Lea had read of the dangers of blood magic. Liaisons with demons led to atrocious endings. The Chantry priestesses repeated the dangers like a mantra, but what choices did apostates have when everything worked against them? He trusted that Roxas knew what he was doing when it came to blood magic. Few mages Lea had encountered were as strong-willed and skilled as Roxas. To have made a deal with a demon, Roxas must have been on the verge of death.

The ritual was tearing out the demon, threatening to cause irreparable damage to Roxas' soul. Vanitas crackled with red lightning that revealed its faded contours. Tears of blood ran down Roxas' pale cheeks. Lea struggled to breathe, paralyzed with horror.

"Lea!" Myde screamed. "Help him!"

At once, Lea ran toward Isa, chest heaving. With trembling hands, Lea gripped for the small dagger at the back of his belt, still uncertain about what to do.

"You cannot harm me without harming him," Isa said at seeing Lea. "The ritual binds me to his exorcism. I have already won this battle."

"If he dies, you die to. That demon will kill you, Isa. I can help you, but you have to stop this. Roxas is not at fault. He has been through enough already, so please…" Lea's voice broke and he cleared his throat.

"I am proving to you that your friend made a deal with a demon! And all you can do is plead for his life?!" Isa's grip on his bow at his side grew tighter. "He used that demon against me, Lea. I could hear it speak. It followed me, watched me, spoke to my worst fears to scare me away. You are part of his deal with the demon. If he gets you, the deal will be sealed until your dying days."

Lea's thoughts raced. The dagger was a comforting weight in his hand. Roxas would have no need to make a deal with a demon to keep Lea close. Lea would follow him to the end of the world out own free will.

"Isa, I, I realize that now. I do." Lea softened his tone. It seemed to dissolve the anger in Isa, if only momentarily. "I knew the second that arrow hit the ground. T-The spell lifted. But this is dangerous. You are letting the demon out. It will roam freely and attach itself to you. Let me take over."

Isa brushed his hair behind his ears and took notice of the heavy rain. His feet had sunk into the mud. It bothered him more than the cold-hearted murder he was performing.

"I found the flower crown you left for me. It was a little wilted, but I loved it nonetheless." Lea's mouth was dry. His hands trembled and he gripped the dagger tighter to not have it fall out of his grasp.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this." Isa gazed at Lea. "The demon would not leave me be and I had to save you from it. I'm still fond of you…" Isa stepped closer tentatively, taking precious time Roxas did not have. "Lea, my heart, my loyalty still lies‒"

Lea looked straight into Isa's eyes when Isa's knees buckled and he gripped at Lea's arms at the sudden ache in his side. Blood warmed Lea's cold hand. Isa let out a strangled breath when Lea stabbed the dagger back in, a softly spoken spell on his lips. To disrupt the ritual, Lea had to be stronger than Isa, stronger than Roxas. Vanitas had to be retained, put back to not break the union between it and Roxas. Blood magic was the only way. Lea's blood would not be enough. Listening to the horror story of the greedy Tevinter magisters had finally brought something good. In their aspiration for power, they used blood magic, unlocked secrets that had granted them entry to the Golden City. They had used slaves as sacrifices for their power. Isa had to serve as Lea's sacrifice to set this right.

Isa fell to the ground, clutching at his wound with numb, trembling hands as his blood swirled around him. Vanitas roared at the power shift. The white lightning flickered at Lea's command, loosening its vice grip on Roxas. The loud gasp for air had Lea nearly weep with relief. Roxas was still alive.

"I'm here, Roxas," said Lea with a trembling voice. "Fight it, you hear me? We have lavender fields to see and templars to escape."

Lea had his heart in his throat. His focus was solely on controlling the surge of power rushing through his veins with urgency and potency unlike any other Lea had experienced. Little by little, the white lightning broke down into small wisps. Lea dared not to cross into it until there was nothing but mud left where the trap had been set. Roxas sat on his knees, swaying with every breeze that struck him. The rain washed the blood off his face, but not the amber scarring on his corneas. Lea ran the distance between them and pulled him into a tight embrace. He wept quietly. Never had he been as near to losing Roxas as he had been now. But the Maker had watched over them and saved Roxas from the brink of death once more.

Myde hurried to them and embraced them both, trembling still with fear and shock.

"Are you alright?" Myde asked at last. "Is it over?"

"We need to get Roxas dry," Lea said and helped Roxas to his feet.

"Is he…?" Roxas voice was raw. Bruises were already blooming on his neck. Every movement had him wince in pain. Yet he used what little strength he had to point to where Isa lay.

"I will take care of it," Lea said impatiently. "Go inside with Myde. You are weakened, Roxas."

"You're not gonna need help?" Myde asked carefully.

"Just go inside."

Lea waited until the door to the main house closed behind Myde and Roxas to look back at Isa. He lay on his back, facing Lea's way. He did not move. The spell had needed much power, Lea had not restrained himself in countering the ritual. Isa's skin was bleak. His empty veins cast dark shadows against his pale complexion, his lips parted in his last draw for breath. Lea held his hand over his mouth and looked away at the nausea that swept over him.

Isa had brought this on himself, Lea thought. He had tampered with that which lay beyond his powers and paid for it with his life. It was another lie amongst many Lea told himself. Isa's biggest mistake was to have put his trust in Lea.