Riki had been on all fours for what seemed like an hour now, he was sure that the mouse had burrowed underground so he started digging in an area that he thought the little animal had gone. He had arched his back, pushing his claws into the ground and forcing back dirt. Eventually, he stopped and placed his ear to the ground to listen for sounds of the mouse.

Lute steadily watched Riki, allowing his eyes to examine the creature's form. Intrigued, a smile appeared across his face and soon he couldn't help but move closer to him. His eyes were on a journey, staring at the Lummox's legs before taking a very unusual path up to the tail and finally resting on the back of the head.

A laugh escaped from his throat and soon Lute had decided to break the silence, "Riki. Do you know why I brought you here?"

Riki let out a sigh, lifting his head from the ground and looking at the hole he was still in the process of making. Listening for a mouse while Lute kept talking and laughing was ruining his concentration. His body slowly rose from the floor and he proceeded to brush himself off. When he heard Lute ask a question about why they came, he felt no need to answer it— it was rhetorical.

The musician headed over to Riki, and wrapped both hands around his arms. He started to massage them, moving his lips down to Riki's level and whispering into his ear. He had repeated his question, "Do you know why I brought you here?" That voice, burning into the creature's ear and giving hints of something that was soon to come.

But the Lummox was still confused, shrugging at the question and trying to move from the other mans grasp. Lute had made his grip tighter and yanked him back in order to keep him close. Riki let out a slight yelp and tried to turn his head around so that he could see Lute. "What are you doing? Let me go!"

Lute let a more sadistic tone escape from his laugh. His body was now pressed up close against Riki's rubbing on his chest fur. "I've seen how you have looked at me." The nose was pushed into the Lummox's head fur and soon he was breathing in the scent of the creature. His eyes slowly closed and he let out a soft calm sigh. "You smell amazing. Like a flower… my flower… my … poor… flower"

Instantly Riki's senses started to go crazy. He thought about the words and soon remembered that he had heard Blue saying it while he was spying on them while on the ship to Baccarat. He bore his fangs and without a second thought bit down into the arms of his capture. A scream could be heard and soon Riki was being pushed away as some form of protective instinct. The Lummox allowed his body to jolt forward before he turned around to face his enemy; body ready to fight. His eyes moved from the floor up towards the face of the one he now believed to be Blue.

The figure stood there, holding onto his arm and trying to stop the blood that seemed to flow continuously.

Riki cocked his head to the side and soon found himself mystified by what was going on. "Lute? You.. are still here?" His voice was filled with hopelessness. He had sniffed the air after Lute had called him a 'Poor Flower' and was certain that he had smelled human magic. He questioned his own skills and was almost positive that the lost of his innocence and turned him into something else. He remained alert, glancing around the area to see if he could find the one who was controlling Lute.

"I want to be inside you." Lute was now moving back over to Riki, clasping his arm and smiling as if nothing had happened.

There were no strings attached to Lute.

Riki soon realized that the musician wasn't under anyone's control. He had sniffed the air again and concluded that the human magic he smelled had not been that of an experienced user. He tried to keep his guard up but found it weak to do so. "Lute… I am sorry… It's just" A thought of Silence appeared in his mind and soon his heart was heavy with how that event had ended. He didn't mean to attack Lute first but had no choice since he couldn't see him. He hesitated to speak, "Your voice… it sounded like … it sounded as if you were Blue…" His voice trailed off for a moment before he started to speak again. "You don't seem like yourself."

A stiff laugh escaped from Lute's throat, "I'm?… I'm not like myself?" He let go of his arm and allowed it to dangle beside him. A few digits pointed at Riki with the other hand. "You Riki… You are the one who is acting strange." He gave off another smile. "Since when did you refer to that bastard as 'Blue?'"

Riki fiddled with his paws. What Lute was saying had been accurate. Deep down the Lummox knew that something had changed but just didn't want to believe it. He took a step back when he realized Lute was still advancing towards him. Everything seemed so random and even now he still didn't know what was going on. He shook his head, "Lute enough games! Please, explain why you are acting this way?"

Lute unsheathed his sword and purposely dragged it across the ground. The sound of steel scraping the floor mimicked an animal giving off a low growl. Lute cleared his throat and started to speak. "That day … that day Blue had showed me what love was… I had been fascinated by him from the start." He took a step closer and continued, "I don't know if it was rape… I don't know if I enjoyed it… But I know that I had seen my future and that of our party." He advanced closer again, his voice echoing through the cave. "I saw you… I saw you being defiled by him and I couldn't allow it." At that moment he was inches away from Riki, breathing in his fur once more. "I always loved you… but I knew that your childlike innocence wouldn't allow us to be together…" His bloody hand moved across the Lummox's body before cupping his cheek. "I knew that if I got rid of everyone else then you would focus on me… and call me 'Master'…" He looked around the area, a grin painting its way onto his face. "Even now, there is no mouse with a ring down here… doesn't that sound a little absurd…?"

Riki let out a gasp, his entire body trembling under the unbalanced humans words. "You killed Mei-Ling?! Silence?! Master?!"

"I didn't kill Silence… you did. I just planted a bug in his ear and told him that the only way for Blue not to touch you was if you were dead. I honestly didn't think my idea would work… but.." He gestured to the area with his bloody arm, ignoring the pain. "Here we are…"

Riki had gone into shock, his mind stuck in the past of when everyone was alive. He was happy then and still had been the Lummox he enjoyed. He was now pining for just a chance to relive the life again. He remember when Blue had came across him and Mei-Ling in the pub. He was the one… He had been the one who ran over to Lute and almost demanded that Blue take him on their journey as well. Riki recalled musician's stupid sob story about being poor and having nowhere to go. How was he to know that he would be traveling with a killer?

The musician opened his arms and embraced Riki. He squeezed him close and allowed his face to snuggle into the creatures fur. A sigh escaped his throat before he whispered what would be his final words to the Lummox of Margmel.

If I can't have you… No one can…

-o-

"So THAT is the confession. This Lute person is the one who killed everyone!" Fuse broke in to my confession once again and soon has his flashlight shined upon me. He was shaking his head and chuckling, "You are one strange animal. I can't believe those two sonsabitches took a liking to you." The light was burning my eyes but he didn't care. He continued to blast the beam in my face while he belittled me. "Your story seems sporadic… Why didn't you just tell me that Lute killed everyone off in the beginning?" He struggled to light a cigarette that he had magically pulled out of his blazer.

I took my eyes away from him before I had decided to advance to his side. "Let me hold the flashlight, so you can smoke." My tone was sassy and as he gave the flashlight and started to answer his questions. "The thought of me telling you that Lute had killed my friends wouldn't have done it any justice." I moved in front of him and proceeded to lead him down the many paths. I thought about why I didn't say Lute at the start of our day. I guess this was more of me laying my sins to rest.

I chuckled to myself and moved on. A silence fell over the two of us and I thought about my tale up until now. I peeked over my shoulder at Fuse who was deep within his thoughts. It felt like a decent time to continue where I left off. But… there was really no need. I had come to realize that Fuse didn't want to hear what I had to say. Having disliked me from the beginning it only felt right for me to just stay quiet. Now that he new the culprit, there was no need to go into any further detail.

"Is that fool still down in this hole? I hope he is alive so I can arrest his ass!" Fuse walked close behind me, stumbling on slippery rocks and bad footing his good shoes getting scuffed up in the process. He blew smoke at the back of my head while he followed me. He remained quiet for a moment while he was in thought before he spoke again. "I have been thinking… When you were in Hell… You said that … you met another Lummox like yourself."

I tried to understand what he was trying to say before I started to sigh. "Fuse I told you… He attacked me without warning and I destroyed him and then devoured him." I pressed forward, shining the flashlight on the floor even though I didn't need it.

"I understand that… But… You said something back then that has concerned me." He closed his eyes for a moment so that he could remember what I had said. "You said… Your body burned… and that… You felt angry within…what did-"

"We are here…" If I had wanted to be a jerk, I would applaud him for quoting my exact words. I came to a halt at the large area that Lute and me had ended up in. I headed straight to the center of the room and waited for Fuse to catch up.

"This is strange… Very strange…" He headed over to me with one of his hands extended. He moved it about in the air before having it touch my fur. "Why would someone stay in this dark space? There is no fire nor smell of smoke?"

I shined the light along the path until it fell upon the wall ahead of us… "Like I said… This is where I escaped from… the important information is over on that wall." I remained in my spot while Fuse gathered his courage to advance ahead of me.

"Don't take that light off me… Its dark as hell in here." He never suggested that I move with him. The sound of his footsteps echoed as he headed over to the wall, examining the objects lined against it. He squinted his eyes and motioned for me to shine the light in the spot he was looking at. "Riki… What's going on here? T-these are… Riki these are human remains!"

I gave off a smile and took he liberty of shining the light on every single body that was there. There were four bodies in all. Each one mutilated and wrapped in its own clothing with their items resting on top. They were forms of graves. "I.. am aware of that…"

Fuse took a step back, "Lute didn't murder anyone… Y-you did! You killed your on team mates! What in the hell! Why?!" I could see him starting to reach for his gun. That hand of his moved down the side of his abdomen before reaching in his shirt.

My lips parted and my words echoed through the cave once more, "You asked me earlier what had happened to me when that stray Lummox attacked me… It seemed devouring him unlocked something within. A rage that I can't seem to control… When I witnessed what Blue did to Lute that faithful day at Sei's tomb… That feeling I had fed this new power… I lost my innocence back then… and became a free-spirit"

Fuse turned around, his gun drawn. With the light in his face he couldn't focus on my figure.

I smiled and turned off the flashlight. My voice bouncing throughout the cave as I decided to tell the truth of my newly awaken free spirit.

"Forgive me Father for I have sinned..."

Epilogue! Shocking huh? Bet nobody saw that coming… The final installment is coming soon. Please review.. I know folks read this.. but lol.. Nobody leaves feedback.