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Minutes passed in utter silence as Mordikai watched the corpse before him, praying he would rise again. His heart clenched tight; he could barely feel it beating. His cold stare never flinched, but behind it, his confidence was shattered. What sin had he just committed in pursuit of a dream still so far away?

You do him no wrong in delivering the fate that was bound to catch up to him eventually. Every story has it's end somewhere; it's why humans are the ones who deserve the right to dictate death. He did his job of protecting her. He didn't fail; his story had just finished.

Yet more silence passed before Mordikai hefted his former companion onto his shoulders and began to ascend to the very top of the clocktower. As he climbed, he began to notice the sound of the grand clock, ticking away each precious second. It grew louder and louder as he went higher, and he could feel his own heartbeat return along with it.

Finally, he reached the roof. Against the outside of the stairwell, he rested Yosa, before stepping back and wishing just one last time his brilliant work could be undone. When, again, it wasn't, he set to work.

"Summon Blade, Numeral Funf: Function of three."

Three golden blades suddenly impaled the woodwork above Yosa. Mordikai took two, one in each hand, and ran them through his robe, nailing him to the spot. The third he clutched tight in his right hand as he raised his left wrist before his face. Without any sort of extravagant flourish, he ripped a smooth diagonal cut into his arm, drawing blood that seeped into the blade, staining it a deep vermillion. Using it as a quill, he etched scarlet words into the wood beside Yosa's head, then set the final command on the other side.

F(x) = Terminate

The blade flashed an even deeper crimson just before Mordikai drove it through the dead man's heart. Just moments after he did, Yosa's body began to fade away, bit by bit. The blade and the words remained, and Mordikai turned away several long moments after he was well and gone.

He strode toward the edge of the tower just as the clockface below. It struck the late hour. At last, it was time to begin. Another chance to wreak havoc and revenge. This time without the slightest hint of a smile, he turned back into the tower to prepare, glancing at the blade and words forever carved into the wall.

Only those who love are worthy of the life they are given.

A crowd of people turned seeing a figure in a dark cloak whistling while tapping a rapier on his shoulders, he seemed to hop every other step and spun a few times almost stabbing a few people.
A few guards stood in his way and started to address him before the rapier went through one then the other, a faint red glow hovering around the silver.
The people stepped back as the man grinned and threw his cloak off, reaching up he smoothed his blond hair back.

He started spinning as crimson flew through the air, leaping through the air whole buildings fell as a large cut caused them to fall onto the unfortunate bystanders.
Giant red pillars of blood threw the people up and destroyed the buildings as the man continued to chuckle laughing amidst the screams of the people.

Finally the man stopped twirling and after stopping bowed.
"Thank you! Oh thank you! I do encores!"

A building next to him fell to the ground, the whole village rested under a sea of crimson, no people were left to scream, no building left standing, complete desolation, looking down he saw the body of a woman and her child.
He looked around for any signs of life but saw none, he shrugged his shoulders for a moment.
"No encore, really....I gotta work on my opening don't I?"
He rubbed the back of his head and chuckled before the rapier vanished and he messed his hair back into it's original shape.
"Some people just can't recognize talent,"
With that the man walked out of the decimated village his forces behind him.
"For those that enjoyed my act! My name is Reaper and don't worry, there are plenty more acts to follow. Hahahahaha!"
Reaper stretched with a toothy grin on his face before jumping into the air and landing on his throne.
"Onward! The fun's just beginning!"
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After the light subsided Nola started to stagger as the barriers shattered the red shards floating in the air.
A burst of darkness erupted from the ground as Nola reached out to what seemed to be nothing, water erupted from the ground in pillars causing Kalan to jump back.
Stone from the buildings flew off and started circling around her as a burst of energy erupted from her making the air in the area dense as she continued to stagger forwards.
"....Yosa......why......you promised me....."
At this point Tsuliria and Linora came upon the scene, Linora tried to run forward but Tsuliria caught her wrist and shook her head at her.

A giant pillar of fire engulfed Nola before circling around her in long circling flames with the shadows and rocks, the pillar lifted above the buildings breaking the clouds as Nola grabbed at the air.
"You promised me....a happy ending.....why...why did you lie....Yosa...."

"Mistress...what's going on with Nola...."
Tsuliria kept her eyes on Nola hearing Linora's question and shook her head.
"Nola....loved Yosa......however he couldn't return her emotions...he gave his soul to Reaper in exchange for bringing Nola back from the dead...he had to protect her...and feared he couldn't do so if he allowed his feelings to get in the way."

Two orbs hovered in front of her and Nola jumped trying to reach them before they came together in a purple orb, tears streamed down her face as it faded into the pillar.
Falling to her knees, her tears dripping onto the cobble stone Kalan's straw started to circle around her.

"Yosa...don't leave me.....brother....please....I...don't want to be alone......brother...."

"...He was her happiness...." Tsuliria said her hand clenching into a fist.
"All she ever wanted...was to be with him....."

The power quickly vanished as Nola fell forward, she laid on the ground her eyes slowly closing as the tears continued to stream down her face.
".....please....don't leave....me.....
Her eyes shut before her body faded into ash and was blown away by the wind into the distance.

"...Happiness...is an illusion for those that can't accept reality...so is love," Tsuliria said this before looking towards Mirela and Kalan, she walked over to them and crossed her arms staring at the two.
"...so....you survived the fight did you."

As the barriers shattered, Mirela moved to a sitting position, watching the pages unfold in front of her. It made her think back to her previous train of thought that had remained deep in the back of her mind. Life happened so quickly, it was impossible to grasp onto it. People were born, people died, they loved and hated. Cried and smiled. Slowly wiping away the blood from her mouth, Mirela couldn't help but feel her eyes water. Why was she crying for someone that had been so intent on killing her? As the cold droplets slid down her fair skin, Mirela watched her ashes become lost in the wind.

'Thank you, Nola... Even though you tried killing me, in the end you managed to protect the lives of two others, for that I'm glad...'

Mirela brought her watery gaze away from where Nola last existed and up to the woman that had addressed her. Her words made Mirela drift into her thought process, making her think about the situation more. They had survived. In a situation of imminent death, Mirela was able to say that she walked away. Of course not by her own doing, but she was able to walk away. "Yes, we survived," Mirela rubbed her neck, straightening out her clothes. "Now we may all move on with our lives. Regrettably at the death of another, but because of this one death, other lives were saved."

Mirela's gaze drifted slightly away before settling on the sky. After hesitating a few moments, she moved her violet-colored hues to her conversational partner. "Would it be too wishful of me to think that you're not here to finish the job of killing the two of us off?"

Birth's voice faded from his mind, his heart still heavy with questions. Jazz remained staring at the sky, his masked face gleaming as the red sun began to set. The quiet was soon broken as crowds of people began to pass him, cloaked men, women, children. He stood still, his mind far gone as they passed.

"Hey, are you alright?"

A small voice broke Jazz' thoughts. He looked down to see a small girl, clothed in tattered rags, carrying a small bear. She was dirty, but had a soft glow about her. Jazz opened his mouth as to say something only to be cut off my a cloaked man. He pushed the young girl to the ground, chuckling as if he had won something. Jazz grabbed the man by his wrist, his clutch like a vice.

"Hey buddy what's your problem?"

"You're going to regret that very, very much."

Jazz released the man only to swing, landing a hard punch against his jaw, felling him to the ground. As the man tried to stand, he was denied with a foot to his throat. He began gasping for air as panic began to set in.

"What right have you to harm a child hmm?"

Jazz' pressed his foot into the man's throat, his glowing eyes piercing through him.

"Where are these people going?"

"T-town Square!"

The man gasped for air as Jazz' released him, not before leaving a spear imbedded in his leg. As Jazz sprinted off to central, all that was heard behind him was a small boom, followed by a scream. He arrived shortly in Central to witness the young woman standing there.

"Hurry your a** up Birth, or everyone down here will be dead..."

As Tsuliria made contact with her face, Mirela found herself shivering, almost as if she had been touched by death. She began to fear her and silently prayed that she would never have to have contact with her again. As Mirela listened to the order Tsuliria spoke of, she made a small face. 'Kalan is to keep an eye on me? Just my luck...' However she felt relieved to hear that she managed to dodge another dance with death. Fear still remained in the back of her heart as Kalan told her of Tsuliria's intentions.

"I'm going to borrow this...uh..later!"

"Huh? Wait!!" Mirela's eyes quickly formed into a glare. How dare he take her violin! Putting the last few moments in the back of her mind, Mirela bounded off of the ground, beginning her sprint after Kalan. "Get back here! Give that back! Who do you think you are?! Hey!!" 'First he's a desperate drunk... Now he's a thief?!' Reaching out her hand, Mirela attempted to grasp onto Kalan's hair in order to catch him. However in the process the heel of her shoe caught on the stone beneath her feet, sending her flying into him. "A-Ah! Watch out!!"

Finding herself only a few inches away from Kalan, Mirela quickly let a scowl escape her lips as she brought herself away from him. 'He has some nerve... Clearly it was an accident, and there was nothing to "interrupt." He's in for it as soon as I get my violin back.' Straightening out her dress, Mirela moved to take the violin back from the cloaked, red-eyed man.

"You weren't interrupting anything, don't listen to him." Placing both hands on the violin, Mirela grasped on as she made an attempt to claim her property. "This is mine, so if you don't mind I'd like it back. Hand it over! I've had a long day and really don't need anyone else bothering me."

Shaking her head, Mirela brought her attention to Kalan. "You, don't you think about going anywhere, you have some explaining to do and you'd better explain well!" If one looked close enough, surely it would be possible to see anger radiating from her soft, purple eyes. Mirela was furious, and she felt sorry for the next person to try to irritate her any further. With that, she switched her gaze back onto the cloaked man, impatiently waiting for him to let go of the violin.

Jazz locked eyes with the mysterious woman flinging shadows about. His hand began to glow as he backhanded one of the spikes into a nearside building, sidestepping to dodge the second. He began to slowly walk through the crowd towards her, his hands retaining their soft glow.

"So, which one of Reaper's pets are you?"

Jazz' words lashed out as he picked up his pace, his eyes never leaving the woman ahead of him. As he got closer, a sheen came over his eyes. He lifted his hand, it's glowing radiance beginning to form small orbs. The floated around his hand before flying at high speed at the woman ahead of him. As they flew, they became small spears.

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"Madame, the gate is finally ready."

Virtue stumbled into the room where Birth resided, closely watching the events below.

"Thank you Virtue, I'll be leaving shortly"

"Well that's no fair Birth, leaving your favorite brother behind?"

A skinny young man walked into the room. He was dressed in a smooth green suit, a matching green fedora fitted upon his head. He was young in the face, but it only hid his true age. He rested an arm upon Virtue's small head as he swung a pocket watch, a toothy smile on his face.

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh not much, just checking in on dear sister Birth, you are my favorite you know."

A look of unpleasantry came over Birth's face as she stared through her brother.

"You're not coming with me"

"Oh come on! Why do you get all of the fun?"