"Alright, start searching." Lloyd announced as the tem emerged into the city, but kept themselves hidden in the shadows. "They should be around here somewhere…"

Rubble littered the streets, and ice rimmed the edges of the sidewalk. Multiple buildings around them had fallen to ruin, their skeletal structure ripping the gray skies. Weak rays of sunlight sliced through the clouds. Deathly silence thickened the air.

"We should split up," Beecher said, his eyes scanning the seemingly abandoned city. "Wise One, you're coming with me. Boomer, Lloyd, you're both going with Nox."

Boomer gave Lloyd a death stare. Lloyd tried to avoid it.

"On second thought…" Beecher dragged a hand down his face. "Boomer, you're coming with us. Nox goes with Lloyd. The last thing we need is arguing."

Oh, joy. Nox thought as the team parted.

Lloyd was silent as he avoided Nox's gaze, but she sensed his thoughts were swirling with negative emotions. Lloyd knew the team could defend themselves, but this was his only chance to get Etrius back and earn his forgiveness. Whatever The General had done to him, he was going to undo it.

"Lloyd." She said, snapping him out of his stupor.

She took advantage of the distraction and dived into his mind. Lloyd shut his eyes and backed away, grounding his hands into his eyes. He felt her moving through the corridors of his mind.

Nox's eyes flashed. "I know you're not looking for Etrius."

Lloyd staggered back from the dizziness that overwhelmed him, his back hitting a building wall. "Stay out of my head, Nox."

"You're leading us to the Three Elders!" Panic rose in her voice, but she struggled to keep it down and avoid unwanted attention. "Lloyd, how could you?" She reached out again, preparing to find out why Lloyd would do such a thing.

Lloyd reached into his back pocket and yanked something out. He held it in front of her. A shard of obsidian.

Nox felt her powers drain through her fingers like sand. A wave of sickness rolled through her, bile rising in her throat. She collapsed to her knees. The ground rocked. She could barely raise her hands, let alone speak.

"I can't stop what's to come," Lloyd scooped her up into his arms, keeping the Obsidian Shard in his grip at all times. "But I can keep you safe from it. I'm not trying to hurt you, Nox. This is only to ensure that you don't follow us."

Nox tried to respond, to ask him what the fuck he was doing. But she could only make a soft wheezing sound. Her eyelids fluttered, and her thoughts were muddled and saturated. Where did he get the Obsidian Shard from? The Wise One? Why were the effects so strong? Her eyes fluttered.

Lloyd set her down in an empty alleyway, away from anyone's eyes. He kept her hidden behind a dumpster, sticking the Obsidian into her pocket. She inhaled sharply at the sudden movement. Even feeling the effects through a thin layer of fabric, it caused immeasurable pain.

"I'm sorry, Nox," Lloyd squeezed her hand in his. "This is for your own good."

She stared at Lloyd's retreating back as her vision began to see-saw in and out of focus. He was the last thing she saw before falling beneath the surface of consciousness. Lloyd kept them away from them.

Lloyd made his way back to the team, who were searching through the darkest corners of the city. He made his way closer to the team. "Keep searching, guys," Lloyd said, his eyes scanning his surroundings. "Nox is guarding the perimeter."

Beecher's gaze narrowed. "Perimeter? What—?"

Clash!

Beams of light erupted from the earth around them, colliding together in the sky. They formed a barrier of translucent light around the team. Lloyd had been expecting something like this to happen, but he still jolted in surprise.

Four silhouettes lingered somewhere inside the light, watching the team. They hovered just slightly above the ground. The General's voice spoke up. "Excellent work, Lloyd. It all went just as planned."

Lloyd clenched his teeth, avoiding the questioning glares of his team.

"What the hell?"

"It's The General."

"Lloyd, what is he talking about?"

The Presence gestured to the team as a legion of humans, under the control of the Three Elders. They wore gasmasks and military armor. "Destroy them."

"You son of a bitch!" Lloyd yelled at The General. "We had a deal! Where the fuck is Etrius?!"

The General shrugged. "Lloyd, please. When have I ever been a man of my word?" With a swipe of his hand, he ripped out the consciousness of each team member. The Darkness stopped him before he could reach The Wise One. "Wait." He glared down at him with intention in his eyes. "He could still be of use to us."

The Wise One's eyes flared up with unfathomable anger. "I will never work for bastards like you."

The Pestilence raised her head with pride, her voice soothing, yet threatening. "We shall see."