Despite the pain in my chest I continued to run. I refused to have regrets this time. No wondering what would have happened if I had run faster or farther. It was all on the line now.

Occasionally the walls shook, seeming to emanate back from where I had come. I wasn't sure what had spurred Connor to help me, and despite how much hate and anger I harbored towards him, I hoped that he was okay.

The hallways all blended together in a maze, and every single one started to look exactly the same. I had no idea where I was or where I was going. I would need a miracle to get out of here alive.

My vision slowly constricted, rebelling against the lack of oxygen, but I refused to quit running. I would fight to my last breath. Until I passed out and collapsed.

I turned a corner, taking a left, and I found myself at a dead end.

No. No, no, no. Where had I taken a wrong turn?

Between the already incredibly dim light, and my vision blurring from a lack of oxygen it was difficult to tell what my options were.

My chest heaved.

I made my way back the way I had come, trying to remember what turns I had taken. Think. Think damn it.

Panic coursed through me. If I wasn't careful, I would lose all the ground I had gained.

The hairs raised on the back of my neck. Something was coming. I could see the shadows distort.

Adrenaline pumped quickly. The shadow man, he was coming.

I ran as fast as I could, away from the shadows. Please don't let it end like this. Please God. Fate. Please don't let it end like this.

A jolt of pain ran through me as my head slammed into something hard, the impact causing me to lose my balance and fall onto the dirt floor.

I didn't take time to register the pain and instead instantly scrambled backwards afraid of what lay in front of me.

As I did so, a small glint blinded me momentarily, and when it faded and I looked up, I saw a blue cape. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest in excitement.

"Priority!" I scrambled to my feet. And instantly wrapped myself around his silver armor.

"Vaila! Are you okay?" His deep voice was warm and filled me with hope.

I squeezed him tightly, and he squeezed me back.

"Vaila?" The playful and mischievous voice did wonders to relieve my anxiety.

"Tiva!" I ran to her next, wrapping myself around her waist as she gently wrapped her strong arms around me as well.

"Oh, Vaila! I'm so glad you're okay!" Between the two of them there was so much warmth, and it filled me from head to toe. For the first time, I wasn't alone.

"How sweet." The rumbling voice echoed out from behind us and I instantly felt the warmth fade.

I turned around as the darkness distorted and the shadow man stepped out, his shoes clicking across the dirt.

"Get behind me." Priority pushed me behind him and Tiva, as they both stepped forward to address the dark man.

"If it isn't the great pro-hero Priority, and his trusty sidekick." Priority grimaced at the mocking tone.

"If you come quietly then you may just get a reduced sentence." Priority's voice remained stern.

The shadow man gurgled in a slight chuckle.

"You really don't know who I am, do you… hero?" The last word was soaked with sarcasm and disdain.

Priority tensed.

"You are a villain. And you will be brought to justice."

The shadow man scoffed. "Villain. What does that word mean anyway?" He slowly clicked his way closer. "What makes you different from I?" I saw Priority and Tiva ball up their fists ready for a fight. "You… hero… choose to serve yourself by 'protecting' the weak and downtrodden. In this way you bring yourself fame and fortune." The shadow man stopped momentarily, bearing out his arms. "I choose to serve myself by preying on the weak willed. In this way gaining my fame and fortune."

His arms lowered.

"Is that small difference so large do you think? Are we not both just using the weak for our own gains? Are we not both manipulators in our own right?"

Priority's jaw clenched.

"Heroes don't manipulate. We give people back their right to choose. We don't take it away."

The shadow man rumbled again. "Ah. Except of course when that choice misaligns with your moralist views…" The man cocked his hand out to iterate his point.

"Enough!" Tiva shouted across the distance. "You have hurt a lot of innocent people, and you will be brought to justice. Your choice is this, come quietly or be brought in by force."

The shadows chuckled. "So, the sidekick speaks." He crossed his arms. "No. I don't think I like those options."

He smiled sadistically. "No…I think I'll kill you instead."

The tension that echoed across the air erupted.

Flashes of green swam across my vision. As I focused, I saw Tiva throwing green discs of varying sizes across the hallway.

The shadow man grumbled as some of them flew by and cut him. Swiftly and deftly she threw discs into the air which she climbed until she was almost on top of the shadow man. In a quick motion she jumped and came down on top of him with a strong kick.

The man rumbled angrily, but before he could retaliate Priority came through and punched him deeper into the ground.

I was shocked at the flawless combination attack that they had obviously practiced numerous times.

Tiva and Priority relaxed as they saw the man crumpled into the dirt floor. They slowly approached the divet that priority had made, looking in to see if the fight was over.

There was a low rumbling, a mix of coughing and chuckling.

"Well…" More coughing. "Looks like I'll have to get serious." His smile stretched and then it seemed to melt.

Tiva and Priority tensed again as the man slowly evaporated into shadow.

"Where did he go?" Priority raised his fists… waiting for the surprise attack. Tiva tensed her body ready to either throw a punch or a disc from any direction. I sat quivering against the wall, my knees close to my chest.

There seemed to be whispers around the room, almost as if the shadow man was everywhere at once.

I yelped as I felt something yank my hair sideways and up away from the wall.

Tiva and Priority turned to me, their eyes a fierce anger. They paused though as they saw me held up by my hair, a dark needle close to my neck. I closed my eyes, trying to prevent the tears from coming. I would be strong. I steadied my breath.

"Let her go!" Priority shouted across the distance.

I felt the grip on my hair tightened and I stifled a cry.

"Ah… yes, the weakness of the moralists." His chest vibrated as he chuckled, and I felt him stifle a cough.

"The drive to help others is not a weakness." Priority stated firmly.

I tensed.

"It is when it prevents you from winning." Another stifled cough.

I don't know if it was his reference to winning. Or maybe the fact that Priority and Tiva might get hurt because of me. But my soul raged with anger.

I wasn't weak anymore. I would not be used as a pawn.

I felt the intense heat rush to my palms, followed promptly by the feeling of the slick substance. I swiftly raised my hand to wipe it against the shadow man. A pain seared through my palm as a needle erupted from his arm stabbing me.

"I wouldn't if I were you darling…" With the pain driving me, instead I took my other elbow and slammed it into his body behind me as hard as I could.

Although I didn't do much damage, it was enough to throw him off balance, and slightly loosen his grip on my hair. As he relaxed, I took the opportunity and dived down and away.

Tiva and Priority saw their opportunity and rushed him. Bright green discs flew around the room, and it was all the shadow man could do to avoid them. As he was distracted with Tiva's quick attack, he was blindsided by Priority's suckerpunch on the side.

The shadow man flew backward into the wall, dissolving into shadow just prior to impact.

Learning from their mistakes Priority and Tiva surrounded me with their backs to the wall, ready for an attack from any direction.

Motion erupted from the left side. Tiva threw up a green disc in front of her that acted as a shield, blocking 6 incoming black needles.

"AAAHHH!" The shadow man rushed from the front going straight for Priority, who crossed his arms to accept the impact.

There was a slight clank as the shadow man rammed himself against Priority, and if my ears weren't tricking me it sounded as if it was emanating from Priority himself, almost as if his bones were made of pure metal.

The shadow man blew backward slightly, obviously frustrated that his attack didn't make a dent in the hero.

Without giving the villain a chance to gather his thoughts, Priority rushed him again. Right hook. Left hook. Roundhouse kick. The villain dodged each one.

Tiva then joined in, a disc slicing across the shadow man's back, a thick liquid dripping down behind him as he howled out in pain. The howl was met promptly with a right uppercut from Priority which knocked the shadow man to the ground.

His cough rumbled across the hallway. It gurgled and rasped into every corner. When it finally subsided, it subdued into a slight chuckle.

"Perhaps…" More coughing. "I underestimated you." It was a tossup on whether the noise that he emitted next was a cough or a laugh.

"But perhaps…" his smile widened. "You underestimated… me too."

The whole room shifted to darkness.

"GET DOWN!" Tiva shouted as I saw her produce two large green discs simultaneously in front of her, using them as shields. I saw her grimace and grit her teeth at the strain.

Immediately after, a torrent of black needles ran at the discs, slamming into them with unprecedented force.

The needles started to lodge themselves in the discs. Cracks formed along the shields, and with every crack I saw Tiva stifle a cry of pain.

"GRAAAAA!" She shouted trying to maintain the shields up through the storm.

The needles didn't stop coming, and eventually the discs shattered blowing Tiva back against the wall. A last wave of black needles came through and lodged themselves in the wall. But she had held out. They had both exhausted themselves and the wave of needles halted.

Taking advantage of the momentary exhaustion, Priority rushed forward, grabbing the shadow man and slamming him over his knee. There was a slight crack that made me wince. The shadow man now crumpled on the floor raised his hands weakly, a small shadow attempting to form at his palm.

With no hesitation, Priority grabbed the hand and pinned it against the ground, following it swiftly with strong punch to the face. Priority stood over the villain, his chest heaving slightly.

"It's over."

The shadow man groaned out slightly. His head falling slightly back against the dirt floor as he passed out.

There was a loud thumping that echoed down the hall. Priority stiffened to face what was coming.

"Priority!"

The familiar sound let him relax slightly.

"Detective. Thank you for coming." The detective looked over slightly, seeing the unconscious man in the dirt floor beside him.

"He should be passed out, but I recommend cuffing and restraining him as soon as you can."

The detective nodded motioning for the police officers stationed behind him in the dark to follow up on the order.

The detective squinted slightly as he got a closer look at the man who lay before them. Slowly the shadow that enveloped the man started to fade as he slipped deeper into unconsciousness. His rugged and old facial features coming into light.

Blank white eyes. Pitch black hair. Wrinkles and a deep scar over his cheek.

"Is that…" the detective's words cut short in shock.

"Damien Hawthorne." Priority finished the sentence. His arms crossed.

Tiva adjusted slightly next to me, and I cocked my neck to look at her. Her eyes a bright green, and her smile just as mischievous as ever. She made her way to her feet, brushing off the dust and debris.

"Well what do you know." She chuckled slightly. "You just helped us catch one of the most wanted criminals in the city!" Tiva flashed me a smile, and I couldn't help but smile back.

As I shifted to get to my feet and meet her gaze, a sharp pain spread out across my stomach. I clutched my abdomen, and immediately crumpled back to the ground with a slight cry of pain. As my hand met my stomach a warm liquid seemed to coat it. I looked down and immediately saw the tinge of red. Blood.

"Vaila?" Tiva rushed to my side, worry marking her face. Her hands immediately making their way to my open wound. One of the needles. They must have got me in the end.

Priority, upon hearing Tiva's worried cry, made his way over to me as well.

The liquid kept coming out. I could feel it. The warmth leaving my body.

"Hold on Vaila! I'm gonna try to stop the bleeding!" Tiva firmly placed her hands over the wound, putting a deep pressure on it.

"AAAH!" I screamed as the pain flared as the pressure went down.

Priority yelled across the hallway. "MEDIC! WE NEED A MEDIC NOW!"

Multiple officers sprung into action, words being spoken over walkie talkies calling for an emergency escort.

There was a ripping sound as Priority tore his cape handing it to Tiva to use as a makeshift bandage.

He came to his knees and slightly stroked my hair.

"Hold on Vaila. Hold on okay? Help will be here soon."

I stared deeply into his dark eyes, and I couldn't help but smile despite the pain.

I coughed slightly. A dribble of liquid coming across my mouth as I did so.

"It's…okay." I looked into his eyes, and then at Tiva's. Their eyes distinctly glossed over. Their mouths slightly apart in worry and anxiety.

I smiled as hard as I could.

"Really…" I coughed again. "I'm…happy."

"Hey… save your strength. Okay? Help is on the way!" Tiva pushed down a little harder on the wound. But even I could tell that the cape was almost completely soaked through with blood now.

It was so cold.

"I'm…happy… that I got to live with you." I leaned my head back slightly against the rock wall. The strength quickly fading from me.

"That I…" My body lurched as I coughed, a distinct spatter of blood going onto to the dirt ground. "That I… got to have a family… again."

I closed my eyes. My thoughts going back to Bakugou, Shinsou, Uraraka and everyone else. "That I got… to have friends."

"Stop. Don't talk like that. You still do. Everything is going to be okay." Priority stroked my head lightly.

"So…" I looked into his dark eyes. I knew time was short. "…thank you." I smiled as a single tear ran down my cheek. "Thank you… for…" I coughed and I could barely keep my eyes open. No more time. No more goodbyes. And that's okay.

I can't say that there was any white light. Or an amazing epiphany. But what was there… was a woman, with long brown hair and a bright smile. She beckoned to me, and I followed her… and we were happy. Yes, we were both…happy.