REMAINS OF THE ETERNAL TOWER

  EVERNIGHT, NAZENDEL - 1:03 AM

  As the dust begins to settle, bodies of the fallen are retrieved by Tina’s forces from the remains of the once formidable skyscraper. Some prove to be corpses, while others are merely unconscious, knocked out from either injuries or having inhaled too much smoke.

  “WHERE IS HE?!” Nick yells out, treading his way through the massive piles of rubble.

  “Where-” he says as he steps on a brick, with the area above him audibly crumbling.

  “Nick!” Elena calls out, yanking Nick back as the rubble collapses beside him.

  “Calm down. He probably perished in the flames.”

  “That- that can’t be possible. Demedioms should be immune to their own abilities,” Nick refutes.

  “But he wasn’t a demediom. He was a pure Gihenal.”

  “I-”

  “We won, Nick. It’s over,” Elena assures Nick, who still refuses to believe that they were the victors.

  REMAINS OF THE ETERNAL TOWER

  EVERNIGHT, NAZENDEL - 1:18 AM

  Walking along the aftermath of the biggest Lavian uprising, Celeste and Luke observe the various people being transported to medical centers. One particular ambulance, however, catches their eye as they witness a heavily injured Brian Mathers being stretchered in.

  “H-hey, do you know who this is?” Luke asks, rushing towards a nurse.

  “I am well aware, sir,” the nurse replies as he remains focused on Brian’s wellbeing.

  “Seriously? After everything he’s done, you’re taking him in?”

  “It is part of our oath to never leave an injured man behind.”

  “Sure, and it’s part of my fucking oath to tell you how many lives this sicko has ruined!” Luke argues as Celeste rests her hand on his shoulder.

  “Give it up, Luke. Just let them do their job.”

  “Cel, I-”

  “I know, and I agree with you. But maybe it’s better to let him rot than give him the gift of death.”

  “Fucking bullshit!” a frustrated Luke exclaims as he storms off. Celeste takes a glance at Brian, whose skin was seared in several places. She then follows Luke, satisfied at what she had seen. The two proceed to stumble upon Nick and Elena, who were likewise watching bodies being shipped. They quickly rush towards their sibling, who was in dire need of optimism. Upon noticing, Nick gets up, embracing the two as Elena watches on.

  “Oh thank god you guys are safe,” Nick tells his siblings as they let go of the embrace.

  “You too. Elena,” Celeste says as she runs to embrace Elena as well.

  “Have you seen Zack?” Nick asks Luke.

  “N-no. Haven’t you?” he replies as Nick shakes his head.

  “We saw each other on the 22nd floor, but… that was a long time before the fall,” Nick replies. The two hopelessly stare at Celeste and Elena, who begin to feel hopeless as well.

  “I- I’m sure he’ll turn up soon. He’s a tough son of a bitch. Nine years of captivity and torture, but a single night takes him out? No chance,” Nick says, trying to cope with Zack’s unknown status.

  “W- What was the last thing he said to you?” Celeste asks Nick.

  “Shit, Cel. Can we not do this now?” Luke says, visibly uncomfortable.

  “I’m just curious.”

  “Well save your fucking curiosity for when we find him!” Luke blurts out.

  “Okay, okay, jeez.” Celeste says as Luke takes a deep breath.

  “...Sorry, it’s…”

  “It’s okay. Let’s… let’s go find him, alright?” she suggests as they all collectively nod.

  REMAINS OF THE ETERNAL TOWER

  EVERNIGHT, NAZENDEL - 1:42 AM

  The siblings, along with Elena, continue to tread around the devastation when an informant suddenly walks up to them. The four make their way to an ambulance, holding the bodies of Zack Evergreen and Jason Diaz. Upon witnessing the corpse of their foster father, the siblings give off visceral reactions. They immediately break into tears, with Celeste uncontrollably sobbing as Elena consoles her. Nick silently sits on the ground, defeated, as Luke walks back, gripping a piece of metal with all his might.

  They all knew it was coming. Zack lived his entire life on the basis of vengeance against his captors; they were aware of what he was prepared to sacrifice, yet his death shook them nonetheless. For a man who sheltered so much hatred in his heart, he also sheltered enough love to raise three children. Even if tonight marked the end of his life, his impact spread as wide as he desired.

  For Zachary Evergreen will go down in history as the man who toppled Eternal Drive.

  1 YEAR LATER

  LUNE RESIDENCE

  AURUS, PRECIDIA - 6:21 AM

  The continuous chirping of birds awakens a groggy Nick, whose hair had grown to his neck, asleep in Elena’s bed. He looks over to his left, seeing Elena’s side of the bed being empty as she had already gotten up. He turns his body to the right, reaching over to a black, medical eyepatch on a desk. He sits up, grabs the eyepatch and heads towards the bathroom, where audio of a news report can be heard coming from downstairs.

  “...as today marks the anniversary of the fall of the second Eternal Tower, and the subsequent abolishment of Eternal Drive. Don’t forget to tune in later in the evening for a very special interview with one of the minds behind it all - President Tina Ross, who will be joining us at 6 PM.”

  Nick arrives at the living room while Elena continues to watch the morning news.

  “Hey,” Nick calls out before heading to the kitchen to prepare his breakfast.

  “Oh, good morning. You’re up early,” Elena greets, focused on the television.

  “Yeah, I had this crazy dream where we toppled Eternal Drive,” says Nick, who begins to boil some water on the stove.

  “I don’t think that was a dream, babe,” replies Elena as Nick chuckles.

  “Y’know, even a year later, it still doesn’t feel real. All of their imagery gone, products discontinued; it’s like South Lavia became a whole new place after the fall.”

  “Everybody’s extended efforts helped transform it that way. E-Drive’s collapse was only the beginning of the revolution; it’s what we do after being victorious that matters,” she explains.

  “I am glad that this place is finally in good hands, at least for now,” Nick replies, pouring the boiled water onto a cup of coffee powder. As he finishes pouring, his phone vibrates. He inspects it, which triggers a response from Elena.

  “Is that Luke and Celeste? Are they already here?” she asks, standing up to clean the table.

  “Not yet, Cel just texted that they stopped by Idland. They’ll be here in about an hour, though,” says Nick, putting his phone back to sleep as he assists Elena in preparing the house for their visit.

  LUNE RESIDENCE

  AURUS, PRECIDIA - 7:47 AM

  Nick, Elena and Celeste gather around the table, eating and conversing while Luke playfully bullies Zico in a game of basketball outside in the street.

  “Mmm… Who made this? It’s so good,” Celeste asks, taking a mouthful of spaghetti.

  “Yours truly,” Elena confidently replies as Luke and an exhausted Zico enter the house.

  “Woo! That smells delectable!” exclaims Luke as the four return blank stares.

  “Delectable…? Really?” a revolted Celeste replies.

  “What? Is it so wrong to expand my vocabulary?”

  “...It doesn’t suit you, Luke,” Elena states as Luke takes a seat at the dining table, ready to indulge himself.

  “Ah, boo. So much for advocating change,” he jokes as Zico occupies the final seat at the table.

  “So… who won out there?” Nick asks, requesting for an update on their one-on-one.

  “Ha! Did you have to ask?” Luke arrogantly replies, crossing his arms in pride. Zico, however, did not take his arrogance too kindly.

  “You cheated!” Zico accuses Luke.

  “What?! I did not!” Luke refutes.

  “Yes you did!”

  “How?!”

  “By being too tall!” argues Zico as Nick, Celeste and Elena smile.

  “Kid's got a point,” comments Celeste who had already finished her plate, much to Elena’s surprise and delight.

  “Don’t worry, Zico. Luke’s only 5’11, you still have a chance to outgrow him.”

  “Shut up, man! You think you’re so superior just because you’re 6 feet?!” an irritated Luke tells Nick.

  “Yes.”

  “Fair enough,” Luke responds as the five collectively laugh.

  “Oh, by the way…” says Luke after gulping down his coffee.

  “Did you guys see the AoG finale?” he asks as Nick rolls his eyes.

  “God, don’t even get me started on that. I can’t believe I wasted ten years of my life following that series just for it to turn to garbage in the end,” says Nick, shaking his head in disappointment.

  “Ugh, you just didn’t understand the story. Right, Elena?”

  “I mean… it was okay.”

  “The ending was bullshit!” Zico suddenly exclaims, taking the four aback.

  “Zico!” Elena calls out, scolding the boy for his vulgar language.

  “See? Even the kid knows better. Wait- why’d you even let him watch it if he can’t swear?”

  “I don’t allow him to watch it, but you know Zico. He always finds his way around things,” Elena answers as the five continue to enjoy their meal.

  LUNE RESIDENCE

  AURUS, PRECIDIA - 8:55 AM

  “Oh man, I’m stuffed!” exclaims Luke, who rubs his bloated stomach.

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  “I’ll take that as a complim- wait… Did you finish all of it?” Elena asks, inspecting an empty pot.

  “Yeah! You gotta teach Cel and I how to cook one day.”

  “What?!”

  “That was… supposed to last until dinner…” a defeated Elena responds to an embarrassed Luke.

  “Whoops… My bad…” he mutters while Celeste facepalms and Nick chuckles.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll make up for it by making sure South Lavia’s safe from demons!” he follows up as Zico and Elena sigh disappointedly.

  “You’re really something else, Luke,” Celeste comments as Nick laughs.

  “I think that’s the cue to get going,” Nick jokes as Luke approaches Elena, whispering in her ear.

  “I’m really sorry. I’ll get Zico something in Valcove for his birthday to compensate.”

  “It’s not that serious, Luke; I’ll just go grocery shopping in the afternoon. But if you really want to get Zico something, he’s been raving on about those fancy boards that hover midair. They don't sell that here,” Elena whispers back.

  “Noted,” Luke replies as he begins to walk away from the table.

  “Sorry ‘bout that Zeecs! I’ll make it up to you next time!” he tells a gloomy Zico as Nick and Celeste get up, trailing him.

  “Be seeing ya, Elena! Thanks for the meal!” he follows up.

  “Yeah, thanks for having us.”

  “Take care! And remember, if your work ever gets too stressful, feel free to drop by! I’ll be sure to make extra portions next time,” Elena jokingly replies as Nick approaches her.

  “I’ll be back by sunset,” he says as he kisses her. Elena holds his hands after drawing back, speaking to him with full sincerity.

  “Have a good time, alright? And… don’t be afraid to follow your dreams,” she tells Nick, who sighs..

  “Ah, we’ve already talked about this, Laine… I’m not going anywhere,” he affirms her.

  “Regardless, go and give them a nice sendoff. You never know when your last conversation with someone will take place, and the line of work they chose isn’t the most… you know, secure. Just don’t leave things left unsaid.”

  “I won’t. I’ll see you two later,” Nick bids farewell once more as he and his foster siblings leave Elena’s house and enter his vehicle.

  ROSCHER CEMETERY

  ROSCHER, GRATA - 1:03 PM

  Nick pulls over at the entrance of the Roscher Cemetery after hours of driving throughout South Lavia, relishing the moment as Elena told him to. The three step out of the vehicle with Celeste pulling out a bouquet of green lilies, and enter the cemetery as doves flock from above.

  The three continue to walk further into the cemetery, stopping at the site of three gravestones. They approach the graves with the first on the left named Morgana Winchester, the one in the middle named Lily Winchester, and the third on the right named Zack Evergreen with the description The Greatest Scientist Who Ever Lived. Celeste carefully places the bouquet onto Zack’s grave as they go on to rest on the ground by a nearby tree.

  “...I can’t believe he’s really gone,” a gloomy Celeste says, sniffling as she thinks of Zack.

  “Tell me about it. Today marks the one year anniversary of the fall of Eternal Drive… but it also marks the one year anniversary of his death. I know it’s supposed to be a momentous occasion today and he’d want us to celebrate, but I just can’t bring myself to do it,” a solemn Luke replies.

  “It’s… a really tough pill to swallow. He was such a big part of our lives and… now he isn’t.”

  “I often think… about… where I’d be if I never met him. I always come to the same conclusion and it’s that I’d probably be dead,” states Celeste.

  “Yeah. For as much guilt as he carried for his past sins, I don’t think he ever realized the gravity of his later actions. He saved and transformed our lives by taking us in.”

  “I can’t believe he even named his two residences to be passed down to us after his death. It’s like he knew he wasn’t escaping this ordeal alive.”

  “Mhmm. I don’t even use the house he gave me out of respect. I just can’t bear seeing his things. Well, that and that the garage has an eerie drift about it. It’s like everything is so hollow,” Luke comments.

  “Maybe it’s because we became pretty hollow after his passing? I mean, living in a place filled with his stuff… there’s definitely an empty feeling there,” Nick replies as Luke nods in agreement.

  “It’s a tragedy that he never found peace, but at least he can rest now. Hopefully along with the woman he loved,” Celeste says, looking towards Lily’s grave.

  “...If there’s one regret I’ll never get over, it’s that I brought her up in our last argument. It was such a… foul act that I…”

  “Hey, it’s all water under the bridge, isn’t it? He stepped the line, you stepped the line… Our emotions were at an all time high back then,” Celeste interrupts Nick, trying to comfort him.

  “Yeah. It was the first time we’ve truly faced hardship since he took us in, and I think speaks volumes about him as a parent. For almost fifteen years it’s been easygoing and smooth-sailing with him guiding us,” Luke explains as the three share a moment, staying silent as the birds chirp in the background.

  “...Are you enjoying Aurus?” Luke suddenly asks Nick, breaking the silence.

  “Yeah. It’s really different from Roscher, Nexos and Lutherford, but I like it there.”

  “Why’d you ask?” Nick follows up.

  “Nothing… Just thought, you know… Maybe you and Elena could join us in Valcove,” Luke invites Nick.

  “Yeah. It was always your dream to join Palladium. This is your chance.”

  “You guys… If there’s anything I realized from Zack, it’s that it’s good to be ambitious and follow your dreams. But… it's also important to be content with what you have,” Nick responds.

  “Wow, where the hell did this come from?”

  “I’ve done a lot of reflecting this past year. During the whole saga with Eternal Drive, I realized that I was too impulsive, too quick to take action without thinking of the consequences. The detonation plan, running off on my own in Doslight and… insulting Zack’s legacy to his face. I’m past that now. I’m happy in Aurus, taking care of Zico and helping Elena with the house. I’m honestly content with doing that for the rest of my life and I wish you two the best of luck if you choose to move forward with this,” Nick continues as Celeste and Luke stare at each other.

  “Man, Elena’s a really good influence on you, huh?”

  “We’re proud of you, bro.”

  “Thanks, but it’s not like I’m the only one who’s matured here, right? I mean you used to insult Palladium all the time, Cel, and now you’re becoming one of them,” Nick tells Celeste.

  “Yeah, well… Honestly speaking, it’s kind of lonely in Nexos. You moved out, there’s no more Neverglow, and Zack’s gone.”

  “Yup. I felt the same way, so I texted Celeste about Palladium’s offer a while back. Thank god she still has that card they gave her,” Luke explains.

  “You were already invited, right? Were you guys instantly accepted or something?”

  “Not yet. When I called them they thought I was a scammer or a troll, until I brought up Ms. Blanco's referral. Luckily they put her on the line, and now we have an interview scheduled there in about three days,” Celeste answers.

  “You still have to go through an interview? Come on, you’re one of the heroes of South Lavia! That’s gotta be an instant acceptance.”

  “That’s what I’m saying, man! Although I’m hoping that the interview’s just for formality’s sake,” Luke says, agreeing with Nick.

  “It is. Not to be overconfident or anything, but I highly doubt they’d turn us down. Not just because of our abilities and backgrounds, but because I hear they’re in desperate need of people.”

  “Oh yeah, did you hear that? Apparently their numbers are dropping like crazy! Makes you wonder what the hell’s going on over there.”

  “Probably the appearance of some powerful demons… This goes without saying, but be careful, alright?” Nick tells his two siblings.

  “C’mon, Nick. You’re talking to the man who took out the demediom with a thousand different abilities!” Luke confidently proclaims.

  “A mindless demediom. And it was like five, not a thousand,” Celeste rebuttes.

  “That’s called hyperbole, Cel. See? I told you guys I was brushing up on my vocab!” Luke retorts as his face lights up, proud of his use of the word hyperbole. Celeste rolls her eyes in response.

  “Regardless, Nick’s right. These are actual demons we’re facing, not humans with a fraction of their power.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I get it… Oh man, it’s already 2! Holy crap that hour flew by,” Luke exclaims as he opens his phone, seeing the time.

  “Um, doesn’t Aurus have a curfew? I think we should get going so Nick can go home early.”

  “It’s cool, it takes half the time to get there by car. I don’t know what kind of old, outdated model they use, but the Aurus transit takes way too long for a route with no traffic and one stopover. But, if you insist…” Nick replies.

  “Yeah, doesn’t Elena have attachment problems or something? She probably misses you dearly,” Celeste says as Nick nods. The two get up before Luke follows suit.

  “Hold up!” Luke calls out, getting their attention. He quickly walks to Zack’s grave, plucking a singular lily out of the bouquet Celeste placed. He walks back the confused duo, explaining his action.

  “I just realized Mr. Gruff should also be buried somewhere here, right? Let’s go pay our respects to him,” Luke says as the two nod in agreement.

  WILLIAMS RESIDENCE

  NEXOS, AETERNUM - 2:48 PM

  Nick parks his car in the driveway of Zack’s former Nexos residence, whose ownership was transferred to Celeste after his passing. The three exit the vehicle, giving extended glances at each other before entering a warm, shared embrace.

  “I’m gonna miss you guys. If ever things don’t work out, or if you’re granted extended vacations, or just for the hell of it! Come visit us in Aurus, alright? Our door’s always open for you two,” an emotional Nick tells Luke and Celeste, who begin tearing up.

  “Thank you, man. I promise, I’ll get Zico some amazing stuff from Valcove,” Luke replies as he gets on his motor parked in the front of Celeste’s home.

  “Thank you, Nick,” Celeste says and she tightens her embrace before letting go as the two follow suit.

  “It was really nice seeing the two of you again. I love you guys,” Nick says once more before waving goodbye, entering his vehicle. The two wave as well, watching him drive off before entering the house.

  As Nick drives, his cellphone rings. He slows his car down to pick up the call, answering Elena through the speaker.

  “Hey! You still in Grata?” Elena asks.

  “No, I just dropped them off at Aeternum a few minutes ago. Why?”

  “I was wondering if you could stop by a hardware store. The bathroom light’s busted and the house reeks of Zico’s piss. I’m gonna have to spend all day cleaning,” Elena replies.

  “Sure, I’ll try. Can you send me a pic so the worker’s will know what model to use?”

  “Okay! Take care, now.”

  “I will. Bye, Laine,” replies Nick as he ends the call.

  VIOLA GAS STATION

  IDLAND, PRECIDIA - 4:36 PM

  Deciding to make a stopover in Precidia due to the lower gas prices, Nick parks his vehicle in the lot of a gas station after getting a refill. He enters a hardware store in the corner, scurrying through the aisles to find the LED section. He shows the picture Elena sent him to an employee, who directs him towards the same model of lightbulbs.

  After managing to fill an entire cart full of lightbulbs, Nick falls in line at the counter. A shopper behind him recognizes him, sneaking several glances as Nick uncomfortably tries to brush her off. The fan can barely contain her excitement however, tapping him on the arm. A sympathetic Nick turns around, in courtesy for the fan.

  “Um… Are you Nick Altair?” she nervously asks.

  “Uh, yeah,” Nick replies as the fan’s arms start shaking.

  “Oh, wow, you are so… beautiful in person! Can I get a picture?” she asks as Nick nods. She grabs her phone out and snaps a selfie as the shopper in front of Nick leaves with his packaged tools. Nick advances, placing the lightbulbs on the counter as the registrar gives him a weird look that turns into recognition.

  “Aren’t you…?”

  “Yep,” Nick awkwardly replies as the registrar starts to scan the lightbulbs.

  “It’s not often a celebrity comes here,” the registrar says, trying to make small talk.

  “Yeah, well, I used to be a normal guy.”

  “Why the lightbulbs? Got something in plan?” he asks.

  “Not really, just thought I’d get enough for a few years,” Nick answers.

  “If ya ask me, these would be on the house for the service you did Lavia.”

  “Oh god, no. Please, I’m just a citizen like you are,” Nick replies as two men walk in. One of them spots Nick and obnoxiously yells out.

  “Holy shit, is that Nick Altair?!” the man yells out, getting Nick’s attention. Nick uncomfortably looks at the cashier, who understands the message and speeds up his scanning.

  “Not used to the fame, yet, are ya?” the cashier asks.

  “No, I was never in the spotlight…” Nick replies.

  “Well, get used to it, but don’t let it get to your head. You seem like a good and humble kid, and I’d hate to see fame destroy you,” the cashier concludes as he finishes scanning the final lightbulb. He places them inside a paper box, handing it over to Nick.

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Nick responds as he hurriedly leaves the store. As he rushes to his vehicle, a certain symbol etched on a tree catches Nick’s eye - a dragon eating its own tail. Nick vaguely remembers seeing the symbol somewhere, but fails to recall it as he packs the lightbulbs inside the trunk of his vehicle.

  LUNE RESIDENCE

  AURUS, PRECIDIA - 5:58 PM

  Nick replaces the bathroom light, much to Zico and Elena’s delight.

  “Thanks for that. I’ll be going to the grocery now to get ingredients for the spaghetti. Is there anything else you want in particular?” Elena asks Nick.

  “Uh… Just some instant coffee. The Precidian Summer,” Nick replies as he packs the rest of the lightbulbs into his and Elena’s room as she leaves the house. He hurries down to the living room to catch the news broadcast which had just started, settling down on a new sofa that replaced the old, uncomfortable one. Zico passes by, to which Nick notices a large trash bag in the corner that Elena forgot to dispose of.

  “Hey Zico, can you take out the trash?” Nick asks the boy who complies, dragging the trash bag outside. Nick focuses on the broadcast, showcasing a tremendous crowd in the city of Evernight.

  CITY HALL

  EVERNIGHT, NAZENDEL - 6:03 PM

  “Good evening, people of Lavia! We gather here today to mark the anniversary of the fall of Eternal Drive!” the reporter says as the crowd roars behind him.

  “Joining us today is none other than one of the brilliant masterminds behind the historic siege, President Tina Ross!” he continues as Tina walks on stage, settling on a chair beside the host.

  “Thank you for having me!” Tina says as she shakes the interviewer’s hand.

  “Thank you for coming on! First and foremost, congratulations on your fourth month in office. What’s it like being the new leader of South Lavia?”

  “It’s all very new to me. Darren and I used to operate small-scale operations back when he was the mayor of Aurus, but handling the entirety of South Lavia is a different beast. I will say this, though - I may not be the perfect leader, but at least I ain’t Damon Estreval,” she jokes as the crowd behind her erupts.

  “That’s a fighting statement from President Ross! Moving forward, I believe the majority of the nation knows about the fall of the first Eternal Tower. People were running around in fear, chaos was spreading all throughout the nation. However, in the fall of the second Eternal Tower, you led the march where thousands of people embraced their confidence and took down the tyrants oppressing our nation from the inside. How did you manage to finally pull it off after decades of failed resistances?”

  “I think the answer lies in the question itself. I believe that the decades of failure and oppression toughened up our people to the point where we had nothing to lose and everything to gain. And while I am partially to credit for it, I didn’t lead the resistance on my own. I have to thank a group of very special people, some of which are sadly no longer with us. Firstly, my late husband, Liam Ross, who gave me the courage to keep going even after his wrongful death. Entro Gruff, a man from Virtum who took the initiative to seek out the loose demedioms. His ventures led us to meet Zack Evergreen, the former head scientist of Eternal Drive who was imprisoned and tortured after discovering Estreval’s vile plan. And of course, many others, including Zack’s foster children and a woman whom, though I owe much credit, refuses to be named,”

  LUNE RESIDENCE

  AURUS, PRECIDIA - 6:23 PM

  A smile forms on Nick’s face as he continues watching the interview, proud of the progress South Lavia made after the fall of the second tower. His smile soon fades though as he remembers Zico, who still had not returned.

  “...The hell’s taking him so long?” Nick thinks to himself as he gets up from the sofa, leaving the house. He walks towards the dimly lit back alley where their garbage bin is situated. With every step, splashes of unknown liquid splatter onto the ground. The liquid continues splattering until Nick comes in contact with the garbage bin, dripping with the mysterious substance. Nick anxiously lifts the cover of the bin, his hands being lathered in the unknown liquid.

  The scenery that unfolded before Nick’s eyes was something straight out of a horror film. At the bottom of the lid was a crimson ouroboros, crudely drawn with the liquid Nick had been stepping on - blood. Lying on top of a pile of trash was Zico’s severed head, the child’s dead eyes staring directly at Nick.

  Nick quickly drops the cover, violently throwing up in the corner of the alley, sick at what he had witnessed. In his mind, perhaps this was all a terrible nightmare. Perhaps this was a cruel prank played by Zico. As he recovers, footsteps approach him as a silhouette reveals itself from the light, putting truth to his worst doubts.

  “I promised you, didn’t I?” a voice mutters as a heavily charred Damon Estreval reveals himself, his skin deformed and his blonde hair burnt off. A shocked Nick takes a moment before manifesting his greatbow, aiming it towards the former dictator.

  “That I’d take away everything you love.”

  To Be Continued…

  EVER take half-measures.