Lesley bolted up the staircases she'd heard Gusion's and Helcurt's voices echo through, rifle in hand as blood thundered in her ears.

She made it to the eighth floor before stopping, panting heavily.

They couldn't be getting away-

Lesley blinked as she took in her surroundings. This was where Karina lived. It wouldn't hurt to have a little help, and Lesley needed someone able to keep up with Gusion in terms of speed.

She strapped the rifle to her back and knocked on the wooden door.

About three minutes before

Gusion swallowed. "We're screwed."

Helcurt peered down the stairs. "Lesley's coming. I can hear her."

Karina raised an eyebrow at them. "Follow me. I'm helping you."

Gusion blinked. Talk about a surprise. "What?"

Helcurt didn't even blink before leaping after Karina and Gusion followed hesitantly into the apartment.

Karina closed the door behind them.

"I don't think you're actually evil, despite what everyone else is saying. You saved my life from Selena, and I know what she was. So explain why everyone thinks you're dark."

"I am dark," Helcurt muttered indignantly.

"I'm literally a Night Elf. Sit down."

"I'm a Shadowbringer!"

"He's an idiot, don't mind him," Gusion tiredly sighed. "Long story short, Dyrroth has some sort of mind control over him every full moon, and he used it to injure Harley. Lesley went bonkers at that, nearly killed him, and told Tigreal about Helcurt."

"Helcurt?" Karina asked, confused, and Helcurt whistled. "That's me."

"Shadowbringers have names?"

"What did you think?"

"I-nevermind," Karina muttered. "Carry on, Gusion."

"That's pretty much it, actually. Helcurt came back to my house and Tigreal caught him, and we fought our way out."

Karina nodded. "And what about Cecilion and Carmilla?"

Gusion shrugged. "Do you think Selena was the only spy placed by Alice?"

A knock came at the door, and Karina placed her finger to her lips.

Gusion silently crept into a room and Helcurt crawled up the wall and hung from the ceiling, silent as night.

Karina watched him with a mix of horror and fascination. "Freaky," she muttered. "But also sick. You'll have to teach me that sometime."

With that, she moved to answer the door.

Lesley was ready to unstrap the rifle when Karina opened the door.

"Yo, Lesley," the Night Elf started, her typical poker face on. "What are you here for?"

"Gusion's here. With a Shadowbringer," Lesley started, and Karina lowly whistled. "Weren't those extinct?"

Lesley snarled. "They will be when I catch this one. Do you want to help me?"

"Honestly? I'd love to, but I'm not sure if I'm fully healed from what Selena did."

Lesley blinked. "I forgot about that. Really-" she stopped. "What did Selena do to you?"

Karina frowned. "I thought you all knew? Selena attacked me, and Gusion managed to kill her before getting me to the hospital."

"Why was Gusion here?" Lesley probed.

Karina shrugged. "Who knows? I got lucky, I guess. But why did he save me and kill Selena if he's dark?"

"I don't believe he's dark," the words tumbled out of Lesley's mouth before she could help herself. "Gusion isn't a traitor. He's my best friend. I know him better than anyone else."

"Then why are you hunting him?"

"Because I have to." Lesley couldn't prevent the exhaustion and desperation she felt from seeping into her voice. "I have to do it."

Karina nodded, and Lesley was sure the Night Elf thought she had gone cuckoo. "Well, then, good luck."

Lesley nodded and walked away.

Lancelot was in the middle of a fight when his phone went off.

"Is there any chance we could have this later?" he asked no one in particular as he swiftly dismembered a minor Statued Shocker. "I'm getting a call!"

"Do you feel like becoming a monster's lunch today, Lance?" Chou yelled back as him and Nana fended off three Thunder Fenrirs. Lancelot dashed over and decapitated three Molten Fiends that were preparing for an ambush, earning a "thanks" from Nana who deployed Molina again.

"It might be important!" Lancelot had to fight his way back to Eudora, who was frying anything and everything in a 5-foot radius.

Border attacks were common. Luo Yi mostly snuck in hordes of monsters before the magic shut her out again, but those attacks could prove to be devastating sometimes.

As such, Lancelot, Eudora, Nana, Chou, and Hilda had been deployed to fight off this attack. So far, no one important had showed up, but that could change-

A black portal opened up behind Nana and Chou and Dyrroth leapt out, his tail already flicking as Abyssal energy gathered around it.

Nana and Chou acted as one: three feline footprints hit the floor in front of Dyrroth, sending him staggering, and fire encased Chou for a hot second as Chou moved towards Dyrroth before sending him flying with a roundhouse kick.

Hilda burst out from the mass of creeps and slammed her axe down in a blaze of energy right at Dyrroth's head.

Lancelot swirled around with his sword and watched in amazement as a golden burst of energy flowed outwards. A silence permeated the battlefield, and Lancelot traded shocked looks with his teammates. Had they killed Dyrroth?

Then the golden, blinding light faded to reveal Hilda, her face contorted in concentration, her arms straining furiously as she pushed the axe downward, grunting, as Dyrroth whistled lowly, the wind ruffling his white hair as everyone stood still, watching the axe blade interlocked with Dyrroth's razor held above his head.

Hilda was straining with all her might, to the point where her muscles looked like they might pop out from under his skin.

Dyrroth? Dyrroth was smiling.

Dyrroth swung the razor away and the axe was flung out of Hilda's arms, and Dyrroth cracked his neck before throwing a solid punch to the left side of Hilda's face.

Hilda stumbled back and Dyrroth followed up with a kick to the gut that got Hilda doubled over before elbowing her in the back and helping Hilda back up to a standing position with an uppercut.

Lancelot smelt the lightning coalescing in Eudora's hands.

Hilda swung wildly and Dyrroth moved fluidly under it and Hilda went staggering from her own weight.

"I expected better," Dyrroth chuckles and Hilda roared before Dyrroth backflipped, catching her under the chin with both legs.

Hilda hit the ground spreadeagled and Dyrroth landed gracefully, before brushing off dirt from his lapel. He stalked towards Hilda who groaned and turned over to get to her feet.

Fast as the element she wielded, Eudora shot a streak of lightning at Dyrroth who picked up Hilda smoothly in one motion and spun her around just in time for the electric arrow to hit her square in the heart.

Hilda let out a shriek and Eudora gasped as Dyrroth dropped Hilda to the floor, amusement flickering in his mismatched eyes.

"An electric shock can disrupt the heart's rhythm to cause arrhythmia, or an irregular heart beat, which can lead to cardiac arrest!" Dyrroth jovially spoke in a tone completely unsuited for the situation as Hilda writhed on the ground.

Chou and Lancelot both moved as one-they both missed, as Dyrroth sidestepped as Lancelot lunged forward in an executioner's strike.

Eudora backpedalled, firing another strike of lightning at Dyrroth who sidestepped it and his tail flicked swiftly, too fast to catch as Dyrroth lunged at her.

Eudora's eyes widened and she began to float sideways but Abyssal energy burst forward at point-blank range, surging through her skin and flooding her energy, corrupting her from the inside and destroying her.

Eudora's blackened, charred corpse hit the floor and Dyrroth turned back around and flicked his hair before giving them a sunny smile.

"Double kill!" he remarked in an imitation of a WWE announcer's voice as Lancelot stared, horrified at Eudora's body as a wail slipped from Chou's mouth momentarily.

It was Nana who acted first, and she lashed out at the creeps with her boomerang. Chou and Lancelot caught on quickly, slaughtering the unaware creeps until there were only a handful left when they regained their bearings, and by that time, Lancelot crushed them all.

Dyrroth observed them all, a small smile on his face.

Lancelot felt red hot anger sear through him at the nonchalance on Dyrroth's face; two of his teammates, two of his friends, killed like it was no big deal? How was he smiling? How could he smile?

"I'm in a good mood today," Dyrroth started, his voice calm. "And I've already gotten two out." He stretched his arms behind him, the air of unconcern infuriating, like he was merely toying with them.

"So I'll leave you to be. Tell princess Silvanna that Dyrroth says hello."

And then he pressed the button on his chest, and he was gone.

Lancelot looked at Chou, exhaustion clear in his eyes, and his phone buzzed in his pocket.

Lancelot snatched it out and held it to his ear. "Hello?"

"How long do I have to call you for? This is an emergency!" Alucard's voice rang out and Lancelot winced.

"Eudora's dead. So is Hilda."

"What?" Alucard sounded bewildered.

"Dyrroth."

"No. No. What the hell?"

"Alucard, what's the matter?"

"Cecilion was a traitor, and so was Carmilla."

Lancelot felt his soul leave his body. "What?"

"Get back to base. I'll fill you in."

Gusion walked out the room as Karina closed the door, his body numb.

"She knows I'm not on the dark side. She knows I'm not evil."

Karina frowned. "She's still trying to get you."

Gusion looked up at her. "There's something wrong with her. She's not been herself, lately. I don't know what's happening, but it's not good. I have to help her."

Helcurt dropped from the ceiling and Karina jumped. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. She's still a sharpshooter out to kill us-me, especially-and we have to be prepared-"

Gusion turned to face him, an icy expression on his face.

Helcurt met his glare. "I know that you want to help. But we have to think rationally."

"Screw that. I'm going to help her. Are you in, or are you out?"

Helcurt shook his head. "This is a terrible idea."

"What are you guys planning?" Karina asked.

"Loverboy here-"

"Quit calling me that!"

"-is going to try and talk Lesley down."

"Bad idea," Karina quipped.

"Maybe," Gusion conceded. "But I have to do this."

"You really don't," Helcurt muttered.

"He's right, you don't," Karina agreed. "But it just might work."

Both Gusion and Helcurt whipped towards her.

Karina stared Helcurt down. "She's his-um, whatever dynamic you two have going on-"

"Best friend," Gusion insisted.

"Still in denial, then," Karina muttered under her breath and Helcurt cackled wildly. "Anyways, you, Gusion, might be the only person able to convince her to stand down."

"Despite her trying to kill you," Helcurt sighed.

"Despite her trying to kill you," Karina pointedly glared at Helcurt. "And I've had my own share of regrets of things left unsaid and undone. The day Selena ran away taught me a lot of things-one of which is that sometimes, acting with your emotions is good. You'd know that better than me, Helcurt. How many things have you not said but regretted later?"

Helcurt snarled. "None," his scratchy voice came out. "My clan leaders said I had a mouth too big for my own good."

"I have," Karina said, looking straight at Gusion. "Selena thought she was a burden to me. And I never changed that belief. It wasn't that I scolded her. But I was cold, sometimes, because I knew that the nature of my job as an assassin was to die at any time. And I didn't want Selena to grieve for me. But that backfired. She underestimated how much she meant to me. And she left."

A lone tear fell from Karina's eye. She wiped it away.

"Gusion," Karina started. "Tell her whatever you want. If you feel that it will work, then do it. Because it's better to die unburdened than to live with regrets."

"I'm not convincing her to stand down," Gusion said.

"Then?"

"I'm going to let her kill me."

Silence filled the room, and Helcurt and Karina both stared at Gusion.

"If she kills you and me, Gusion, I will never let you hear the end of it in the afterlife," Helcurt warned.

"She's worth it," Gusion said, stepping out.

Karina looked at Helcurt. "Is he normally this much of a romantic?"

"He's worse," Helcurt lamented, before stepping out.

Karina shook her head. Somehow, the Shadowbringer never scared her. And she'd have to learn that wall-crawling technique. It could come in handy.

Lesley was nearly out of the apartment complex when she realised what had been off.

Karina always had an odd habit Lesley thought was going to get her killed; friend or foe, she always invited them in first before the blades were drawn.

But she had made Lesley stand outside. The only reason Karina would break her habit was to hide something.

Karina had been grateful towards Gusion for saving her life.

The puzzle pieces connected in Lesley's head, and she spun around, rifle in hand, heading back to Karina's house.

"She's going to kill you," Helcurt said solemnly. "You know that, right?"

Gusion said nothing, his face set. Helcurt something wondered if Gusion had any brain left in his head at all, or whether there were any thoughts in there.

"You're heading to your death."

"It's been a pleasure knowing you, Helcurt."

"You're throwing your life away for Lesley?"

"I'd do it a thousand times."

Helcurt squinted at him, and then asked the question that had been on his mind ever since he got to know this peculiar fellow. "What about her is so special to you? I get that you like her, but why are you ready to die by her hand? I'm not sure if that level of love is healthy."

Gusion shrugged. "It's like you said. If I'm going to die anyways, I'd rather it give her joy than grief. I'd have helped someone that way."

The elevator doors creaked open and Gusion stepped out, and Helcurt noticed that his gait was more relaxed than ever.

Gusion looked like he was at peace; he'd made his decision, and he'd come to terms with it.

Helcurt had heard that a person could truly be seen in their final moments. And he figured that this was who Gusion was.

At his core, Gusion was a lovesick moron.

Lesley got to the lift lobby and saw the edge of a purple scarf disappearing around the corner.

Her heart fluttered as she stalked closer.

Did she want to kill him?

She didn't. If there was any other way, she'd have done it. But she needed her brother back. She made a promise to protect him with her life.

She could sacrifice Gusion for Harley.

The ice around her heart seemed to grow ever so colder.

She activated the camouflage, rounded the bend, rifle at the ready, and she faced Gusion staring straight at her.

"I can see you, Lesley."

Gusion Paxley was seventeen years old, madly in love, not yet aware of it, stupid, loyal, emotional, impulsive, and facing death in the form of the person who he held closest to his heart.

He had made his decision. He could have sustained the chase if it had been anyone but Lesley. He had done so-leading Aamon and the Paxley family on a wild goose chase for seven weeks straight while sustaining on fruits and river water had been one of the most terrifying and exhilarating experiences of his life.

But this was Lesley.

She was something else, something out of this world. She drove him utterly crazy in a way no one else did.

Gusion wasn't sure what that said about him.

Instead, he looked at the seemingly blank space in front of him. He'd seen her camouflage too many times to be fooled by it.

It shimmered and Lesley appeared, and Gusion's chest did somersaults at the sight of her.

The gun was pointed at her and Lesley's single eye burned with emotion, the scope trained on him.

Gusion nudged Helcurt with his foot. Helcurt looked up at him.

"Go. Kill Zhask. Then get out without getting caught by Dyrroth."

Helcurt looked at him, unimpressed. "You'll die. You're an idiot and a fool."

"How sweet. Now, leave. Twas nice knowing you."

"You too."

A numbness flicked next to Gusion's foot, and Helcurt was gone in a burst of shadows.

Gusion drew his dagger. Lesley's finger rested on the trigger.

Gusion dropped his dagger.

Then he kicked it to lie at Lesley's feet.

Lesley's eye stared blankly at him through the scope. Gusion tried to fixate on it.

He dropped to his knees, and it felt like a burden was lifted off his shoulders.

"Keep the dagger as a memory," he spoke, and his voice felt like it was burnt with the flames of a million suns.

Lesley's brow furrowed.

"What are you waiting for? Shoot me."

The anticipation was the worst part.

Several emotions flickered in Lesley's left eye.

A second passed, and time seemed fluid. Gusion waited.

Another passed.

Lesley's brow furrowed.

"What trick is this?" she finally asked, her voice strained to what sounded like it's breaking point.

"It's no trick." Gusion's voice nearly cracked. "I'm done running from you."

"You're not going to fight."

"I don't think I can. Because you won't stop until you kill me. Your determination is something out of the world."

"Flattery won't save you."

"It wasn't meant to. Take the shot."

Lesley's face contorted. And Gusion wondered if she was going to snap, and found that he didn't regret it at all.

He was ready to die for her. That…was nothing new to him.

"Why?" she finally asked, her voice stretched out to what seemed like its breaking point.

"Because you matter to me more than I do to myself. And if you want to kill me, if my death brings you joy-then-then so be it. Have at it. This isn't any trick."

Gusion closed his eyes. And waited.

He heard a thud.