I try to save everyone. At least, that's what I tell myself.

I fire streams of deadly electricity into the crowd. A member of the Militia shields himself behind a citizen, but he's taken down by a bolt directly between the eyes. The Militant's body falls away, and the civvy looks back at me and screams before running away.

I should be used to it. I should be used to the smell of charred flesh, and the look of fear in their eyes. I tell myself that they're secretly grateful, but they're scared. Who wouldn't be?

I should be used to getting shot, lit on fire, being covered and sliced in shrapnel, the whole works. The more electricity I absorb, the more the pain goes away. "It's a healthy addiction," I tell myself.

I climb the top of the roof. I'm looking for more Blast Shards, but I hear a scream to my left. I reach out a hand and absorb a transformer, and I leap across two rooftops before I spot my targets.

They're trying to mug a man. I don't know him. I've never seen him a day before in my life. But they're pointing a rifle at his head, and they're going to rob him blind. Problem is: I know them well enough now that I know they aren't going to let him go when they get what they want. I have to step in.

I'm at a good angle, but something makes a noise. Maybe I'm spotted. Maybe their sixth sense kicked in. I'll never know.

When I send my bolt, the one on the left moves just enough. My bolt sears through the innocent's forehead, unfortunately killing them innocently.

I bite my tongue hard enough to taste blood, then I send a grenade that sticks to the Militia on the right. It explodes, sending both of them flying down the alley.

I jump down and land with a roll. I put my finger to the man's neck, hoping desperately to feel a pulse, but I feel nothing.

The hole in my stomach opens. I close his eyes and hoped that his end wasn't painful. It wouldn't be the first time, but I pray to God it was the last.

God never listens.

Electricity, oil, ice. It doesn't matter what comes next. It could be paper, wood, smoke… I don't know. Why have I been given this power? Why was I the one that was chosen to take this burden? To take this curse?

Sure, I'm practically invincible. If I wanted to, I could probably take over the world.

But I'm also vulnerable. I've been too close to death too often to count. This power… it's not mine. It never has been. I'm more tied to this world than these people realize. I need them more than they need me.

I'm still human. I'm still a person who needs to breathe, and eat and shit. No matter how many bolts I throw, or how many grenades I toss or how many times I'm shot in the shoulder, I still try. I still need volts flowing through my veins.

Bertrand keeps making these monsters, and I keep putting them down. The people of New Marais have started to organize around me. They wave and they say hi, and they take my picture.

It's better than the alternative, but I can't shake the feeling that I don't deserve it. Do they know how many that I've put them down? How many lives have I snuffed out in my attempt to save them?

I couldn't tell you the last time I slept willingly. The last monster I put down… a civvy started to fight back. They stood right between me and Bertrand's monster. They had no fear, no sense of self perseverance.

I-I didn't know what to do. Do I shoot the monster that's far more likely to kill the woman before she kills it? Do I let her stand up for herself? What if I accidentally kill her like I killed the others?

I couldn't stand her putting herself in danger, let alone for me. I shot, and as it went down with one last dying scream of rage. She turns towards me, her braids swinging in the humidity and she thanks me, as if I were braver than her. I only grit my teeth and give her my own thanks.

I didn't see the Militia sneak up on us and shoot until it was too late. As she died in my arms; I told myself I had to be better. I had to.

The Beast is here. I could smell it in the air before I saw him. Zeke shot him with the nuke, but I knew it wasn't the end. It was never going to be that easy.

I stand on a rooftop overlooking New Marais. I just retrieved the final blast shard, and I feel more powerful than ever before. Funny, how it seems that I'm at the peak of my ability, yet I don't think I'm going to survive another day.

Bertrand is gone. The Militia that are left are scattered and less dangerous than ever before. There are still the Ice Conduits, but we're slowly taking them down. All that's left is the Beast.

Human or Conduit, it doesn't matter in the end. For as long as I'm breathing; I refuse to live in a world where the Beast and I exist at the same time. I'm not just going to save New Marais; I'm going to save this world.

John may think that Conduits are the next step in human evolution. I'm not sure if that's true. I don't know what will happen to me, but I know one thing for sure: the people of New Marais have rallied around me. They believe that Humans and Conduits can belong together, side by side. We're more alike than we are different.

This was my gift, and my curse. Kessler told me as much. It's my duty to take down the Beast, and I'm going to fulfill it. For what it's worth, I'm sorry Zeke. I'm sorry to everyone who accidentally bit the end of my bolts. I tried to save you all.

When it all ends, I hope I can see you one more time, Trish, if only to say I'm sorry.