Hands trembling, I stepped back. Shovel trained on Avis. The dark of the night made it hard to see. "You don't have to do this. Listen to reason," I called.

She stayed blank faced, fists tight. Quiet as a shadow moved in from behind me.

I turned, swinging the shovel. A shadow jumping back, a scar across his brow. Carrick. He cleared his throat, "A hypocritical request, Alexander, when reason is not your preferred guide."

I didn't need this. I shook the shovel at Avis. "He's lying, it's him. Omen's his fault."

She laughed, "Of course it is. Carrick is not a very convincing liar."

"Gregori believed it," he growled.

Avis raised her chin. "Gregori will believe anything convenient."

"Why then are you here?" I darted my eyes between them.

Red eyes intensified. "I'm not here because of Omen. I'm here because of what you're doing now."

"We both are." Carrick stepped forward.

I shrunk back. I needed to get out of here. "I don't know what you're talking about?"

Avis narrowed her eyes. "Why don't you let Gloria speak? She can tell us."

"I was enjoying listening to you." Gloria's words slipped out, a grin stuck on my face. "Why don't you tell us how this is going to end, prophetess?"

"I thought you were going to ask from now on," I bit back, panic rising in my chest.

Gloria held on. "You should let me handle this," her words stuck in my head.

Avis raised her chin."Not in your favor."

Gloria laughed aloud, "Mhm, and how clear is your foresight in the dark?"

Avis stepped back, eyes wide. "How-"

"I'm sure you have a good idea of what your next steps will be, but determining Alex and Carrick will involve some guessing." Gloria smirked, shifting my feet.

"I'm a good guesser," Avis said, tightening her stance.

"Yes but what about things you're completely blind to? I am not in the timeline, I am absent from prophecy. Every vision you see is incomplete."

"At the tavern...I didn't see Alex coming because of you." Avis whispered, hands trembling.

Gloria nodded. "It was something I couldn't resist exploiting."

Avis snarled. "This is wicked, evil-"

"Tell that to the mastermind." Gloria pointed at Carrick.

All eyes on him, he raised his hands. "Now listen, do you think I knew what would happen? Foresight's your job, Avis."

I cleared my throat, taking back my mouth. "We don't want any trouble...Gloria and I are trying to fix things."

Avis twisted her face in horror. "Fix things? Is that what you think?"

"Shut up," Gloria's hiss slipped out.

"What is she talking about?" I asked, frozen in place.

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"She doesn't understand," her voice rang through my thoughts, shivers running down my arms.

Avis paced, glaring. "Honestly how could you not know? Look what you're doing.That song..." Avis grimaced.

"I don't-" my mind stopped, lyrics dancing through my head. Chaotic, jumbled, filtered through memory. So much about endings. One phrase stuck out, haunting me. Come that day when mortals die. I shook my head. "Gloria, you can't mean to…."

"The world is too far gone for redemption."

"No…" My horror slipped out, stolen but a sudden rush of ice. My voice choked out, I couldn't breathe, limbs seizing, I couldn't move. "Stop, what are you doing!"

"What I must, Alex," her whisper peppered with guilt. "I do truly love you."

"Gloria…" My vision blurred, coming in and out. My focus faded, fighting to stay present. I couldn't let Gloria do this.

Avis drew back. Dagger poised, certainty on her brow. "I'm warning you now, I'm prepared for this fight."

Gloria grinned. "Yes and I'm excited to test out these vocal cords." She turned back. "What do you think, Carrick? You've been pretty quiet. Ever thought much about dying?"

Carrick pulled out a sword. His posture, shaky, uncertain. "I don't want to hurt you, Gloria," he growled.

"That's not what you should be worrying about." She said, humming a starting note.

"They'll be ready for that," I warned, cutting through the confusion.

Gloria's smile unwavered. "Optimism, Alex."

Avis charged, a swipe of her dagger. Gloria ducked around her strikes, swinging the shovel back. The movement messing with my head, my stomach churned.

Gloria sang, spinning together something of a song. The tune, the same doomsday ballad from earlier. Air growing stiffer, Avis flinched, ducking back.

Carrick slashed after us with his blade. My vision choppy, Carrick's ugly face sneered at me. A desperate strike, his stance weak. Gloria whacked him with the shovel, his body crumpling to the floor. Avis came back with a swift kick, knocking me in the dirt.

Pain ripping through me, Gloria lifted us out of the dirt. Starting her song again, it built up with more power.

My assailants tensed, the song pulling at their will. I could feel the power building, wrapping around into a melody. Each note malleable, ready to bring the world along. Strange to be outside that power.

Carrick shifted, falling in line with the song. His sword sliced after Avis.

"Carrick!" Avis screamed, scattering away. "You're letting her control you!"

My laugh came out so gleeful. Gloria's laugh. My stomach knotted. She raised my arms triumphantly. "This power is incredible! I feel like I could overcome anything, be anything. There's nothing like this."

"It only feels that way," I warned, being shoved back.

Avis was iron, eyebrows locked down. She stood strong against the pull. Dodging Carrick's attacks, she turned back, kicking the sword from his grasp. He lunged, taken down by a jab to his throat.

"You will not win this fight," Avis roared, blade still in hand. She pointed at me."I will kill you."

Gloria smirked, changing the tempo of her song. The rhythm quick, moving up a scale. Notes higher than I thought my voice could go. Avis shut her eyes, arms seizing up. She dropped her dagger.

Her face twisted up in horror, eyes pleading, asking for mercy. She fell to her knees, head hung in defeat. No… My hands wrapped around the shovel, feet walking closer. I couldn't watch this. "Gloria, no!" I shouted, "You can't do this!"

She didn't slow, raising the shovel back. "I have to."

"No you don't." I reached back for control. My soul twisting, fighting against Gloria's. I couldn't fail. My hands shook, movement stalled. Gloria clawed at my consciousness. My hold was steady.

I took her voice.

My lips moved without sound, the power disintegrating. Avis blinked, sweat dripping down her forehead. Silence still in the air Carrick groaned, over rolling in the dirt. I did it, I won, I took back control.

"What do you think you're doing, Alex?" Gloria's voice, calm, quiet. Fear creeped back in, my hold slipping. I couldn't form words, my mind screaming back in confusion. She dug her fingers back in. I didn't want to go back. I couldn't go back.

Avis stood up. I didn't see the blade, a sharp slice in my side. Red stained my shirt, the bloch growing. My fingers grazed the wound, eyes stinging. Why? My vision blurred, spiralling as I fell into the depths of my mind. Lost in the recesses, awareness disappeared. There was no sun, not in the sky and not in my mind. All was dark.