Breaking the Cycle

by mephilesthelight

Mono has once again fallen and grown into the Thin Man. However instead of turning into the hate filled being he was. He has instead contemplated his life and realized who his true enemy is. The Tower sensing this put an effort to end him then and there. The Thin Man taking a huge gamble has sent his consciousness back in time to save both himself and his friend Six.

38. Little Nightmares

After the oh-so-touching moment between the children. The Void rolled its eye at the thought of that as it continued watching them in the inky blackness of nothingness. Turned its attention to the only figure in the room. The Tower still chasing the nonattached voices of faux Mono and Six. Condemned to his hell. The Void just watched the pettiness of the older puppet before going back to one that just recently cut its strings. Cinca after having attached that mockery of the Ferryman's symbol retreated into her quarters to intercept them on the lowest floor. Frankly, the Void had enough of her meddling when things messed up the first time, it doesn't want another mistake. Cinca may have cast out the Void from her mind, but a single thread still latched into her head.

Not enough to dominate her mind as he once did, only enough to sow the seeds of doubt in her head. Either way, it would make it work with its new plan. The Cycle would only work if there was a living willing battery to power it. Now the Void had no willing participants in the form of Mono or Cinca. It could attempt to try Kai or Six but it knew it already failed those attempts of seduction.

No, the Void decided that now it will focus on making the two that started this mess in the first place suffer.

'And suffer they will!' The Void thought as it focused all its power on looking toward the future. Ironically, it was a blessing to be cursed into the Void by its brethren. It could never return to the space between forbidden to do so. But the Void never sought to do that. Not with the well of power that became its domain. In its realm, the Void gained powers unlike others of its brethren. The Elysium Eyes were able to bless people with their abilities but the Void was able to hijack those people granting them whatever powers it deemed useful to them at the time. Not only that but the Void learned the ability to see the future. Often branches in timelines and other realities would come to him and in those realities, the Void saw other versions of itself watching both itself and those same realities. The Void however could not cross into another reality even if it wanted to. Some bonds were not meant to be broken.

"Why did my reality have to be one in which they rebelled?"

It paused on its focus reflecting on those possibilities. Glimpses of those realities passed through its vision. Realities in which the Cycle continued despite alterations in the timelines.

A reality detailing a tanker sailing the stormy sea with lightning tearing the skies asunder. The Void watched as a sinister Mono was sitting on the top of the ship allowing the storm to drench him. In his arms, he held a bloody raincoat and with a gleeful smile tossed it away allowing it to sink into the waves below. The scene changes to another version of Kai wrapped in chains bound around his wrists guarding a door. The room behind Kai holding a bruised and battered Six with blood slowly falling onto the floor.

In this reality, Mono and Six appeared to have switched personalities. With the two of them sneaking through the Pale City. The three of them were sneaking through the city. For some odd reason, the blindfolded kid was traveling alongside them. Mono also had a prosthetic arm as well very much like the Patients. The vision fades once again before turning to another reality.

Finally, another reality like the one our current Void was trying to shape. The massive difference however was that Mono and Six never made it to the MAW in the first place. The Void supposed that it had relied on its original plan using Cinca for the Cycle in that timeline. Whatever happened to the Mono and Six of that timeline it did not know. The Void of that reality did deign to tell the other Voids of that tale.

Ridding its soul of those thoughts the Void returned to focusing back on the future. Distracting thoughts were not needed now the Void needed to see what was coming. It had seen extremely small flashes of the future at first-ever since being torn from Cinca's mind. Concentrating at its fullest the Void saw something giving a bounty of emotions. What the Void witnessed would require it to give up its well-laid plans. Something the Void had little trouble doing since it was immortal. It could wait a little while longer for the Cycle to come back.

A dry laugh came from the empty darkness. For now, the Void would wait in the darkness for when it would need to act. Stoke the flames of emotions here and act to kill them there. It smiled with a single thought.

"Everything will go according to plan!"

Before the Lady's Quarters

Six launches herself into Mono and Mono, very unprepared, doesn't have time to react as the two of them collide with each other. Tumbling to the ground with Six right on top of him Mono just looks up with mild confusion turning to concern as he looks back up at her. Her eyes welled up with tears. Mono cheekily smiles as he says.

"Found you."

Six pulls him tighter just to check that this isn't an illusion with Mono pulling her face right in front of his. Pulling in for a deepened kiss their love for one another came together in a beautiful moment. Kai on the other hand just turned around sighing in annoyance at the two lover's antics. Separated for only a few hours and their obsessions never died. Kai just took the time to look around the room kicking the sausage that lay on the floor next to him.

'What an utter waste of meat. Should've just chucked it down the gullet of that last Gorger.' Kai thought as he watched it roll towards a Nome's feet.

Said Nome picked up the sausage before walking back over to Kai and offering it to him. Kai politely refused and the Nome then went ahead to chuck it directly at the Gorger's slowly bleeding out body. The sausage flew narrowly missing the Gorger's mouth. Kai looked back and forth at the Nome, the sausage, and the Gorger. Kai thought to himself.

'Did it just read my mind or was that purely coincidental? Let's see….'

Kai tried focusing his thoughts on the Nome to read. Concentrating deeply.

'NOME FLIP!'

But the Nome just stood there staring blankly before waddling back towards its fellow Nomes. Kai tried concentrating harder pushing his fingers to his temples.

'NOME FLIP!'

"What are you doing?" Mono asked.

Kai turned back around seeing that Mono and Six had finished their little reunion and kissed. Only now they looked very confused at Kai's stance and focused stares.

"I uh… was trying to see if the Nome was able to read my mind."

Mono looked dumbfounded for a few seconds before busting out into laughter.

"Stop laughing! I thought it was plausible when I thought about throwing something at the dead body and the Nome did exactly that."

Mono just laughed even harder, "I see what you mean but M.E.L just hates Gorgers along with all the other monsters of the MAW. That's why they're helping me so they can go back to their secret ways."

While Six got off the floor to stand she said, "About that, I've been meaning to ask. What exactly happened to you when we got separated?"

"Yeah, I'd say the same if it weren't for the fact that I kinda already know."

Kai asks, "Are you psychic now too?"

"No, but that would make a lot of things easier. Anyway, we all know how we got separated, I got thrown down into the pit. I landed on some coal and later ran into M.E.L. here."

Mono paused as said Nome walked back towards Mono hugging his leg. Six gave it a small wave and M.E.L waved back towards her and Kai.

"We snuck on by meeting both the Geisha and a few other Nomes. She doesn't like me. The Mono of her timeline was an outright bastard and she projects that hatred of him onto me. After narrowly evading her we entered a room that was filled with dozens of sleeping Nomes. I lit a lantern in the center of the room and at first, I thought that the Nomes would be friendly."

Mono rolled up the sleeves of his cloak, both Kai and Six saw patches of skin that looked fresher than other parts of his arm. Specifically, scars from torn or bitten off skin.

"They were monsters all of them. Gremlins I think is what Cinca was planning to call them. The

Void knew at least one of us would have fallen there. The Gremlins were a trap based on our pity. They tore massive chunks from my arms and I quickly fled. Only to be caught by Cinca yet again. My body was broken as she and the Void gloated about they had won. Then they taunted me about their plans to make both Six and I suffer."

Kai sarcastically interrupted, "Well it's good to know that even at that point I didn't matter to either of them."

Six asked," Was this around the time you let out that giant burst of static that rocked the entire ship?"

Mono blinked in surprise, "Actually yes, I'm a little surprised I did that much of an effect. Anyway, I did anything I could to push her back but there's one unfortunate bit about their little partnership. Cinca is unbelievably strong with power rivaling my own. I passed out after Cinca's bout of magic…"

Mono presses his hand up against his heart, "I died there for a few seconds. If not for the Nomes I would have stayed that way. Even then it was a blessing rather than a curse because I got to talk with Angelo again. After that, I fought against the Gremlins tearing them apart and then using the flesh of the MAW to fix them. Once all the Nomes were put back to normal I talked to M.E.L who is a leader among them. We've scoped the place out a bit but I wanted to wait for you two to get here. Then we heard the Gorgers and Geisha clamoring about something and on the terrace, I saw you two down there. I sent a small group of Nomes to aid as both support and distractions to assist you. Then about ten minutes later I see you two and the last Gorger and now here we are."

"Woah Woah Woah, back up a bit." Six said before asking, "Who's Angelo?"

It occurred to Mono that he hadn't told Six about Angelo at all mainly because he thought that Angelo would never play a part in their lives again only to be proved wrong.

"Angelo is… this might be hard to explain. Well, first Angelo might not be his actual name. He/It is one of the beings from the other side. A watcher over our world although not necessarily a protector like the many other Elysium Eyes on the other side. Angelo is the one that helped pull me back to my senses three years ago after the uh…," he rubs his clawed hand on his throat while glancing at Six, "incident."

A small gasp came from Six and drew some suspicion from Kai. He looked between the two of them before sighing, "Look, whatever happened between you two back then clearly hasn't kept you two apart. I'm not going to pry because it's not my business to know nor important to what's happening right now. Please continue Mono."

A small nod from the two of them before he continued, "Angelo has informed me that the Void can't be killed as it is. But it can be separated from our world and Cinca."

Six interrupted, "Actually we might not need to worry about that as much anymore Mono."

Kai added, "Yeah through some means it seems as though Cinca has forced the Void from her head."

"Really? Well, that makes things a lot easier then. Does she by chance still have her extra powers?"

"She's still able to conjure flames and her shadow powers if that's what you mean."

"Then I still wager she has her other abilities like reality and flesh warp. However, if she has cut her ties with the Void she's now on a time limit."

Kai asked, "If that's the case shouldn't we just wait for her power to run out then? If we wait it out we can take her out more easily, right?"

"We could but that would only take care of one problem. Meanwhile, we still have to with the Void who's now mainly tied to the MAW itself. There are two other ties to be taken care of. The first is a painting of the Void. It's the main source of the Void's spiritual influence over the MAW and so on the world if we let them. Thankfully the Nomes and I explored the Geisha's quarters while she was busy and found it."

"What's the second one Mono?"

"Then there's the physical body and anchor of the Void. Three years of flesh have accumulated. Three years of flesh securely attached to the walls of the MAW. Three years of mouths never to be fed and eyes ever watchful. There's a control point up the Geisha's library a throne made of flesh with eyeballs and teeth jutting out all over it. We destroy those two anchors and the Void is cut off from our world for the time being. Cinca is a wild card right now so we need to avoid or distract her for the others to succeed."

Six said, "With the way you're talking it sounds like you plan on us separating again."

Mono's stoic face did not reassure her. It confirmed her suspicions that is exactly what he meant to happen.

"No Mono, I just reunited with you. Fought and fled through thick and thin just for the chance to see you again. I'm not just going to leave again immediately"

Mono's face breaks down in a more downtrodden look, "I know you wouldn't but for right now this is for the best."

"But why?"

Mono held her close in tight embrace whispering in her ear, "The painting acts just like the Security Eye from before. I don't want you to face it only to slip into nightmares." He paused before saying the next part, "And you waking up with my heart in between your teeth." He backed away from her with a solemn expression. Six looked shocked before slowly nodding and turning back to Kai.

"Alright, you heard the man we need to go find the throne and deal with it."

Kai nodded too, he considered asking Six what that was about but decided to not pry.

Mono spoke up whilst walking ahead with the two of them following, "The Nomes and I already explored the area via the vents and found that the easiest way to the library/ throne room and the storeroom where the painting is by elevator." Ushering them up the ladder before opening a vent in the floor above them and letting out a small whistle.

A group of Nomes tag-teamed their way to the elevator switch calling it down. The doors open with a small ding and the three of them walked inside. As the elevator went up Mono went over a few more details of the plan.

"The throne is a two-person job. One of the Nomes decided to test the waters and sat on the throne. The web of flesh didn't like that and skewered the Nome from multiple directions. So, one of you will need to sit on the throne and either drain or nullify the flesh of the MAW while the other defends them." Mono pauses and looks at Kai and Six. "I know we've crossed into the threshold of the spider's web so please be careful. I want to make sure all of us get out of here alive."

Six pulls Mono close for a quick kiss just as the doors open for Mono's floor. "As long as you promise the same as well Mono."

Kai spoke up, "I'm not kissing you but I will at least shake on it." Holding out his arm Mono grasps it firmly before pulling him into a hug.

"Good luck to both of you. When we're done here Cinca's next."

Mono walks out the door and both Kai and Six watches as the doors close behind him.

MONO

The doors behind Mono closed with a clank. Mono took a deep breath as he once again felt his heart pound madly in his chest. So much could go wrong here so Mono had to make sure that everything went according to his and Angelo's plan. The appearance of Six managed to calm him down slightly but even so she was a reminder of what could happen if he failed. He was taken out of his thoughts as M.E.L pulled on his pant leg. Turning around Mono saw the Nome army behind him. Some of them carry matchboxes while handing out matches to every Nome. One of the other Nomes offered one to Mono who paused only for a moment. Fingering the lighter in his pocket he contemplated the possibility of needing it.

Mono held out his hand, "Better to be safe than sorry, Thanks." The Nome gave Mono the match who then concealed it behind his back. He then began creeping through the room the Nomes silently shuffling behind him.

"Back again I see." Mono heard the Void whisper around the entire room. In the stairwell and among the red walls of the Quarters were a multitude of paintings. Some of them people Mono had never seen in his life, more of the nightmarish folk turned monster and others with a multitude of eyes. Each painted eye glowing with the Void's malice. Flesh hung from the ceiling a gaping mouth and several tendrils waved around.

"Only this time instead of hiding and sneaking around like a rat. You've amassed a rather pathetic army of soulless children. More lambs to the slaughter."

The fleshy tendrils descended and the Nomes scattered. Mono however reached his claw and swiped cutting the meat of the main tendril causing it to recoil.

The Void laughed, "Even now they run. It seems even without a soul they're smarter than you are fighting an opponent you have no chance against."

"Well, I don't know about that. I seem to have done well against you already."

"An unconscious escape due to a couple of Nomes does not count child. You may as well have been pulled away by a rope."

Mono ignored the Void as he continued swiping his arm shredding the other tendrils to bits. The Nomes regathered this time drawing several cutlery to use as weapons.

"Here's one thing you've gotten wrong already."

"Oh Yeah!? What's That?"

"Don't underestimate the Nomes."

On the rafters of the ceiling Nomes filtered out from a nearby vent charging the mouth on the ceiling. Stabbing repeatedly with forks and knives the mouth began bleeding out. With the tendrils now focused on the Nomes above Mono continued up the stairs to a locked door. Mono looked up the stairs to where the key may be.

"Fuck this you've been here too long anyway."

With the static charged Mono thrust his hand out and a pulse of energy blasted the door off its hinges and splintered over the entire floor. The Nomes with Mono filtered through the wreckage while the others returned to the vent they came out of on the rafters.

The hallway was darkened upon entry so Mono pulled out his lighter. Flicking the wheel a few times it appeared to Mono that this was a much larger room. Filled with an assortment of mannequins and boxes of what appeared to be doll parts he wandered in slowly. He looked forward to seeing one of the Nomes begin to strike his match. A grunt dissuaded the thought as the Nome put back down the unlit stick.

He walked forward only for the room to darken as a stream of flesh crawled along the ceiling concentrating on the top of the doorframe. It plopped down on the floor before twisting and mutating into something horrid. It's mass anchoring itself to the door ensuring no escape from that way for the time being. A massive hump of flesh pulled itself with two log-sized appendages coming from the sides of it. Said appendages began to grow claws and it began to pull itself chasing Mono. The group ran from this fleshy abomination as it charged forward opening a mouth at the front with shark-like teeth. It continuously kept swiping its arms in a multitude of ways. Mono just kept running, jumping, and teleporting out of the way. The Void taunting him in his head.

"For someone who was not willing to use his powers going through here, you are a hypocrite."

Mono does not listen as he slid under a bookshelf trying to catch his breath from the sudden pursuit. Only for the wall behind him to explode and shatter into a thousand pieces. The creature raises its arm to slam down on Mono crushing him with Mono teleporting last second. Running down the hallway once again the Nomes are thankfully still in front of him. Rounding the corner, he saw a small flight of stairs leading to an open doorway that the Nomes rushed their way through. Before it too got covered up by flesh.

"Not so fast child. I aim to kill you and that is exactly what will happen now."

Just before the flesh creature snagged Mono with its claws it began to blacken and shrivel up. It collapsed onto the ground and disintegrated into dust. Mono clutched his ears as the Void suddenly shouted.

"DAMN THOSE SOUL-SUCKING AND RUNAWAY BRATS!"

The flesh moved away allowing Mono to move on. Thankfully, it seemed as though Kai and Six already found the throne and were already making progress on the Lady's Quarters. Walking under the empty doorframe he entered a much larger room. More mannequins stood lifeless and more furniture lay in silence still tarped and untouched. A massive Eye was engraved on the back of the room looking down on an easel in the middle of the room.

And upon the easel was a painting of the second most beautiful eye he'd ever seen in the world. Although it was a tad bit unfortunate that said the painting was actively glaring at him with the malice and rage of an eldritch abomination. Light is emanating from the painting as it scours the room before focusing its attention on Mono.

"Well, you found me. Congratulations. Was it worth it?"

Mono brandished his claw flexing his fingers and in his other hand the lighter his thumb on the wheel ready to ignite it. The two stood parallel to each other as the Void continued staring at them. The image of the painting is animated as it began to look at Mono in confusion.

"Curious…"

The light once again scanned around the room before looking in one of the corners where a group of Nomes was huddled in hiding. As soon as the light enshrouded them the result was instantaneous. Some of them scuttled out of the way of the light while others squealed and shuddered. They began swinging wildly attacking the other Nomes. Not finished with its work the Void baths several sections of the room mainly bathing the rest of the Nomes causing them to go into a frenzy as well before conglomerating all around Mono.

"It is curious that my light does not affect you. I know it's not the Elysium Eyes. The bastards are too lazy to help anyone make any progress in this world. But even I have to question the thought of bringing creatures I had control of literally one hour ago to aid you. Burn me? You thought it would be that easy? I may not be able to affect your mind with nightmares but I can still weaponize THEM!"

The air in the room grew cold and dark as the Void painting began squinting. From the shadowy mists of the room grew tall ghostly figures pulling themselves from the wall. The first was an unmasked creature with stuffing in its chest and a shotgun fused to its arm. The Predator aimed Mono and fired a blast of dark energy toward him. Mono leaped out of the way before teleporting directly in front of the Shadow Predator's face with an intent to claw it to shreds only for his fingers to phase right through the Shade. With a mighty backhand, the Predator smacks Mono into the air away.

An unholy and vaguely familiar shriek fills Mono's ears as he flies through the air. Knocked out of his stupor a long-necked creature snatches him out of the air with her mouth. A shadow version of the Teacher charges through several wooden beams on the ceiling ramming him into them and breaking them apart with each. In a dazed Mono uses his powers to try and blast out her clutch. He makes a hole in the ceiling and the Teacher lets go. Seemingly not by the power but by the light that is created.

Mono begins to fall to the ground only to be blasted by the Predator once again and the Teacher reaches for him once again. Only to be snatched out of the air again by a giant shadowy hand and forcibly thrown to the ground. Mono looks up to see several rib-like appendages stab into the ground around. Several of them cut into Mono's arms and body as he cried out in pain. Looking up seeing a shadowy Cadaver continuously assail him.

Joining the fray are several smaller humanoid Shades. Their faces open as a small appendage shoots out. A group of shadow Parasites latch onto Mono and with both their arms and faces throw Mono up into the air. The Cadaver catches him again and throws him back down into the groundbreaking flooring below into a small crater. The Predator fires yet another blast of shadows at the hole just to make sure he stays down. Only for Mono to deflect the blast with his powers and with his static claw twirls in a circle pushing back the Parasitic Shades. Clambering out the hole Mono is panting and breathing hard before a massive force shoved him to the floor. Several wooden splinters flew through the air in a circle before swooping down towards Mono. Holding his arms to block the wooden shards as they zoomed past him some of them stabbed into his shoulders and legs. The objects suddenly clattered to the floor as the force congealed into a shadowy version of the North Wind.

Every single Shade began to encircle Mono as the Void laughed around the room. Mono began to feel a bit hopeless as he saw the situation. Here he was largely outnumbered by Shades of the Pale City and the North Wind. Although it was a little hard to tell if it was a Shade or not. He looked around the room seeing the Nomes on the ground. He started to lose faith in the situation until he saw some of the Nomes stir and noise come from above.

"Did you think it would be that easy to destroy my painting? That I would just guard my spiritual anchor with nothing more than a psychic nightmare-causing eye beam? Now you are alone Mono you should just surrender. I'll grant you a merciful end, no need to draw this out."

Mono says, "I'd honestly be afraid if I was alone."

A vent cover high above popped open with the grate falling to the ground. A group of Nomes with M.E.L leading the front pour out from the top landing on the floor with a small grunt. When Mono let out a small whistle M.E.L. struck his match on the floor igniting it. With a small chitter the other Nomes raised their matches as M.E.L. raised his lighting each creating a small fire between them all. The Nomes around Mono rose to their feet also holding up their matches. He ignited his lighter and with a spin, the center of the room was filled ablaze. The Shades stepped back and the painting looked afraid for a moment.

"But I'm not alone, not anymore"

With a small growl, the painting shone the light onto the Nomes again but Mono had a counter that already. Using an ability, he hadn't used in a long time tuned the transmission of the world to counteract the Void's mind games.

"DO NOT LET THE NIGHTMARE TAKE HOLD! THE MOMENT IS AT HAND

CHARGE!"

The Nomes rushed forward the light from their matches spreading across the room. The flames dance in the room as the Shades recoil and weaken. The Predator aims and fires the gun directly at Mono hoping to snuff him out as Mono teleports away at the last second. Using his static ability, he latches onto the Predator's face shoving his ignited lighter directly into the Shade's face. It squealed as it grabbed Mono and threw him away. Blindly firing in all directions hitting the walls, ceilings, and floor as it writhed before collapsing on the floor. The Nomes, seeing the fallen spirit charged forward covering the Shade Predator with light until it disappeared with a horrifying shout.

The Void painting's eye twitches slightly in annoyance before sending both the Teacher and Parasite Shades next. The Nomes and Mono charge right for them as well until a breeze whirls from the area above. The North Wind Shade sweeps across the room extinguishing all the flames in the room. The Nomes and Mono are shrouded in darkness as the Shades charge once again. Mono ducks down to the floor as the Shade Teacher attempts to bite down on him. He succeeds but the small screams chill Mono as he realizes some of the Nomes were not so lucky.

With rage, he thrusts out his hands causing a static shockwave that pushes everything back. The Teacher lets go of the Nomes in their jaw but the damage has been dealt. Some of the Nomes are missing their arms, others their heads, and one has been bitten in half. With anger, he lets out more of his power using the light from his powers to extinguish the unlucky Shades caught in his way. His rage was so violent that the static in his hands begins turning electrical as a bolt of lightning shoots from his palm as well. It arcs across the ceiling striking both the North Wind Shade's main mass before it falls to the floor and the Teacher's Shade as it cries out one last time before disappearing.

"VOID!" Mono angrily shouted as he thrust his hands forward again.

Throwing the Parasites forward colliding into the wall. M.E.L.'s group of Nomes charge towards the fallen Shades igniting them and sending them to the abyss whence they came from.

"Sometimes I hate that I gave you those powers, to begin with."

With lighter in hand Mono charges for the painting not wasting any more time. The Void seeing this tries to summon the flesh to aid him but it's too late. Whatever Kai and Six have been doing to the flesh has made it impossible to summon it here quickly. It can feel the presence of flesh but it would take too long to get it here. Seems like things were going horribly and yet the Void thought to itself.

'All according to plan.' It chuckled.

Mono keeps charging for the painting rage enveloped him. Lighter in one hand and static charging in another as he teleports directly onto the painting. Mono rolls his eyes as the Void wails.

"Please don't do this! Especially since you've walked right into my trap."

Wait what?

Mono feels something push him from behind knocking him away followed by another small squeal of pain. Quickly getting to his feet he sees three things. One of the appendages of the Shade Cadaver stabbed into the floor where he once stood, his lighter now broken and the fluid within spilled onto the ground, and M.E.L. laying on the ground unmoving as one of their arms lay on the ground away from them.

"Even now you have someone save your hide. I don't care how powerful you are or were during the Pale City. I see things haven't changed. You constantly drag other people's other 'things' into your problems. Single-minded and weak as you've always been."

Mono stood there silent for a second. Watching the Cadaver guard the painting like a spider and its web. "You know you may be right that I'm not able to do things alone. But I can certainly say the same for you. It's been drilled into my head that you care too damn much about the Cycle."

Mono curled his arm as the static danced on his palm.

"I could have just walked away from all this after the Pale City. But I couldn't because of three things. One, you made this my problem when you tried to convert me all those years ago. When you made me the puppet of another puppet. I can't have that. Breaking the Cycle will give me the freedom for my love and friends. Two, You dug your own grave when you threatened to take Six away from me forever. And that leads to three…"

He clenched his fist. "YOU PISSED ME OFF!"

He relaxed before staring the Void painting directly in the eye. "You seem to enjoy referencing what happened in the Pale City. So maybe you'll remember this little trick."

Holding out his arm Mono reached for the painting. Instantly the painting disappeared from the easel into Mono's grasp. The Void's Eye widened as Mono pulled the match from behind his back.

The Void watched as Mono struck the match lighting it up.

"Now you see me…"

Mono thrust the match directly into the Eye of the painting instantly setting it ablaze. Letting go it was quickly engulfed by flames before turning to ash. The Cadaver's Shade fell to the floor in pain as it writhed like the aforementioned spider and disappeared.

"…Now you don't."

Looking around the room he sees the cost of his victory. Several Nomes including M.E.L. lay on the floor dead. Torn apart by the Shades in the battle he sighs in regret knowing none of them deserved that. But the job was done and he would not sacrifice any more innocents to get the job done. Tuning the Transmission again he told the Nomes.

"Thank you for helping deal with the spirit. Your job is done here. Go hide in the vents until all this is over."

The Nomes immediately start shuffling into a nearby boarded-up room. He notices as the Nomes pick away. With one last deep breath, he goes to leave the room but not before the Void talks to him one last time.

"You think you will win? Perhaps you will but make no mistake I will make good on my promise before that happens."

He shakes his head at the psychic intruder before running back through the wreckage of the hallway he was pursued beforehand. Entering the stairwell, he goes back to the elevator calling it down. Riding it up he catches his breath before the doors open again.

And then he sees Cinca trying to get through a lump of flesh with haste before turning around and screeching. She charges forward with a warped massive claw of her own and the shadows forming a spear in her hand.

"Well Fu-"

Cinca

Cinca charges back to her Quarters after losing track of both Kai and Six. The two rats managed to evade her and her creations. She didn't understand how the Nomes suddenly formulated like an army when just a few hours before they were the mad Gremlins. It was as if one of them could transform monsters like she temporarily does now.

She clenched her fists tightly as her nails cut into her skin as she realized.

That little rat Mono! He somehow did it.

"Finally figured it out have you?" Cinca clutched her head as the voice echoed in her mind.

"LEAVE ME BE!" Cinca screeched as she tried to force it out again.

"Calm down before you pull your brains out. I don't have enough hold or power over you to take over. And I'm also distracted by watching the rats as they scurry. And…. Yep, you're right Mono just killed your last Gorger."

Cinca paused at that. Mono was already here? How on earth did he manage to avoid her? Little rat in the darkness, she began rushing towards the elevator before the Void called out to her again.

"I know you don't care to listen to me considering I did try and control the world and MAW through you but this is important. They'll be going after the anchors tying me to this world."

"And why should I care about that? You disappear, and it's one less distraction between the slaughter. If I can hurry I can catch Mono off guard and murder him."

"You could, but if you focus on the wrong one. You could end up dooming yourself anyway. From what I can tell Mono plans on going after my painting. That's fine, I can always come back through other means. Eyes are a subject of art here after all I can bleed back into this world later. It's the throne of flesh that should be your main concern."

"Why would I care about that?"

The Void chuckled darkly in her mind before admitting, "The Cycle was also my original plan, true. I planned to use you like a puppet and battery to power it, also true. I cared more about making Mono, Six, and now Kai suffer for what they've done than just killing them, very true."

And then the next sentence chilled her, "And it is also true that I rigged the MAW to sink to the bottom of the ocean should this plan fail drowning everyone. Vital points in the ventilation, the engines, the outer shell, the inner workings, all key points that were stuffed and plugged up with flesh. Once the flesh is destroyed the water will come rushing in and within the day the MAW will never see the sun again. I'm an immortal being Cinca I can wait for an eternity for my plans to work. I blessed you with many abilities but water breathing was not one of them."

"You-you're bluffing, you have to be!"

"Am I? Or have you deceived yourself to the point that you can't tell the difference anymore? You're a survivor Cinca, do what you must to survive! What's more important right now petty vengeance or your life currently at stake? Both you and I can stop this before it happens."

Despite her distrust she decided to listen, "What do you suggest I do?"

"You and I both have control of the flesh of the MAW. Collect the bodies of the Gorgers just to buy yourself a little more time. Have them transported to the library to protect the throne room. If I understand this right they'll start withdrawing the flesh around the Residence and your Quarter's and then work on the veins."

Cinca walked back to the terrace looking over to where the Gorgers had fallen. Thrusting her arm upward the massive room quaked as a towering tendril with a mouth at the end broke through the floor chomping down on the fallen bodies of the monsters. Sucking each body off the floor before being returned to the main mass. The blood splattered on the floor was any indication that any bodies existed there, to begin with. With that done Cinca left the balcony going to the elevator and calling it. She waited for a small bit when she heard the elevator stop. Only it was nowhere near her level. Pressing her ear to the door she heard the elevator stop another time.

They're already here. Wasting no more time she warped using the shadows to travel. Once again unsure of her actions she chose to go after Kai and Six. Mono could be dealt with later. She hid within the hallways before one of her vanities waiting in silence to ambush them.

Step by step.

The shadows curled around her fingertips as they got closer. The bloodthirsty grin on her face grew wider as she deemed fit to kill them here and now.

The wood creaked quietly under their step. China's heart was pumping as she heard the sounds slow. She could sense their powers, Kai was ahead of Six he would get caught first. Using her flesh manipulation she shifted the flesh underneath Kai. And the second Kai crossed into her view was when hell broke loose.

Cinca charged out reaching for Kai. The flesh breaks through the floor below snagging Kai holding him to the floor. With her shadow power, she latched onto Kai with the intent of tearing him in half. The sheer panic on his face gave her glee before an opposing shadow drained the small bit of flesh holding Kai sending him shooting up into the ceiling. Not giving up Cinca let loose a burst of flames directed at Kai once again. Drawing his blade, he cuts and nullifies the flames just to be grabbed by another tendril from the ceiling. Meanwhile, Cinca summoned some of the splinters to fling them at Six.

Several small fragments shot through the air with Six weaving her way through with her hover ability before leaping up to grab Kai. Who had also cut through the tendril yet again falling to the floor and joining Six as they continued to run. No one had noticed the tendril that lay on the floor.

And no one noticed as the sliced tendril wriggled on the floor. No one noticed it dividing into three segments. With each segment growing legs and a single multicolored eye before slinking back into the darkness. The Void biding their time.

"GET BACK HERE!" Cinca shouted as she charged after them. Six kept the distance between both of them as they floated away. Cinca attempted to shadow walk once again ahead of them just as they slipped through the doorframe. She would have pursued if not for the flesh suddenly coalesced to block the doorway blocking her access.

"MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" She attempted to use her flesh manipulation to move the mass aside. Then the mass of flesh formed a multicolored eye staring gleefully at Cinca.

"Ah ah ah Cinca, if I wanted you to kill someone I'd have sent you after Mono, to begin with. Now you're right where I need you to be."

Cinca starts draining the mass with her power making minimal progress while the Void continues to laugh at her.

"By all means help them out. Three years of collected flesh means nothing to the rest of the world. I could pull this off repeatedly. Help send yourself and them to a watery grave."

Cinca uncaring proceeds to torch the fleshy mass trying to gain any form of progress. With a small growl, the hallway around her creaks and groans before tendrils latch onto her arms and legs keeping her suspended in the air.

"In all seriousness do stop that. I don't want one of them dying preemptively before my plans come to fruition. You should be thanking me because I give us both what we want. Death and suffering in a neat little package. Now do me a favor little puppet and stay there for a bit."

The Void continues chattering on as Cinca struggles in her bonds. She wraps her hand around one of the tendrils holding her in place.

"I will not be your puppet!"

Using the manipulation of flesh once again. Cinca begins absorbing the flesh into her own body. She cries and screams but her will is as strong as the thoughts that consume her mind.

"To murder and devour everyone against me."

The flesh bowing to her desire transforming her arm. Like a python, the flesh swallows her arm whole before disconnecting itself from the ceiling she was attached to. Her arm bulged as it tore through the sleeve of her gown. Bones snapping and tendons tearing as she screamed in pain. Her arm elongated as her nails were pushed out from her fingertips. Her arm was bloody and wounded her mind going numb from the pain. The rage of pain enabled her to tear herself away from her binds. She focused it as she drove her newfound claw arm right the mass straight through the eye blood gushing from the large wound. She pulled back from the hole disappointed to see it regenerate. Her stomach growled at the sight of blood on her arm and goes to lap it back.

Dozens of eyes now pop out all around.

"Wow didn't know that could happen. Not that it matters much, things are already set in motion. You can't obstruct my plans even if you turn back into Veronica whole again. Now I've got to go plans to complete chaos to cause and besides."

The Void stares back to the elevator where Kai and Six came from.

"You might just have enough time to get your revenge."

With a blink, the Void disappears. Cinca resumes prying and draining at the flesh on the door. The elevator dings open and Cinca turns around to see Mono already looking exhausted. Not wasting time Cinca dives forward with her claw and shadow spear in another hand.

"Well, fu-"

Six and Kai

Both are seen catching their breath as the frustrated growls of Cinca trying to brute force her way through.

Kai gasps, "That was too close. Thanks for catching me."

"No problem Kai"

Six keeps walking forward-looking around. From what she can remember and what she can see they're in the library. A massive collection of books that even during her time as the Lady never actually read all of them. Although it was a little hard to tell it was the library as the entire room was walled with flesh. Sickened pale waxy flesh covered the whole of the floor. Webs of fascia walled the shelves and stairwell. Mouths open and close along the floor. The walls and floor pulse in rhythm and looking up both Kai and Six see why. In the very center of the ceiling is a gigantic human heart. It beats with a fury that shakes the room reverberating in their ears. Tubes of flesh web from the massive heart into several vents that Six assumes lead to all the MAW. While one larger stream of flesh leads to something on the upper floors. Six and Kai quickly ascend the stairs hoping that they won't be noticed. To pass the time Kai begins to wonder aloud.

"So where do I stand in all this once all this is over?"

"What do you mean by that Kai?"

"The Void is after all three of us Six. Whether to kill us or use our flesh suits after death doesn't matter. My question is after we stop the Void or banish it or whatever, what happens to me? Where do I stand in your plans to take over the MAW?"

"Well, that is still up to you. It's not we become the nightmare rulers of the MAW. A lot more benevolent than the previous ruler. You mentioned freedom before you could leave. We'd need to either radio in a ship or wait for the next slew of Guests to come."

Kai stayed silent for a few moments. He could go back to running once this was all done to see if he could find somewhere else maybe somewhere safer. He has powers now so he could take his chances and defend himself to some extent. Or….

"You mentioned making this a safe place. A haven for those who are tired of running. A place to be free, a place with warm food, shelter, warm beds, and a home for everyone. I spent most of my life running around the world from horrors I won't ever be able to get rid of. I've seen enough of the world and I'm tired of running. I want to be a part of the community you two will make."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that Kai. When we take over Mono and I will be referred to as the Lord and Lady of the MAW. What would you want to be referred to as?"

"Call me King Kai."

"Nope that's not going to happen."

Looking back Kai started thinking about the Ferryman. The nautical sensical man that brought him here in the first place. He hadn't seen him in a while but what he stood for mainly being the protection of children seemed very close to what Mono and Six were doing. So to honor the man Kai decided.

"Call me Captain."

"Alright, Captain let's get this over with."

Six started clambering up a strand of flesh with Kai slowly behind. Finally reaching the third floor where once stood a globe now stood now stands a horrific throne. Eyes not of the Void's blinked at the top of the throne. The seat of the throne was lined with a mucous membrane glistening with moisture. Fingers and toes poked from the framework of the throne. It eagerly awaited someone to take a seat now the question was.

"Which one of us sits on the throne and which one defends?"

"I think it should be you Six. You and Cinca are in some ways the same person so maybe it will listen to you. You could use that to reach out selectively and destroy the defenses here first. As for me…"

Kai pulls out his blade already sparking with nullification power and shield wrapped around his other arm.

"I'll defend."

With both of them agreeing to that Six walked up to the throne taking a seat. Immediately wrapped around her keeping her bound within the chair.

"KAI THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE!"

"NO, YOU GOT THIS SIX! Just use your power to pull the flesh back."

Optic nerves from the eyes trail down and wrap themselves around her head. Six gains the vision of the entire MAW. Her head pounding from the influx of information. The sights and smells overload her sense as she tries to focus. She thinks to herself that she needs to focus and remember why she did this in the first place.

Mono, Kai, Freedom, Safety, Security, and a new world.

These motives calmed her down allowing her to connect to the MAW itself. And when she finally connected correctly was when she began her work. She started working on the room they were inside of to help lower the amount of flesh that could be used against them. Her powers reaching into the veins of the meat she watched as the dark smoke of her power flowed through the veins of the room. Blackened veins shifted through into the heart. Portions of the meat started falling from the wall turning black before decaying into nothing.

The entire room screamed from pain as foreign black mist poured from the vents. Kai readied his blade and shield as the mist began to take the form of more Shades. The room tremors as more of the flesh erupt now growing monstrous claws. A minefield of death Kai looks upon as the Shades charge toward him. Kai tensed up readying his blade waiting for the opportune moment. The first Shade attempts to pull Kai forward only for Kai to pull back using his shield and stabbing the Shade through the head. Charging forward Kai attempts to dodge the fleshy arms coming at him. A spectral energy shield is good for energy attacks but not so much for physical trauma as the claws push him back.

The Shades take advantage of the situation by charging directly for Kai. Blindly swinging his blade while trying to keep his balance swings his blade decapitating and amputating the shadowy creatures before they disintegrate into dust. The hands start reaching for Six to forcibly pull her out of the chair.

"Oh no, you don't!" Kai begins hacking the arm to no avail. Chunks fly out but not enough to completely damage or deter it.

Frustrated Kai screams out unknowingly charging more power into the blade as he continuously swings the blade. The blade grows hotter and glows brighter until with a yell Kai swings the blade as a torrent of both wind and energy blasts forward decapitating the hand as the stump shrivels back into the floor.

Kai and Six are shocked as they both look at the sword steaming red hot.

"I have sword lasers?"

Kai tries it again letting another laser loose striking three arms as they fall on the floor disintegrating.

"I HAVE SWORD LASERS!"

Kai keeps swinging the blade keeping the ground threats to a minimum as the flesh around him starts to darken from Six's influence. As a result, instead of tendrils more and more Shades kept charging from the darkness with these growing multicolored eyes. Some of them attempt to blast Kai with small blasts of nightmare light. One of them takes on Kai's appearance taunting him.

"Become who you were meant to be, Kai. Fodder for the superior."

Kai blinks his hand to his head as he's blasted with images of both Mono and Six eating his guts and organs, images of him being turned into a Nome and eaten alive, images of drowning in the ocean all alone, and images of being caught and killed by Cinca.

Kai just swings the blade at his dark copy before sending out another wave of energy scattering all other shades. The force of the wind pulled some of the books from the shelves.

"I'm not letting negativity rule my life anymore"

Six is sweating as her focus pulls in all flesh from the ship. She watches through the smaller tendrils of the Residence, the Guest Quarters, the Kitchens, the Depths, the Prison, the Engine, the Hideaways, and the Maintenance halls of the MAW as the much larger chunks begin disintegrating as well.

A thousand voices are wailing at her begging her to stop but she pays them no heed knowing the monsters they were. All Guests fueled by their greed to devour Six mused as she continued her work.

"Oh yes such monsters they were true, some loving parents able to raise their children, others actual children robbed of their lives never to grow. And you will just squander them."

"I'm not the one who ruined their lives in the first place. I'm not the one who created the Cycles or the Transmission that transformed these people. Guilt trip me all you like but at least use something I'm guilty of and feel guilty of."

After having destroyed the massive chunks of flesh Six now starts to pull back the small veins of flesh. But not before noticing that were some of the flesh disappeared it looked like a small amount of water was trickling in. Having bigger fish to fry Six just held onto that little tidbit for later finishing up her work.

Both of them watch as the veins blacken and curl back into the heart. Kai is very disgusted as a massive Eye on the heart begins to melt and cry blood. The heart pounds faster trying to beat without anything to pulse. The heart gets very desperate as it flings out tentacles with jaws at the end to snap the two up. A form of desperation to grab any flesh so it could continue functioning. Six grabs the tendrils with her power keeping them taut and attached to the floor. With one last charge, Kai powers up his blade and severs the tendrils in one clean cut. With one last beat, the heart falls from the ceiling onto the throne. Both Kai and Six charges the heap with Six planting her hand and Kai stabbing his blade into it as well. They dispatch the heap and watch as it evaporates into nothingness.

Six falls only for Kai to grab onto her as she pants tired from the mental stress when another voice rings out in their heads

"You just made a very big mistake, shame you won't live long enough to realize it."

"Are you okay Six?"

"I'm alright, just a little exhausted. I guess now we meet up with Mono and end this."

A roar rings out from the first floor chilling both Kai and Six as they run to the edge of the floor.

Both of them look over the railing to see Mono getting tossed across the first floor tumbling. Something growling from outside the room completely enshrouded in darkness. Kai hopped onto Six's back as the two of them floated down to help Mono to his feet.

"Mono are you okay?" Both their backs facing away from the growling.

Mono blinked blearily as he groaned in pain. Wiping his eyes blinking out the small spots of blindness before looking past them. Eyes widened before grabbing onto the collars of their shirts and yanking on them.

"GET DOWN!"

Violently tugged to the floor they all looked up as a massive form much larger than Cinca charged right above them.

Mono

Cinca charges forward slamming her claw into the ground as Mono jumps away. With a vicious thrust, Cinca stabs the spear clipping Mono's shoulder in the air. With a blink of static Mono disappears from view. Cinca looks around wildly for the boy flexing her new fingers in anticipation. Mono crouches down on the rafters while clutching his bleeding shoulder. Doing everything can he to make sure he doesn't get noticed when he sees a strand of flesh right above. Grasping onto it he uses his power to absorb the flesh and quickly heal it.

Cinca immediately notices the use of power and aims her hand before letting out a torrent of flame burning the ceiling above her. Mono leaps off the scaffolding above diving for Cinca's face. With his claw charged with static, he cleaves deep towards her face. The mask shattered in half leaving only a single eye covered as her remaining face was gouged. Her eye was gone her cheeks sliced to the point you could see the teeth within her mouth. Yet she seemed to be disturbed only by the mask being shattered as she pulled it from her face.

"Do you realize what you've just done!? What does this mean to the MAW? You know how important this was to me?"

Mono's answer freezes her blood for a moment, "It's the sign of the Lady. It denotes you as the leader but more importantly…"

Cinca drops the remaining fragment of the mask as Mono finishes, "It's the mask that all Veronicas wore after they hid away. Although they weren't all named that."

"And how exactly do you know that?" Cinca begins stalling as she controls some of the flesh to turn into a spear directly above Mono. At the same time, she latches onto the flesh on the walls to heal her broken face.

Mono begins slowly walking to a portion of flesh in the wall placing a hand on it turning it into a gray fedora.

"Because every Mono before me wore this hat when they were condemned. Every one of them except for the very first. A Cycle Six and I have fought to stop so forgive me if…"

Mono blasts the ceiling above him blasting the makeshift spear before summoning and banishing it in Cinca's way.

"I don't want a childish adult with a deadly grudge to take that away from me."

Cinca using her control of the elements uses the wind to deflect the spear into the wall.

"Childish am I!? Says the man-child who couldn't accept the fact that their friend left them behind. You who so 'pure' only saw the good ignoring all the bad." Cinca with her claw tears a tendril of flesh from the wall firmly attaching it to her uncovered eye.

"It's meaningless to bring up my past. It doesn't affect me anymore. Stop trying to play mind games on me."

"Okay Mono, let's play a different game then."

The entire room shudders as the web pours into the room. Metallic eyes start forming out of the walls. Bright yellow lights shine from the newly formed machinations. All of them directly shining onto Mono. He feels his limbs start to freeze up and he sees his static soul fluttering off of him. He teleports out of the beams latching directly onto Cinca's clawed arm. With her shadow powers, she grabs Mono repeatedly slamming him into the walls, ceiling, and floor. Holding his limp body in the air she forms shadow daggers preparing to stab him in the gut.

Seeing some wooden stakes on the ground behind her Mono summons the wood to him stabbing her in the back as a result. He falls to the floor and dashes between her legs before the floor opens like a mouth trying to swallow him whole. Cinca is floating above ensuring she doesn't fall into the pit. Mono once again runs along the rafters using his static charged claw to ensure the scaffolding above her falls on top of her falling into the gaping mouth.

With panic, Cinca closes the floor under her before snatching Mono again with her powers throwing him in front of the broken vanity. Shards of glass cut into his skin as he tumbles. He lays for a second until he notices the ceiling above him start to protrude and sharpen. He continuously rolls in all manner of directions still slicing himself on the broken glass but that is a godsend compared to the spikes attempting to impale him. One finally manages to stab him directly in the heart but Mono with steel will grabs onto the flesh stabbing him and absorbing it putting him back into the fight.

With a scoop of her massive-clawed arm, she begins to crush Mono in her grasp. Mono charges up the static within himself before letting out a static blast thoroughly breaking her fingers in the process. Despite this Cinca smacks Mono in the direction of the broken mirror only for Mono to teleport directly behind her and blast her into the broken mirror. Shards of glass cut into her face but the flesh connected to her instantly heals it.

In a rage, Cinca begins summoning the hottest flames she can to cremate. She imagines white-hot flames bursting from her palms torching the little bastard. Her shocked when only yellow warm flames shot out instead. Panicked she checks her palms to see if something is wrong when the Void speaks out in her mind.

"What a shame. It seems as though time is finally catching up to you and your powers are weakening. And that doesn't seem to be the only thing going away."

Cinca and Mono look around the room as the flesh starts to blacken and disintegrate. The security eyes still attached to the wall join in as they too start disintegrating. A blanket of ash falls upon the floor.

"No!" Cinca cries out. She feels pain as the tendril she was connected to forcibly rips itself from her face.

Mono looks towards the library silently congratulating the two on their job well done. With hope, he can end Cinca now before things get out of control. Cinca watches as a single vein starts retreating into the throne room. Panic setting as realizes she may be fighting a losing battle She's torn from her thoughts as something slashes her in the side. Mono charged her in her stupor her side bleeding heavily.

With a pained gasp, she looks at Mono with a bloodied claw before turning to face her. With a growl, she readies herself again before the Void speaks to her one last time.

"Use the last of your power. Perhaps fate will be on your side after all and I'll be wrong."

Cinca looks down to the floor seeing one of the veins of flesh still retracting as Six finishes up her work. She quickly grabbed onto it using her fleeting powers to absorb it into her body. She once again screamed in pain but her will to kill kept the goal in mind.

"KILL THEM ALL!"

Mono backed away slowly as Cinca began writhing and growing in size. Her power enshrouded her as the flesh cocooned her as well. Her screams of pain quickly turn into roars of anger as the fleshy entombment starts to wriggle on the ground. Mono's instincts tell him to run as he begins to back up. Her roars of anger sound very familiar for all the wrong reasons as Mono flashbacks to the Tower. The purple light, the damned music box, Six's…

Oh shit.

One claw burst from the cocoon with a splash of blood. The fleshy exterior decayed and turned to dust as a massive form unfolded taking the whole space of the hallway just by crouching. A hand wraps around Mono before chucking him out of the hallway.

Mono, Six, and Kai

The massive form of Cinca finally gets brought to light and it is horrifying. Large gangly claws bent out from a rushed transformation. She was massive easily taking up two floors as she stood up. Her legs were bent and contorted most likely due to the cramped space she transformed within. The gown she wore tore up to make room for her new body. She hunched over and towered even the Thin Man in size. Despite her hair covering her eyes, they could see the glowing scarlet orbs of rage within. A canyon of teeth dribbled with slobber as she roared in defiance against the three. No longer of cognitive thought with only one objective.

KILL.

She raised her arms with Mono grabbing Kai and Six floating away when Monster Cinca slammed down on the groundbreaking into the floor with her strength. Meanwhile, three black spiders watch from the ceiling above.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!" Kai shouted after narrowly avoiding death.

"It's Cinca she didn't like the idea of losing and pulled that move. Though I didn't know she could do that!" Mono shouted as they ran from the roars below them. From the floor below them, a claw stabbed through the floor reaching for them stopping their flight. They ran back into the library as the floor below them grew hot.

"MOVE!" Six yelled as a torrent of yellow flame burned through the floor underneath them. A pillar of fire scorched the spot where they once stood. Mono and Kai begin running up the stairs while Six stood there for a moment.

"Yellow flames?"

Kai yelled out, "Six what are you doing we need to get moving!"

"Don't you get it, Kai? She was using blue flames earlier. Her power is getting weaker. If we can endure her rage she should run out of power and turn back to normal."

Kai for a split second fingered his blade as they all contemplated the idea. "I think I might have a better yet crazy idea."

But before any of them can question what he means by that Monster Cinca bursts from the floor below them again sending both Mono and Six sprawling on the floor. As they lay in a daze Monster Cinca hangs from the ceiling looking at both of them. Back and forth before subconscious anger locks onto the boy. Monster Cinca dives towards one of the bookshelves along the wall and pulls the bookshelf down. Six comes to first seeing the falling bookshelf towards Mono. Latching her power around his leg quickly drags Mono out the way before the bookshelf collapses onto the floor.

Monster Cinca roars out in anger as her claws ignite in flame. The flames go up to her shoulders making her look like a demon. She flings out a fireball setting the fallen bookshelf on fire. Leaping from she throws more fire outwards towards the two with Mono teleporting the two of them out of the way. That's when they both realize.

Two, wait where's Kai?

Monster Cinca lands on the floor turning quickly to corner Mono and Six. That's when both of them see Kai hanging on for his dear life on Cinca's back. His blade is currently held in his mouth as clambers onto Cinca's gown. The determination on his face as he clambers around. Monster Cinca takes her time ensuring Mono can't get away. She raises one of her claws while dragging an ignited claw lighting the floor on fire. Kai climbs around the side of Monster Cinca before seeing something irregular. A fresh wound that didn't seem to heal entirely. Putting his plan to action he tied himself to the monster's gown before pulling the blade out of his mouth.

Monster Cinca stopped for a second as it sniffed the air noticing the missing person as well. Kai began charging his power into the blade not to damage but nullify. With a yell, Kai stabs the blade now glistening with energy deep into Monster Cinca's side. Coursing his power he begins forcing Cinca's power away from her.

Monster Cinca yells in pain as her entire form shudders. Parts of her body slough off to the ground before disappearing and disintegrating. The fires on her form die down extinguishing completely. Her arms and legs resume their normal size. Her jaw shortens to that of a normal human being. She collapses to the floor in a crouched position. Clutching her side before pulling the scissor blade out of her side.

Cinca looks at the three of them now as strong as she used to be. Now she had no assistance from the Void, no guards or Gorgers to defend her, and her unlimited powers were gone. She felt something new as she looked upon these three.

Fear.

With a scream, Cinca quickly floats away into the inky shadows and shadow warps away.

Kai turns to see Mono and Six walks up to him.

Mono says, "You know that was crazy of you to do, right?"

Kai smiles and says, "I know. You must be rubbing off on me."

Six looks at the two of them, "I think we can all agree that we're all crazy."

Mono says, "Perhaps we are."

Kai charges the blade once more before letting out a gust of wind extinguishing all other flames. "So, we've won then? The Void is gone."

Mono frowns, "Not yet we still have to deal with her."

"Then let's head back to the elevator. The three of us combined should be able to take her easily."

They all walk information as they make their way to the elevator. Kai begins wiping the blood from his blade, Six stretches as they move, and Mono flexes his claws. The elevator doors open up and all of them have the same thought on their minds.

'Let's finish this.'

The doors close behind them and the elevator begins to rise. Mono looks a little down as he leans against the wall. Silently, Six pushed her hand into his giving him a reassuring smile.

They look as Kai leans up against the wall ready for the fight coming up. They were proud to have him as their friend and brother in arms. The elevator shudders to alert all of them. Mono blasts the ceiling hatch of the elevator open. Six with Mono and Kai holding onto her floats through the open hatch as the elevator falls. All of them hold onto the cable climbing up to the very top.

With another static blast, Mono forces the elevator doors open. All three of them jump through the door landing in a hallway leading to a terrace. All of them sneak into the door.

Cinca is there waiting at the very top overlooking the balcony looking at the damage that removing the flesh did.

"So, you've finally come."

She doesn't even turn to face them as she threatens them.

"A morsel, a monster, and me. All come to take down the Lady of the MAW."

As she turns Six sees the faint glimmer of the Void's eye. Watching but not empowering her Six realizes. What she doesn't realize is the three spiders still crawling along with the ceiling positioning themselves.

"It's truly pathetic I was so willing to accept the Void who's now no more a whisper in my ear.

The MAW is my domain and those who don't belong perish"

With a swing of her arm, a rain shadow darts fly forward from her sleeve with Kai hopping in front of them with his Null shield activated turning the dart into nothing sending his wave of energy striking her back.

With a sneer, Cinca attempts to float forward and grab Mono just to twist his little neck

"I wonder what you felt when the Thin Man chased you down, I guess I'm about to find out"

Mono counteracts by thrusting his power out combatting the massive shadow bearing down on him. Looking back at Six with every drive to protect her invigorates him. Launching her backward cracking the railing.

Enraged Cinca summons an assortment of shadow weapons all of them pointed towards all three of them With a cry she sends them flying with fury

Six uses her power to grab the weapons from Cinca's grasp before turning them against her.

Six cockily says, "I don't need a mirror this time"

Cinca is only able to block as the arsenal launches toward her pushing her back and damaging her. The remains of her gown do not protect and her body is littered with cuts as she leans against the already fragile balcony clutching her open wound in the side

Six looks to her left to see Kai armed with his null shield and sword prepared to run forward and Mono channeling power in his claw getting ready to lunge. Both of them are smiling confidently as she looks back forward

Six faces the Geisha slowly rising off the floor with her power the power flowing from her hands like white water.

With a growl, Cinca makes one last charge toward them her mind acting on instinct as she dashes.

Kai goes first banishing the shadows with his shield as he charges forward slashing both of Cinca's ankles causing her to stumble. Six grabs Cinca stopping her from falling before throwing her up into the ceiling and back down onto the floor. Mono charges forwards slashing his static coursed claw into Cinca's face again and again

With a static, null, and shadow blast they push Cinca back towards the edge.

Cinca is pushed back into the railing again clutching her left side and using the fencing to support the wood creaking beneath her quietly. Cinca is heavily bleeding from the wounds inflicted on her. The three Void spiders come crawling out from the rafters above out of eyesight for everyone.

"Wh-what are you?"

Six, Kai, and Mono respectively charge of their abilities. the trio of lights blinding Cinca as she hears Mono say.

"We're your Little Nightmares."

All three of them let out their blast pushing Cinca off the balcony.

Time slows down as Cinca falls looking at Mono. At that same time, the spiders jump down from the ceiling each of them transforming themselves into nullification necklaces and wrapping themselves around all three of their necks. The one around Mono's neck glares mockingly at Cinca as she falls away.

It's all his fault that all of this happened. Both him and the Void's.

He won't get the happy ending he doesn't deserve one. And the Void certainly won't succeed with their suffering. If she's going down she's taking the ones she blames for all this down with her. In a last-ditch attack, Cinca summons a piece of the shattered balcony and banishes it in Mono's direction.

All-time seems to slow down as the shard flies. All of them were hit with the realization their powers stopped working.

Kai attempts to deter the shard by swinging his blade only for him to miss.

The shard is too large for Mono to directly block it or dodge he realizes. In that span of a few seconds, second Mono feels someone push him out of the way. Someone with scarlet eyes.

He rolls a few inches before scrambling to his feet, Mono quickly recovers to see Kai hovered over Six, only now she's impaled.

Mono panics, "nononononononono."

Mono quickly runs over to her cradling her in his arms. The necklaces shift back into spiders with one of them quickly killing and disintegrating the other two. It then starts to back up slowly towards the edge of the balcony mocking them.

"I wonder… what does the Little Nightmare fear? Is it death? Not some have faced that and come back stronger than ever. Is it the possibility that they fail? No, they're too hopeful for that. Perhaps they fear the loss of a lover, a friend, or the light of their life."

Kai begins to charge the remaining bit of the Void on the MAW. It ignites its own body as it reaches the edge. It looks back at Kai taunting the three of them.

"Game Over! My plan worked perfectly and when she dies she will be with me never to see the light again. Then when you two die you'll be in Elysium with no way to me. I told you I'd make good on my word Mono! You'll never see each other again in the VAST ETERNITY OF DEATH!"

The Void Spider laughed maniacally as it leaped from the edge quickly burning away. But not before falling on top of Cinca burning her body away as well. The last nearby remnants of flesh that Mono could have used to revive her. All that was left was ash and the shattered mask Cinca once wore.

Mono looks at the wound desperately to think of any means to fix her wound. Quickly looking around he sees the piles of ash that once were spiders.

Gone the Void thought of that already.

"DAMN IT!" Mono starts crying as he cradles Six's head in his arms. Kai just stands there numb to emotions as the shock and realization that they played right into the Void's plan. And Six is the price to pay.

Mono starts crying planting her head against hers.

"Please don't leave me." Mono continues to cry as a weak hand pulls his face lightly away.

Six is barely holding on a sad smile on her face.

Weakly she says, "it's ok."

"IT'S NOT OK! DAMN IT! IT SHOULDN'T HAVE ENDED LIKE THIS!"

"mono can you do me one last thing?"

"Anything Six just name it."

"The music box…please."

With that Mono begins humming the tune of the music box. His memories automatically go back to that day Mono and Six shared their first dance in the ToyMaker's workshop. Six joins in too albeit softer and weaker. Both of them reflect on the journey and time spent together that brought them here. Their nights together, their adventures, their battles won, their triumphs, and the life both of them lived together. It felt like forever that the both of them were humming the sad yet pacifying tune.

And yet it all happened in an instant when Mono notices that Six's voice is nonexistent and when he looks back at her face.

Her eyes are no longer filled with life.

Mono screams with anguish and loss.

And on the other side of the barrier between Life and Death, The Void laughs triumphantly.

I thank all of those who were patient enough to wait for this. Don't worry the last chapter will not take as long as this one did it should be out soon. Btw once again I legit felt myself crying again writing the ending. I want to know what you all think as well so please review. I like knowing what you all think.