corvo had much practice speaking without emotion and managed to mimic the seeming immaculate speech of the Outsider. "I do not wish to end up a broken man like Daud or mad like Vera Moray."
"They were weak. Not like you Corvo."
"Do you think I've forgotten that it was your power that forced me to watch helpless while they killed the Lady Jessamine." Corvo allowed anger to show in his voice, but the Outsider seemed oblivious.
"I simply give the power to those I find interesting. How it's wielded is up to them."
Corvo felt a consuming anger burn through him. "Is that all we are to you? Is that why she died? For your entertainment! Perhaps I should simply end my life. How then will you amuse yourself?
"I fear what might become of young Empress Emily if you are not there to protect her."
Corvo's voice was deadly quiet when he answered "Do not threaten her Outsider." dark clouds gathered as he spoke and thunder could be heard in the void.
"You could not possibly understand me mortal." Corvo felt a searing pain course through his body. Every nerve was on fire. It felt like a storm tearing its way through his head. He barely kept himself from screaming. Slowly it died away and Corvo rose from where he had fallen. He pretended the pain had kept him from noticing that the clouds dispersed the moment he lost his concentration.
"Your tolerance for pain has always impressed me." the Outsider said nonchalantly.
"You have no idea my true pain."
"Ah and we finally arrive at the true reason for your visit."
Corvo pulled the heart from the pocket of his jacket. "Can you bring her back?"
The Outsider was silent for several long minutes. Though he was far from patient he could wait an eternity if the Outsider was actually considering it. His brief hope vanished when the Outsider did answer (perhaps with a hint of sadness). "What you ask is not an easy thing. I could make a new mechanical body for the heart, but she would not be the same woman you loved Corvo."
Corvo could not accept this vague explanation. He refused to accept it.
"And yet you brought me back many times during my quest to save Emily.
A small smile touched the Outsider's face. "I merely showed you the path and where your actions would lead."
Corvo considered this for a moment. "If that is the case could you not take me, with all my knowledge to a time before her murder?"
"That is possible, but there is always a price for meddling with the past. There were riots in the streets for weeks after the Empress' assassination. The inventor Piero Joplin did not leave his house out of fear. The irony is that if she had not died, he would have been run down by a loose wagon three days later. Without him, Sokolov would not have been able to make a cure for the plague." Visions ran through Corvo's head. The rat plague spreading like oil on water across the isles. Chaos and panic spreading even faster.
"In the end, only those who can afford the elixir will be spared. But they will rule over an empty kingdom. The Empress and her daughter will be safe but she will never forgive herself for failing the people. Is it not enough that Emily is safe and well? That she will live a long and prosperous life ruling a happy empire?"
"I offer you a choice Corvo." The Outsider gestured with his hand and two doors appeared on either side of him. "The door on the right will take you back to the world you know. The one on the left will take you back in time to save her. The choice is yours.
With that, the Outsider vanished leaving the two portals behind.
Corvo did not know how long he stood considering all the possibilities of each choice. Could he really sacrifice the lives of countless innocents? Could he live with the guilt that his choice would hurt the woman he loved? Could he go on without her?
The Outsider watched, unseen as Corvo struggled with his dilemma. Suddenly, Corvo's shoulders straightened and he began walking with purpose toward the doors. He stopped only a foot from them. He turned and looked right at the Outsider. "I choose my own path."
"Impossible." thought the Outsider as Corvo plunged through a portal of light that suddenly appeared between the two doors.
For several long minutes Corvo fell. He felt no fear. He knew where he needed to go. When to go. He concentrated with all the power of his mind. Suddenly the gray of the void was replaced by the sight he knew he would see. The third assassin fell before his well placed pistol shot. Emily threw herself into his arms and he knew he only had seconds to act. He turned and raised his pistol again. His shot spun the assassin completely around before Corvo was more than a foot in the air. Corvo landed heavily and off balance. Daud was already in the gazebo. It was all happening to fast. Just as before Jessamine tried to shield Emily. When he struck her Corvo lost all use of his rational mind. A roar burst from the deepest part of his soul "DAUUUUD". The assassin hesitated at the sound of his name. It was all the time it took for Corvo to cover the distance between them. He crashed into him and the screech of tortured metal could be heard as the blade meant to slay an empress left a long scratch in the stone only inches from her. Daud's blade shattered as the two men plunged down the steps each trying to pummel the other into submission. Both were masters of hand to hand combat but Corvo fought like a man possessed. Daud had never failed to kill an intended target, but something had gone terribly wrong here. The empress was supposed to be alone and unprotected and yet this seeming unbeatable mad man stood in his way. The look in his eyes told him that he would die of he continued his attack. He back up quickly trying to concentrate on a transversal destination but Corvo's furious attacks required all his attention. Daud finally landed a blow on Corvo's jaw that should have knocked him unconscious. Instead he appeared to be only stunned. Daud turned and ran for the railing but just as he vaulted over he felt a sharp pain as Corvo's dagger plunged through his back.
The tower guard, alerted by the sound of gunfire arrived moments later Corvo stood at the stone railing looking down at the broken body below. He turned at the sound of their arrival. "Lord Protector what is happening here?"
"There has been an attempt on the empress' life. Why were your men not at their posts?" Corvo waved away the captain's stammering reply. Get her majesty and the Lady Emily to her study and double the guard. Lock down the tower. No one in or out." He gestured to the body of the final assassin, who had not managed to transverse before he died. "Have your men search every inch of the tower for men dressed in this manner. None of them are to be approached individually. Patrols of three or more. The guards saluted smartly and fell into rank around the empress. She looked back to Corvo who was not fallowing. "Aren't you coming?" She asked anxiously.
"Not this time your Majesty." he said sadly removing the hand he had been holding to his abdomen since his wild tackle of Daud. A crimson stain was spreading quickly from the protruding hilt of Daud's shattered sword, and a pool was forming at his feet. He sank back against the stone even as Jessamine ran back to him.
"Corvo you're going to be alright. Call for the royal surgeon immediately!" The guard ran to obey though he knew it would do no good. No healer could repair that kind of damage.
The empress cradled her dying protector's head in her lap whispering assurances that he was going to be okay. He gave her one of his rare smiles. "We promised we would never lie to each other." he wiped the tears falling from her face. "Before I go you have to know Hiram Burrows..."
"Shh Corvo save your strength. I remember everything." Corvo's eyes half closed flew open again. "No."
"It's okay Corvo. But I'm going to need you to help me. You can't die. That's an order."
Corvo smiled weakly "I'm sorry Jessamine. This time I can't obey you. You and Emily are safe. That is all that matters." She smiled back at his use of her name. It was the first time he had without her having to coerce him. Corvo closed his eyes once more and slipped into the void.