Morning came to soon for his liking. Though the curtains were pulled fully across the window, the sunlight pressed against the velvet fabric, changing its color from maroon to crimson. Lazily, Dunban rolled onto his side, feeling the mattress shift underneath him, and slowly opened his eyes. Expecting to find the sleeping form of Melia, he instead found an empty bedside. He put out his hand to feel the space where her body had been; still warm. It wasn't too long ago the woman had slipped away. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, the Homs propped himself up against the headboard. The sounds of the shower in the washroom reached his ears. The thought of her under the water, naked...

Stop.

Until Dunban had a chance to sit Melia down and have a serious discussion with her, he could not allow himself the pleasure of thinking of her in such a manner. He could not get distracted as he did last night. It was his weakness for her, he knew that prevented him from broaching the subject. The woman's red lips, bare arms, and thoughtful gift pushed aside all of his resolve. It had been selfish of him, he knew, to engage with her as he did, to feed the fire that already burned so intensely. The chemistry between them was undeniable, made fiercer by the deep, mutual trust forged from the intensity of the recent events.

But the man knew he would have stopped their intimacy before it had progressed any further. She just had been first to do so. Dunban closed his eyes, and his hand curled into a fist as his decision spiraled around in his mind. Unpleasant as it would be (more than unpleasant to be sure; most likely painful), he had to tell her. And sooner rather than later. Springing it on her would be cruel, and he would not inflict more pain upon her than he had to. If he stalled until the last moment, he was certain she would never forgive him. Although he doubted that once he told her, it would not matter, because everything would change.

The reality was, he was leaving.

"You're awake."

The melodious voice floated into his ears, dissolving the cycle of rumination in his mind. Opening his eyes and turning his head, Dunban's eyes found Melia's, piercing right through him to his core. Striking as always, the High Entia was already dressed for the day ahead, donning once again a crisp white collared shirt and black slacks. But her hair remained unbound; its silvery tresses softening the austere appearance and illuminating the sparkles in her aquamarine eyes. In a different moment, he would have reached for her and brought her to him, running his hands through the waves as he kissed her. But now was not the time for such affections.

The woman took a seat at the edge of the bed and gave him a soft smile. How much longer would he be able to gaze upon her in such a way? See her truly without the masks and shields she placed around her heart and mind?

"I thought we could have breakfast together before I leave for my cabinet meeting. Would you be interested?"

Throat dry, he merely nodded, reaching out to place his hand over her own.

Blushing, the Empress turned her gaze downward. "I hope it's alright to say that I...rather enjoyed waking next to you."

"I would say the same but you were gone."

"I apologize. I did not know whether to wake you or not."

"No need for apologies. I only jest." Dunban gave her a wry smile. "Though it is half true. But probably better you left. Had you not, I may have kept you in bed for the entire day."

Dammit. He was doing it again.

Her pink cheeks became red and she looked up at him from beneath her lashes, innocent and seductive all at the same time. Irresistible. Gods, how could he think of leaving her? His body stiffened but he locked his jaw. It had to be now. Any later would be cruel.

"Melia, I need to tell you something."

Immediately, she straightened up, as if aware of the impending distress. "What is it?"

Squeezing her hand in his, Dunban said, "There's no easy way to say this. But I'm leaving."

Silence.

"I'm...sorry?"

The tone of her voice pained him: small and unsteady. Her eyes looked into his, confused, uncomprehending. It tore at him inside and he wished he could take back what he said. Force himself not to feel the way he did. But it was too late; Dunban knew that he had to push forward and follow this course of action.

"I have to leave Alcamoth."

The woman withdrew her hand from his and let her eyes fall again to the sheets of the bed so that he could not see her face.

"When?"

"Soon. But I won't leave until we catch Camar again." He said quickly, wanting to reassure her. Dunban would not renege on his promise to protect her as best as he could. And he knew if he left her in potential danger, he would never forgive himself.

"When did you decide this?"

The man hesitated and said, "The past two days. It became clear to me last night during the party."

It was sometime in the middle of the party, amid the sea of voices that clamored for his attention that the thought had come straight to him, like an arrow piercing a bullseye. Eyes sweeping over the crowd that moved under the sparkling lights, Dunban found the familiar faces of those he had helped over the past year and a half: Homs from Colony 9 and Colony 6, Nopon from Frontier Village, and the Machina. Each had needed his skills, depended on him to take charge and help them reclaim a semblance of normal life after the Fall.

And now he was on the verge of finishing his final tasks for the High Entia in Alcamoth. He would no longer be needed, free to move on. But where? And to do what?

For the first time in a decade, Dunban did not have those answers.

It had been too long since the man had been free to pursue his own goals. Whether a sense of duty or desire to please ruled him, Dunban had repeatedly acquiesced to that which was asked of him by family, friends, and those suffering. He no longer knew what life was like, unbridled by the needs of others. And perhaps that was something he feared. What would happen when those desperate voices went silent?

What was left of him then?

And if it were nothing, would she still want him?

There was no way around it. He needed to go away, for his own sake. Though it sounded cliché, he needed to find himself. Understand his place in this new world. Only then would he feel whole. And he could make a worthy partner for Melia.

If she still wanted him.

"How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know."

Raising her eyes, she found his once more. Her lip trembled as she asked, "Is this my fault? Did I do something to upset you?"

"No, none of this is your fault. This isn't anyone's fault. It is something I have to do. That's all."

"Then maybe I could come with you?"

The hesitancy and hope in her voice tore through him. How could he say no to such a request? Of course he wanted her to come, with every edge of his being. But he could not and shook his head as his body was wrenched with inner turmoil. "I need space."

"Space?" Melia asked.

"Space from everything and everyone."

"I...I don't understand."

It was coming. The part he dreaded.

"I thought everything was going well. Things were turning for the better. What happened?" He could see the hurt in her eyes and his gut twisted.

"Nothing, Melia. I just need quiet."

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Her voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to the unfortunate situation he had spun for himself. It was the question he feared. The one he wasn't entirely sure how to explain.

"I need some time to think." Dunban said, struggling to find the right words. "I haven't had a chance to do so since the Fall."

"Think about what exactly?"

"It's hard to explain." He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers slightly trembling.

"Try."

Her eyes were blank. He felt his heart fly into his throat, unable to form words as he realized she was shutting herself off from him. The sparkle in her eyes was gone, replaced by suffering. All Dunban wanted to was wrap his arm around her and pull her close. Tell her everything would be alright. That he would come back and pick up where they left off.

But the future was too nebulous to make such a promise. It would've been different had he been called away to work on some other project. They could have corresponded through letters, occasionally visited to see one another. But this journey was too personal, and did not leave much room for thoughts about anything else.

"I've been a soldier since I was fifteen. Now the war is over. I don't have any responsibilities now." He thought about explaining further, but decided against it. He wasn't sure if less or more information was better.

"Yes, that is true. You have no obligations. So you can leave and do as you please."

Inwardly, he flinched. "I do not take this lightly. I am not unaware of how this affects you and us."

"And you cannot gather your thoughts here?"

"No. I can't do it in Colony 9 or 6 either."

"You mean you choose not to." The woman said as she looked away, her gaze resting on one of the pillows, her voice low but full with emotion.

"Melia—"

"It doesn't matter to you what I think, does it?"

Dunban leaned towards her, trying to capture her eyes with his. "That's not what I said. I meant I cannot concentrate on what I need to here."

"Because it's distracting. I'm too distracting."

"Don't do that."

"You didn't deny it."

"What I mean is that I can't devote energy to you as I should. As what you deserve."

"Don't you dare turn this into a conversation about what I do and don't deserve. This is about something you feel you need to do." She turned her face towards his, eyes blazing with a combination of anger and grief.

He took a deep breath, collecting himself, pushing the emotions down in his gut. "You asked me last night what I wanted to do with myself." Dunban said. "And I gave you a half answer. I gave you an answer that assumed I would still have two working arms. I gave you an answer about a dream long past. That's because I don't have an answer for the present. And I need to find one."

"I understand that. Regardless, I feel as though I have been deceived."

"I never intended—"

"You may not have intended, but now you have done so."

"I want to be with you, Melia. But I won't ask you to wait for me. That would be unfair."

"You want to speak of fairness? What about what you're exactly doing now? How is this fair to me? I doubt it is in any shape or form."

"What do you expect me to do here, Melia? Sit on my hands and do nothing after all is said and done? Wait to become your Consort? Entertain myself by following your wake, aimless? And what then? Would you become bored of me?"

"Of course not! How can you say that?"

"Because that is what would happen." Dunban said. "Let me ask you something. What do you expect from our relationship?"

"If you're going to ask me such a pointed question, I suggest you narrow its focus." She glared at him.

"Have you thought about the realities of our relationship? Have you thought about its longevity? Do you see the difficulties we face?" He kept his voice calm, though he felt anything but.

"I'm not blind, Dunban. You are a Homs and I am a Homs Entia. My lifespan is twice that of yours."

"And I'm already aging more quickly than yourself." He continued, "There's the matter of your position as Empress. You will surely need to pick a Consort, maybe two soon. Will your people accept me? Or will you need to pick only within the High Entia for a companion?"

"I...I do not know."

"And is that something you want?"

This was not what he wanted to talk about. He'd veered off course, into uncertain territory. Matters that had yet to be discussed, and should not have been in this conversation. They belonged elsewhere. Perhaps they should've been thought about at the beginning.

Melia did not respond at first. "So, this is it?"

"I am not a good partner for you as I am now." He clenched his jaw and rolled his hand into a fist.

"And you won't listen to my thoughts on the subject?"

"I have made my decision and I understand that you may not be open to the possibility when I return."

Silence.

"Melia, I am not needed anymore."

"I need you." She replied looking deep into his eyes, wounded.

"Melia." His voice cracked, a flood of emotion pushing him to the breaking point.

"If you'll excuse me then, I have a meeting to get to." The Empress rose from the bed, her face expressionless, all emotion wiped away. "Please see yourself out once you have bathed and dressed." Without another word, she exited the bedroom before he could stop her.

"You did what?" Fiora yelled as Dunban related to his sister the barebones of the conversation he had had with Melia only a half an hour ago. After washing and dressing, Dunban had directly headed to his sister's suite to forewarn her about his impending departure. Of course, after he told her, she wanted to know how Melia had taken the news. There was no point in hiding the truth; she would find out soon enough. "How could you do that?"

"It's something I need to do." He said, his voice emotionless and rigid. He'd expected an onslaught of antagonism from Fiora. But after the confrontation with the Empress, he was already emotionally drained. The man was unsure if he had the strength to defend himself against his angry sister.

"Dammit, Dunban. Just when I thought you were..." Fiora shook her head, bursting with anger. "I just—I don't even know what to say to you right now."

"Then don't."

"Why are you even doing this?"

Dunban didn't answer. He knew she wouldn't understand. Or refuse to until the initial anger passed.

"You know this is the happiest I've seen you in a long while. Why are you ruining it?" Fiora demanded, whirling around to face him. "It makes no sense!"

"This is not easy for me either."

"Then don't do it!"

"My mind's made up, Fiora. And that's final."

She crossed her arm and stared at him, fuming. "Yeah, I know that. You make a decision and you stick to it. Stubborn as ever. But come on, Dunban. The morning after your birthday? Couldn't you have picked a better time to tell her?"

"There was never going to be a better time."

Fiora paced back and forth, silent. Dunban could see the gears turning in her mind, wrapping her head around the situation. Suddenly, she stopped and looked him square in the eye. "You know what? I think you're just afraid."

He looked at her skeptically. "Of what?"

"I don't know. Maybe opening up to someone, especially after Senara."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because you wanted to marry you and she didn't exactly jump at the chance. That's pretty hurtful."

Closing his eyes, Dunban exhaled. He wished she hadn't mentioned that piece of history. Despite the years that passed, the memory still stung. Not because of who it was associated with, but the rejection itself. Pushing it aside, Dunban opened his eyes, dragging his focus to his sister.

"I've made a decision, Fiora. I will not be swayed."

Rolling her eyes, she answered, exasperated. "You're such an idiot."

"Fiora." His eyes narrowed.

"Don't bother. I'm not listening to you right now." She turned away from him and headed for the door. Stopping in the door frame, Fiora glanced over her shoulder at her brother. "You know if you do this, you may never get her back."

"I know."

With a sigh, Fiora left, leaving Dunban to the harsh realities of his decision.

The crowd was larger than the man expected, although he realized he'd never stood in the mass of people. He had always been positioned in the Empress' entourage, looking out over her public. The realization made him feel cold, unconnected. Is this what he truly wished? To be separated from her? His certainty from earlier shook to its foundations as he remembered the heartbreak in Melia's eyes. And he had caused that.

He did not deserve her. He did not deserve her love, or the whole heart she offered to him.

But what was done, was done. He couldn't take back his words. He couldn't fix what was now cracked, possibly broken. All the man could do was move forward. But he meant what he said: he would not leave until Camar was behind bars once more, and he was sure Melia would be safe. Though as Empress, she would never truly be safe. Of that, Dunban was certain.

Blending into the crowd was easier than he thought. The cloak and hood he wore shadowed his face, and his neighbors on either side of him paid him no mind. If he couldn't be with Melia now, he would still watch from the side and celebrate her accomplishments in silence.

The Empress took to the podium, the sunlight reflecting off the straight lines of her face, giving her a luminous glow. "Good morning. Today, I stand here to present to you our brand new educational facility for the younger generation of High Entia." Melia called out, her back straight and eyes resolute. From where he stood, he could see no trace of the emotions that had lingered in those eyes earlier. The mask was on and the shield was up.

Bitterness soaked through him. He had done that.

"This is more than just a building. More than a simple renovation. Only ten months ago did we as a nation see ourselves confronted with the overwhelming task of rebuilding. And yet, here we are, against insurmountable odds, standing together. We have survived. Your endurance and perseverance have brought us here."

She took a breath, her eyes sweeping over the crowd, connecting with as many faces as she could.

"Today, we get to celebrate the continuing of our people. Behind me stands a structure that will welcome our children and our childrens' children, teach them our history, and guide them to sustain and grow our race." She took a breath and continued, "Let us celebrate this moment, where we ensure our traditions and heritage for the future."

A young High Entia boy cut the ribbon and cheers from the audience filled the air. Exclamations of joy reverberated through the atmosphere; the Homs glanced left and right to see their happy expressions. Such exuberance had not been seen since Camar's momentary reign of terror. It was an achievement to be sure, bringing the High Entia together. It was beacon of hope, a sign of better times to come.

Eager, a group of young children ran into the building, ready to christen it with sage candles as per High Entian tradition with every newly built structure. They were followed by a few adult High Entia, presumably teachers. Conversation burst around him, voices both excited and critical. As people passed by him, he heard the beginnings of sentences about the Empress, and the tail end of compliments and criticisms.

Then screams pierced the air, drowning out the enthusiastic voices.

Everyone stopped in their places, eyes darting to the origins of the sound. The school. As he moved to the front of the crowd, Dunban spotted Melia, James, and Elrich rushing forward towards the building. But an explosive battering smashed through the glass windows lining the building's front. Bullets screamed outward, their shells flying through the air. Panicked, he tried to see Melia but his vision was obstructed by fleeing High Entia, frightened.

His heart pounded, urgent. Shoving forward, Dunban saw Melia crouching, James shielding her as they retreated out of range of the bullets.

Shrieks filled his ears on either side as people rushed to escape, anxious to avoid the shower of pellets raining towards them. In the chaos, the Homs saw a young High Entian woman fall to the ground and he rushed to her. Tears streamed down her face as he knelt to help her up, her arm bleeding from a bullet that had pierced the area just below her shoulder. "Go!" He shouted and she rushed off, dissolving into the stampede of bodies.

Without delay, Dunban jogged up the steps towards Melia and the rest of her advisors. "Are you alright?" He asked, walking to her side.

"I'm fine." Melia said, voice rigid. "We need to get those children out. Kiefer, where are all of the exits?"

"There's two on the ground floor. One on the eastern side, one around the back. The back one is locked from the inside."

"We'll need to send a team in. James, Elrich, take four guards around the back. See if you can knock off the lock. The element of surprise is most necessary if we can limit the number of casualties." Her voice was hard and eyes determined, no trace of fear.

But as she finished her sentence, a young Homs Entian boy emerged from the school, carrying a white device in his hands. His eyes watched as the boy cautiously advanced towards them, his feet dragging with each stride. Once he approached, the brown-haired child held up the white device to Melia. Dunban could see his hands trembling around the device. It was square, just big enough to fit in his palm. Dunban recognized it as a communicator.

"Thank you." Melia said, taking it from the boy. "Get to safety." He nodded and ran off through the now empty city square, away from the unfolding terror that would be sure to haunt his nightmares for months to come.

"Don't try to get into the building!" A fearful voice shouted over the crackling speaker. "If you do, I'll kill all the children."

That voice...

Dunban knew it from somewhere. He wracked his brain, desperately searching for the answer.

The Empress pressed a red button the white square and said, "Who is this?"

"That's not important. What's important is that you do exactly what I say."

"I want you to release those children."

"I can't do that, Empress. Not until you give me what I want."

"And what is that?"

"I want you to step down from the throne. You do not deserve to be Empress." The man's voice shook, as if he were uncertain of the things he was saying.

"That's not an option I'm willing to discuss."

"The Entia. We turned into those things and did horrible things. And when we came back, you did nothing! You ignored what we went through. You never tried to understand. You turned your back on your own people!"

Was this man a Camar sympathizer? Did Camar give him this task of kidnapping children in the hopes of guilting Melia out of her throne? Dunban flared with anger; it was despicable using innocents as shields.

"You speak of the future generations, but what about us in the present? What about the pain we're in, the pain we're going through right now? I mean...I killed people...and I didn't want to!" He shrieked. "I killed innocent people and I have to see their faces every time I sleep. We should be punished...forgiven...something. AND YOU HAVEN'T SAID A WORD!"

The sounds of children crying floated through the speaker, twisting Dunban's gut. His gaze turned to the Empress. He watched Melia's lip quiver, though her blank expression remained unchanged.

"Please...please stop crying." The man said in a tortured voice. But the sobs continued. "I said stop crying!" But the sounds of the children's anguish drowned out his voice.

In that moment, Dunban's mind came to a halt. The misery in that voice. He knew exactly who was on the other side of the communicator.

Alderon.

The Homs placed his hand around the Empress' arm. Surprised, she looked up at him. "Melia. It's Alderon. The man who was involved with Camille."

After a second, recognition flooded her eyes. He knew they had the same thought. Had Alderon come to exact revenge for Camille's capture and death? Alderon had been deeply affected by his experience as a Telethia. The Homs would even go so far to say that the Entian man suffered from PTSD. But the man Dunban knew was not capable of such cruelty; at least, when the Homs had known the Entia months ago.

Grimly, the Homs was reminded that desperate people do reckless things.

Tentatively, Melia pressed the button on the communicator and asked, "Alderon?"

Silence.

"Alderon, please answer me."

"Oh gods, what am I doing?" He moaned from the other end. "I can't do this. I can't do this."

"Why don't you let them go and we can talk?"

"Talk about what? It's too late..."

"It's not too late, Alderon. We can fix this together." Melia's grip tightened on the communicator and her shoulders hunched together, tense.

"Are you afraid, Empress?" It was almost a whisper.

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"Can you let the children go?""

"No. No, because then you won't listen to me! You'll come in and arrest me."

"I promise not to do that."

"What guarantee do I have that you won't?"

She was silent, but Dunban could see the gears turning in her head.

"What if I came inside?"

The Homs felt his heart skip a beat and he looked at her, alarmed, unable to believe what she was proposing. But she did not meet his eyes; the Empress kept her gaze on the white communicator in her hand.

Silence.

"Alderon? If I came to you, unarmed, would you let the children go?"

"I..."

"No Empress, you can't do that!" James exclaimed, removing Melia's finger off the button.

"What if he hurts you?" Serenity pleaded, her eyes watering in fear as she took Melia's hand in supplication. "Please don't go in, Empress."

Melia withdrew her hand and waved it to silence them. The communicator crackled in her hand.

"Alone?"

"Alone. I promise."

"Alright. But if something goes wrong, I will kill one of the children." There was a beat and he added, "I've done it before."

A chill crept over Dunban's back. He did not like this. He did not like this at all.

"I understand. I am coming in." Melia said. Indifferently, she handed the communicator to Serenity and took a step towards the school.

"I cannot allow you to do this." Elrich said, sidestepping in front of the Empress, blocking the way towards the building.

"You cannot stop me from doing anything, Elrich. Stand down."

"No."

She clenched her jaw. "Then I strip you of your position. You are no longer part of the Royal Guard. Stand aside."

The Homs Entia man did not move, his eyes glaring straight into her.

But she pushed past him, and he did not follow. She strode quickly towards the building, as if her life depended on it.

"Melia!" Dunban shouted and ran to her, but she did not stop walking. She did not even turn her head to see.

The man grabbed her arm, stopping her, but she would not look at him. "You can't go in there. He's unstable."

"Of course. But there is no other choice."

"What do you mean? We can send someone else in your place."

"And endanger another life? I think not."

"Look at me." He growled. Slowly, Melia turned her eyes on him, full of ice. "What if he hurts you?"

There was a pause.

"So be it. I will not allow a group of children to be hurt without doing something about it."

"Melia, please." He could not keep the fear from his voice.

"You have made it very clear our lives shall be separate. Let it be."

He stopped as if he'd hit a brick wall, tormented by her words. But he tried to pull her to him, and she pushed him, causing him to stumble a few steps back. With invisible strength, she summoned wind and flung a gust of wind at him, launching him backward even farther away. Then she turned and walked on into the heart of danger.

The doors clanged shut behind her as she walked into the lobby. It was cold; the concrete floor and the white walls lent no warmth. To the left, a group of High Entian children were huddled together, two older High Entia attending to them, whispering that everything was going to be fine. Seated just feet away from the hostages was Alderon. Eyes red, sweat drenching his brow and shirt, the Entia shivered as he pointed his ether rifle at the group of prisoners.

"Alderon?" Melia asked gently, desperate to keep the tremor out of her voice.

Slowly, he turned his gaze on her. She could see the frenzy in his eyes and the tremble in his arm as the gun still pointed at the innocents. "Empress. You came."

"I'm here, Alderon. Just as you asked. You can let them go now." The woman said, taking a step forward towards him.

Swallowing, he turning the gun on her. One of the High Entian adults gasped and Melia stopped mid-stride. Her heart panicked and jumped into her throat, yet she calmly she raised her arms above her head, a sign of surrender.

"Alderon, let them go. You have me now." The Empress tried again. Looking directly into his eyes, she nodded with encouragement. She couldn't push him too much. Everything in his manner indicated he was a ticking timebomb, capable of anything and everything. With what power she had, Melia had to make sure that he could only do the least amount of damage possible.

The man shifted nervously in his seat, eyes darting back and forth between Melia and the captives. "Go!" Alderon shouted.

The adults slowly rose, cautious, uncertain. Melia looked at them and nodded. Hurriedly, they ushered the children out of the building, the two adults giving their thanks and sympathy to Melia in mere glances as they left the Empress and madman alone. The door clanged shut behind them; the metallic sounds reverberated through the lobby. Alderon kept his eyes on Melia, but said nothing.

"May I?" She asked.

He nodded.

Dropping her arms, she sat on the cold concrete, taking a deep breath in and out, hoping to calm herself. But it didn't work; her heart only sped faster and thumped harder as she looked into Alderon's eyes. She feared it would jump out of her chest with its vehemence.

At least she had secured the safety of the hostages.

But what now? This was not something she was trained for, nor knew how to proceed. She realized just how reckless her decision was; how easily he could pull the trigger and end her life. Her only recourse would be to talk with him, make him see reason. If that were even possible.

"You said you wanted to talk with me. Tell me what's on your mind, Alderon."

"I told you. You should've helped us more."

"What can I do now?"

"First, you should absolve the Entia of all the things we did as those...monsters. Officially. We need to be forgiven."

"I hear you and will do as you say. What else can I do?"

"Step down from the throne."

"Alderon, I cannot do that."

"What am I doing? What am I saying?"

His body wrenched side to side, as if he were afflicted by an invisible force. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he wept, the invisible voices taunting him.

Watching him, Melia began to scoot closer, inch by inch. If she could keep him talking, keep him distracted, then there was a chance she could get the gun away from him.

"Alderon, what's going on? Can I help you?"

"I see all of their faces all of the time. I can't sleep without hearing their screams."

He covered his face with his empty hand and howled in anguish.

"I killed them. I killed my brother. I killed his children."

"You weren't in control then. You cannot blame yourself." Her heart twisted in her chest as she watched him struggle, tormented by ghosts of a past he had been forced into.

She continued to inch towards him but he then he looked up, crazed eyes catching sight of her movement.

"STAY BACK!" He roared and fired.

Her heart skipped a beat and she gasped.

It zinged past her ear.

Heaving, Melia felt her entire body contract, muscles tense. Lungs gasping, pumping fast in her chest, she was on the verge of hyperventaliting. Squeezing her eyes shut, she could hear the blood roar in her ears and her body shudder with fear. Her throat filled with tears and she exhaled, overcome with shock.

Breathe, Melia. You have got to breathe.

Tears collected under her eyes as she forced herself to take a deep breath in and out. Once. Twice. Thrice. Slowly, she opened her eyes, feeling her heart start to slow. Images flashed in her mind: Serenity, Tyrea, James, Elrich, Fiora, Riki, Sharla, Reyn, Shulk, and of course...Dunban. Her stomach tightened thinking of the last words she had said to the Homs male. Cold words with an icy gaze. Pushing him away when all he wanted to was protect her. The woman wished she hadn't. If she were to die and that was the last memory he had of her...

Her lungs wheezed, threatening to force her into hyperventilating once more. No, no she could not go there. She had to survive.

"I'm sorry, Alderon. I'll stay right here. I won't move. I was only worried about you." Her voice shook, but she met his eyes, keeping her gaze soft. She had to get him to trust her.

"She wanted me to kill one of the kids."

Her ears perked up. Who was this she?

"But you couldn't do it, could you?"

He shook his head, biting his lip as he adjusted the grip on the gun.

"She said you'd listen to me if I did this." The Entian man looked at her, his hand trembling around the handle of the gun. "She said you would have to if I did this."

"Who did?"

"The woman. She was nice to me. No one has been nice to me since Camille. And Dunban. Is Duban still here, Empress?"

"Yes, yes he is. Just outside. I could get him if you like."

"No, no. I don't want him to see me like this. I like him. I hope he doesn't hate me for this." Alderon mumbled.

"Dunban doesn't hate you. He is worried about you though."

"Is he? I'm sorry to worry him."

Melia took a breath and asked, "Alderon, who was the woman that was nice to you? Can you tell me about her?" The woman worked to keep her voice compassionate, but her curiosity its head. Who was this person that encouraged Alderon to violence? A person who had no qualms of using a clearly troubled man?

"She came with a man. They came to our quarters a few times. Mine and Camille's."

"What did they want from you?"

"Just to said they knew how hard it was for us after the Fall...for me..."

"And they understood?"

"Yes."

"They were friends?"

"Yes...no...I don't know." Tears slid down his cheeks and he clutched his free hand to his head as the memories flooded back to him. For a moment, Melia thought to lunge for the gun, but she thought better of it. If she could just get a little more information out of him...

"Alderon, breathe. It's just you and me here. Do not worry. What did they ask you to do?"

"First, she said to cut that pipe in the fields. I didn't want to... I felt so bad. Everyone was worried. I knew it was a bad thing to do. And I told her too after Dunban fixed it."

"What did she say?"

"Not to feel bad. That we were making a statement. And she asked if we wanted to try again. I said no. But Camille...they told me to leave the room...Empress I'm so sorry." Alderon sobbed. "I didn't know Camille was going to do that to you. If I did I would've stopped her!"

"I know, Alderon. I know."

"I know you're trying to do what you can...that's what Dunban said. And I believed him." He paused and said quietly, "I still do."

"Did anything happen after Camille?"

Alderon was silent for a moment, his eyes cloudy. Without looking at Melia, he whispered, "Then she took me away. Said I would only be safe if I were hidden. She said you would come after me after what Camille did."

"Where did she take you?"

"Somewhere in the Great Hall. I don't know. She blindfolded me. And then it was dark. So dark." He shuddered.

Melia's mind began ticking. Where in the Great Hall had he been put? Possibly in the storage room Camar had first hidden her in. But that would make no sense.

"Was the man with her?"

"No. Not then" Alderon shook his head vehemently. "But..."

She waited, keeping herself from prompting him. Pressuring him could possibly cause the man to hold his tongue.

"He came back. She hid him there too."

"With you?"

He nodded.

"Is the man still there?" Melia ventured. She hoped it wouldn't be too much to ask.

"I...I think so."

If her assumptions were correct, Camar was somewhere in the Great Hall.

The Empress took a breath and said softly, "Alderon, why don't you put the gun down and we can sort through all of this. We can get you the help you need." It was a possibly dangerous move, but she had to try.

"It doesn't matter anymore. She'll kill me now."

"No she won't. I will protect you." Her voice was firm and resolute. Melia did not want him to feel afraid any longer, witnessing just how tormented he was. It broke her heart to see him in such agony. He deserved help, and she would be sure to get it for him. If she got out of this alive.

"No! You're just going to throw me into the dungeons like you did to him."

Melia shook her head violently, her voice cracking with emotion. "No, I will not do that. I promise you. I want to know why you felt like you had to do this. I want to know who told you to do this."

"I can't go into the dark again. I can't." His voice splintering with terror; tears came in rivers now as he struggled to hold the gun straight at her person. Her pulse quivered and heartbeat raced.

"You won't, you won't I promise. I will keep you safe. You have my word." She said, desperate to get through to him.

"She'll take me back."

"I won't let anyone take you."

"No, she will, she will. She's always there. Watching."

He gulped at air and began to laugh.

"Alderon."

But it was as though he didn't hear. He kept on laughing.

"We're all just pawns in a game, Empress. I see that now."

Then he brought the gun to his chin.

"ALDERON DON—"

The shot exploded.

Her vision went red.