The game was coming to an end. Dorian pulled Lyannah's sword from his chest and threw it at David while he was on his knees getting up. He shielded his face with his bare hands, fearing for his life as the blade came at him like a bullet.

"Nooooo!" Lyannah screamed, shoving away David without warning.

When the dust settled, Lyannah was standing firm and proud, with her ebony sword skewered in her upper torso. Blood poured from Lyannah's wound and ran down her mouth. David saw shock and peace in her startled, emerald eyes.

She glared at David and touched her sword once while it rested near her heart, taking short breaths. Every feeling irritated her. Her lips trembled. "D-David, I don't feel so good…" Lyannah uttered, lightly with heart. She reached for David, crying out internally for him but eventually collapsed to the floor, in a small puddle of her blood.

"Lyannah!" David cried. "God-damn you, Dorian! I'm gonna kill you!"

"I invite you to try."

David dashed Sally and swung for Dorian in a heated, sloppy manner. Dorian had no problem stepping out of harm's way and blocking a somewhat predictable second swing. Dorian swung his bumper sword's pommel at David's face once, fracturing many of his teeth and some of his jaw, then thumping his stomach several times over.

With each strike stronger than the last, it destroyed the armour around his torso completely. A short few minutes into the fight with a rejuvenated Dorian Savage, the impact from the constant barrage left David breathless. The last hit to the face knocked him down, so dazed, he could barely stay awake to see the scorched skies above.

Dorian stepped into view, looking down at David with great joy. "All tuckered out? You poor thing..."

If there was any trump card David had at his disposal, it was Dorian's weakness. As Dorian raised his bumper sword above his head, David gingerly tossed another flash grenade into the air and quickly covered his eyes.

In the sudden blast of the bright light, Dorian covered his face and staggered away, swinging his bumper sword desperately. David took his chance to get Sally and make his move. He rushed at Dorian full speed while he was just getting his bearings, with Sally tightly grasped with both hands. Dorian wasn't quick enough to fully recover, though, through his superior awareness, he had some time to adjust.

David ran Sally through his torso; at the same time, Dorian swung for David's chest with his bumper sword. David disturbed Dorian's counterattack, so his bumper sword only struck waist, at the cost of his horrible aiming, David was only able to graze Dorian's right arm.

The recovery was sloppy, David toppled down from the sudden spurts of blood from the gash around his hip. Dorian, on the other hand, paused briefly and then fell on his knees, suffering from a critical hit.

Dorian's right arm dropped off his shoulder, spurting torrents of his yellow blood all over the ground; his reaction didn't falter. David's aim was true; his mediocre attack cut through Dorian's bumper sword and severed his arm from his shoulder. Sally's sharpness had more bite than bark, and it showed.

"Ignorant cretin!" Dorian shouted. He picked up his bumper sword and approached David with deadly intentions, wielding the blade like a scimitar.

Suddenly, in a blinding outburst, Dorian planted both feet into the ground and launched himself into the air, far over David's head. The speed at which he was landing, Dorian ploughed his sword right on top of him. However, David quickly dived out of harm's way, at the cost of dropping Sally from the shockwave Dorian caused.

The fresh bloody wounds around David's chest stopped him from standing his balance; he had to force himself on his feet, adding to the strain on his ankles. Dorian put sheathed his sword into his belt and picked up Sally.

"Time to play can opener." Dorian cackled. "What fleshy surprise is waiting for me under that armour of yours, David?"

"Cocky for someone who lost an arm, asshole."

"I'll get a new one, and you're gonna pay for it."

[Intelligence 1] "Alright, Trump, don't get your orange britches in a twist."

[Success] Dorian lost his sense of humour. "Fuck you!"

He approached David and started swinging Sally; each blow stored massive force with every swing and backhand he sent David's way. Sally sliced through David's power armour like tinfoil. Between the gaps of his plates, Sally's edge drew blood like a hot knife through butter.

Over the metallic screeches, some of Sally's iconic singing was audible. All David had to use on such short notice was Maria, and Dorian was the type to ignore small arms fire. David walked up to Dorian, firing several times; each shot erupted yellow splatter against Dorian's face and neck, barely stunning him.

"Bad idea…" Cyborgs eat bullets. Shoot the mouth and splatter brain.

When Dorian got in close, he nearly took David's hand clean off with one well-placed swing. As David readjusted his aim, Dorian's dashed forward and swung upwards, catching David's gun-hand. Not only Maria was sliced in half, but he also lost his trigger finger, all the way to his knuckle. David cried and cursed loudly over the loss of his digit.

"Your future hinges upon this fight," said Dorian, kicking David in the chest.

David grunted, feeling the pain as he staggered back.

Dorian grinned, following forward with a shoulder tackle. He swung at David again, this time slicing across his chest, lightly brushing his ribs. David howled and fell onto his backside, leaning on his bloody hand, covering his face from Dorian and sneaking out another flash grenade from his rear.

As things were about to fade black, he hurled it at Dorian's face again, David figured he'd catch on quick, so he didn't expect the flash to stun him. Only it did. Dorian, once again was stunned and flailed Sally about, raging and cursing David's name. David pummelled away at Dorian's blind face, emptying the rage within, using only his clenched fists.

The recovery wasn't as prolonged as David thought. Dorian headbutted the bridge of David's nose, breaking it like it was nothing. Dorian cut across David's legs and plunged Sally into his right shoulder, spraying his blood out like a fountain. Due to David's miscalculations, Sally was shredding him into ribbons.

The pain was too great to control mentally; David's howls and cries couldn't mask the pain. He gritted his broken teeth and kept Dorian from ripping Sally from his tender shoulder flesh; it was all he really could do. The pain was more prominent if Sally stayed in the cavity, but it kept Dorian from trying to take his head off with her.

The power armour strength allowed David to contest the might of Dorian's cybernetic limb. Dorian couldn't be bothered to play David's game; he let Sally rest into his flesh and grabbed David's head. He couldn't resist Dorian's firm grasp and was pulled to one side, only to be thrown clumsily at the nearby tent's shambles.

David was fading in and out of consciousness with the constant beatings he suffered. While glaring upon Lyannah's body, the battered, bloody state of her person caused a spark in his mind, of a woman he once knew.

That's when he started hearing voices inside his head. There was a woman whom he loved long ago who shared a similar look. The look of a desperate woman. A woman he cared for. One he let down.

A bloodied and battered David pulled up a wounded woman – clinging to her dear life. She was roughly his age and had flowing ginger hair. It was back in a place he used to live, before the War. Beverly Hills, with his first love, Samantha Simpson. He started hearing her voice once again, along with his very own - almost like a shattered memory.

David…? David… I...I…

Don't talk. I'm going to get you out of here, Sam. You hear me?

David… are we going to die?

No. You're gonna live.

I can't... I have no strength...

You got to work with me, honey. Come on, please! Even if it costs me my life, I'll make sure you get outta here safe and sound.

David…

Sam, I won't ever give up on you. Please, don't give up on me.

David's body twitched. "Sam..." He thrived on the ground, then fell back into deep thought again. "Sam… Cass..."

David's mumbling ended when another memory came into view. It was him wearing his classic combat armour, standing proud and firm, with Cass holding him tightly from behind. It was back in their love suite. That wonderful place in Freeside after their marriage.

"What kind of bullet is this?"

"Hmm? Oh, that? That's a bizarre shell that my dad personally crafted. Inside the bullet is a cancerous mutagen called the Progenitor virus."

"A virus?! That sounds dangerous."

"Definitely. They were never fully mass-produced, though, only six of them were ever made. This one I keep as a trophy and a symbol of a personal achievement of mine."

Cass looped her arms around David's neck. "Of what?"

"Of the time, Dorian and I killed each other for the first time. Ironically after dying, I never felt so alive."

David's eyes creaked open a slither. "P-virus? Progenitor?"

He took out his necklace and unclipped the .475 P-viral magnum round; it was still potent. While Dorian wasn't looking David chucked his last flash grenade to distract him, hoping it would be long enough for him to load the shell into Red Hare.

It worked. Dorian hesitated and got stunned by the intense flash. David had one shot, and it had to count. Even if the grenade didn't stun him long, the sudden pitch stalled Dorian. Either way, it stalled him for the precious seconds he needed.

The .475 magnum tore through the air and broke the sound barrier like never before, right at Dorian. The shell intended for his face curved towards his chest, on account of David's shaky aim. His left hand wasn't as good as his right, and his middle finger was a terrible trigger finger.

The shell pierced straight through his chest. By now the tacky black bile was in his bloodstream, overloading his body way over the P-viral levels, he's accustomed to. Dorian choked and vomited during the throbbing migraines from the virus' effect.

Dorian staggered all over in a hazy manner. David got back up on his feet, unslung his Remington and gave him hell, hails of flechette scattered all over Dorian's chest and face. Even while shielding his face, the shells punched through his armour, further exposing his organic body underneath.

The sharpened steel needles splatted yellow flesh and blood under David's feet. The feeling of walking over Dorian's mangled meat was extraordinary as it was like a golden brick road, paving the way to end an Old World tyrant.

Every step, every shell, every blast, brought Dorian closer to the ledge, at the tip, one more shot was needed to topple him over, but Dorian recuperated before David could load a single cartridge. Before he could pump, Dorian snatched David's shotgun and kicked him away.

The kick to the chest was harder than the last dozen; it sent him hard and fast to the tent behind. Dorian used his immense strength to break the shotgun in two with a single firm grasp, snapping it like a twig.

Luckily for Dorian, David was too far out cold this time to get back up. On the approach, he was too far out of it to feel Dorian ripping Sally from his shoulder. The blood on Sally was fresh. Fresh red juicy droplets of superhuman blood. Dorian couldn't resist the temptation, he ran Sally across his tongue, licking up David's blood. A guilty pleasure.

With an instant rush of pure ecstasy, he shuddered with desire. It tasted different, as human blood only with the slightest seasoning of P-viral antibodies sprinkled in. It wasn't as tasty as it used to be. During their last encounter, David's blood was rich with traces of Prototype virus; it was regular. No different than a human. Boring.

"You're human? How pathetic. That would make you half the man you used to be."

Suddenly, as Dorian raised Sally above his head, gunfire emerged behind him. A single bullet struck Sally from his hand, tumbling him around, it was Cass. Without skipping a beat, she reloaded and kept Dorian in her sights. "You must be the big bad, Legate Lanius? I heard all about you, asshole."

"Get out of here, woman or I'll kill you too!"

"Not happenin'."

"You're joking? I killed a Dragonborn, an ex-Demigod, and now this weakling lazes before me. What challenge could you possibly offer me, woman?"

"I don't know about you but I'm a pretty crack shot, and this rifle I have here uses really big bullets."

"You won't last a minute-"

"I can last longer than you..."

"No woman can last longer than me-"

Cass unloaded her hunting rifle at Dorian without hesitation. He couldn't reach her quick enough with the P-virus weakening him; the heavy bullets toppled him over the tent's remains until he fell.

Just when Cass thought it was over, Dorian stepped out of the wreckage and stumbled towards her, he bled heavily from his open wounds. Dorian tripped over his feet, making his way to her.

"Didn't think you'd stay down for too long." Cass reloaded. "That's good. There's still hell to pay."

He vomited more and more of his yellow blood over his hand. He reached into his armour and took out a syringe, jamming it into his neck, at the same time Cass shot it clean from his hand, destroying it. Spewed the liquid inside all over the ground, Dorian was so desperate to get the chemical inside his body, trying to salvage anything left. The liquid dried up instantly over the tent's fabric and wood.

"No!" Dorian cursed with his most furious expression, stretching over his ugly mug. "That was a mistake… Your last God-damned mistake!" His head twitched.

Cass scoffed. "Whatever." She aimed at Dorian's face. "Let's see what you got Legion boy."

"You'll regret those words, human; you sealed both of our fates!"

Cass gave Dorian no warning; she gave him everything she got. Dorian still had Sally and had to get in close. Cass was more than capable of facing Dorian, but he blinked, only uncoordinated and savage.

The blinking was seemingly infinite, dodging in and out of her bullets. He'd stand still for only a fraction of a second before blinking closer and closer. Not a single shot could land on Dorian; he got even more twitchy when he started blinking prematurely within Cass' sights.

"Stay still!" Cass yelled in frustration.

"Some kind of trouble?"

With a short exclaim from Cass' end, Dorian blinked approximately next to her, just by her right shoulder and swiftly disarmed her. She tried to fight him off with her bare hands, but he long fisted her, the sheer speed he had projected enough force to launch her towards the tent's remains, close to Lyannah.

In a single second, Cass had a fractured rib and was already worn down. Her health wasn't ideal, to begin with, now her back and ankles started acting up. She even felt nauseous.

Cass examined Lyannah. "Lyannah?" She sat up. "Lyannah!" She saw Lyannah's blade resting through her chest and confirmed the worst. "Shit! She's dead! This is awful."

Dorian approached her with Sally sheathed in his belt. "She is the first of many. No more, no less."

"What the fuck are you?!"

"I am mankind's future of liberation." Dorian stopped at Cass' feet. "You humans being so tremendously thick and stubborn to accept change is making my job all the more time-consuming."

"What the ever-loving fuck are you blabbering on about?!"

"I am going to usher a brand new breed of humanity. They alone will succeed humanity as your genetic superiors, with me going down in history as their God."

"And who are you to decide that?!"

"Why none other than Dorian Savage."

Cass choked. "Dorian Savage?! Oh, no..."

"In the flesh." Dorian snickered. "Even after all these years, my name still spreads fear to the lesser rabble."

"I assume you're the bastard trying to wax David?"

"That would seem obvious at this point, yeah. And you wearing his armour must mean you're his new main squeeze… how cute." Dorian chuckled. "I imagine all his best stories involve me."

"You can fuck right off, you pompous twat!"

"My, my… you even sound like him. Ah, is it love in the air?" Dorian scoffed. "A dreadful bond. You're a bit on the mouthy type, much unlike his first wife." He stared down at Cass, raising his finger. "Tell me this much, cutie, did he ever tell you the misery I caused his lovely Samantha?"

"I'm warning you once, asshole. Don't you dare call me cutie..."

"I'll call you whatever I see fit. Now come here." Dorian went to grab Cass' foot, but she crawled away from him like he was some actual monster. "I'm just gonna put you out of your misery."

"Your passive aggression makes me sick to my stomach!"

"You have my glowing personality to thank for that."

Cass made contact with the rear wall and could crawl no further. Dorian was able to grab her by the neck while she protested. Her retreat was scraping the bottom of the barrel when she had her back against a wall. "End of the line." Dorian lifted Cass off her feet and walked towards the ledge far behind him; it was quite the walk.

Dorian held Cass over the edge; the ground was at least a twenty-meter drop. She held onto his arm for her dear life, and at the same time, she wanted to tear it off from the socket, though she'd fall before she could even try.

She settled for her combat knife and forced it into Dorian's arm, between the armoured plating. Dorian's expressing never changed from his default bored one; the tip of her blade just couldn't penetrate his cybernetics.

Dorian's eyes lit red with anger. "You're gonna need a bigger knife, girl."