Haco staggered into her office, her hands pressing into her chest as if they could quell the unbearable pain radiating from it. She felt raw, violated, as though her very being had been stripped bare. Her aspect of life, the gift of immortality, had been ripped from her, snatching her future away. The wound was invisible, yet more devastating than any physical blow.

She wasn't alone in her suffering. Nearly every member of the Twelve, similarly bound to their own aspects of life, were writhing in the same agony. Their newfound mortality was a chilling wake-up call; a stark reminder of the limited years that lay ahead. To most, half a century was a lifetime, but to Haco, it was nothing more than a fleeting moment. She was aware of her impending demise, her destiny seemingly intertwined with that of the already deceased Shan.

A wave of nausea rolled over her, and she lurched, the contents of her stomach splattering on the polished office floor. "This will pass," she muttered to herself, retreating to the solace of her desk. Her experiences reminded her of this truth. She had, in the past, claimed aspects from others, sometimes by force. She had reveled in their suffering, offering mercy only when it suited her. If she used the correct mixtures, the fatal outcome could be averted. They would endure sickness for days but eventually recover.

However, the Aspect of Life was a different beast entirely. Its withdrawal invoked an overwhelming onslaught of bonding sickness, which stacked up in hundreds. No amount of potions in Lampasa, The Watch's capital city, could ameliorate the consequences. She knew Trina had set death as the inevitable outcome for anyone who had tasted immortality through the Aspect of Life.

Yet, Haco wasn't caught off guard. She had concocted a solution when she had forcibly torn the aspects of life, might, and the hidden from Norimor, rendering her a helpless sufferer of the same mounting affliction. "Oh, how she had suffered," Haco murmured, a twisted grin pulling at her lips as another wave of pain racked her body. She gripped the edges of her desk tightly, forcing herself to remain seated.

Any semblance of empathy for Norimor evaporated, replaced by a seething rage. She had no definitive proof but suspected the culprit behind her loss. The prompt had claimed Trina had destroyed her Aspect of Life, but Haco knew better. The aspect hadn't transported itself to Trina. "No… she did it," Haco growled, drawing out a pen and paper from the drawer.

Following Vina's masterpiece creation, Haco hadn't remained idle. She'd delved deep into studying the upheavals in the world. Ebba had speculated about Vina's connection to Priya, but she had not gone so far as to consider Priya’s ties to Shan. However, Haco had known Shan personally and recognized exactly what Vina represented. She was the manifestation of Shan's retribution. He'd exploited every resource and nugget of knowledge to forge the perfect weapon.

"Vina..." Haco's voice trailed off, cut short by a wave of pain that caused her muscles to cramp. She held her breath, waiting for the pain to recede. When it finally did, her hands were trembling too much to write. She gripped the pen with both hands, determination flaring in her eyes. Her attributes overrode her momentary weakness.

Vina had taken a part of her soul. In return, Haco would take her life.

When her message was finally written, Haco was breathing hard from the effort. However, her work was far from done. The world was changing too rapidly, too chaotically, and the balance of power had shifted precariously. The Watch would succumb to the inevitability of old age within a few short years. What then? Would the Darkness triumph? Would she be erased and forgotten by the annals of time? "I can't allow that," she murmured, conjuring a box out of thin air.

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Haco had amassed extensive knowledge for The Watch. Once driven by a desperate search for Trina, her quest had morphed into a struggle for control in a world growing increasingly hostile. Her understanding surpassed others, including the enigmatic entity in Randar and the secrets beneath Prosit. Yet, some knowledge remained frustratingly out of reach.

"For now, this must suffice," she whispered, her hand delving into the depths of her box. Drawing out a crimson aspect, she bonded with it instantly. A brief respite from her bonding sickness washed over her, but the deeper wounds Vina had inflicted remained untouched, a constant reminder of her vulnerability.

With measured intent, she harnessed the aspect's power, embarking on the grueling task of diminishing her bonding sickness stacks. It was an endurance trial, hours in the making. And then, she would have to aid the rest of the Twelve, each grappling with their own turmoil.

A pang of worry for Ann, far across the world, tugged at her. "Her chances of returning are slim," she murmured, her voice barely audible in the vast, empty chamber.

"Haco," a voice echoed from the shadows.

Startled, Haco whirled around, flames dancing around her fingertips, ready for combat. Recognizing the voice, she exhaled, irritation flaring at the intrusion. "Tacey? What brings you here?"

"Don’t send your letter. Send me instead. Let me eliminate Vina and Norimor before they can destabilize our situation any further," Tacey implored, her voice laced with a rare display of emotion and urgency.

Haco scrutinized Tacey, noting the pain etched in her features from the loss of her Aspect of Life. "I'll send the letter first. It'll limit Vina’s options. The Shaper is already on her trail. You must focus on the larger conflict. As for Norimor, she’s not our immediate concern."

Tacey shook her head, her silhouette barely visible in the dim light. "Approving Vina and Norimor's mission to Valanire was a mistake. And now, another misstep looms. Vina's actions are corroding our foundations. Norimor is plotting something beyond our comprehension. We’re on the brink of disaster. If Vina disables enough portal rings to prevent Valtor’s people from escaping The Darkness, the consequences will be dire."

Few had the audacity to confront Haco directly, least of all to point out her errors. But Tacey was an exception. Long ago, Haco had acknowledged her own error in creating such potent combinations of aspects in a single individual—especially someone as unpredictable as Tacey. Haco's past indulgences, once thrilling, now stirred regret within her. There was no way to unwind the complex web she had spun. “I didn’t sanction their mission, but I will investigate.” Haco paused, her fingers absentmindedly tracing her lips. "Find The Shaper. Track Vina. Bring her to me alive. Nil will handle Norimor. No more distractions."

Tacey nodded, her form starting to blend with the encompassing shadows once more.

“Before you go, I can help you with the bonding sickness. Would you like me to alleviate some of your stacks?” Haco offered.

Tacey's form solidified once more, “Four hundred stacks of bonding sickness isn’t sufficient to slow me and Saryne. We'll manage it within a week, on our own. Time is a luxury we can no longer afford.”

Haco narrowed her eyes, suspicion flickering in her gaze. This was an unexpected development in Tacey’s capabilities. The severity of her own bonding sickness was testament enough to its debilitating effects. “Have you bonded with a new aspect?” she queried.

"No," Tacey replied, her voice fading into the darkness. "We'll report back with updates on Vina."

As Tacey vanished, Haco was left alone with her doubts. The magnitude of their bonding sickness should have been crippling, yet Tacey seemed unfazed. Haco pondered this anomaly, the weight of command pressing heavily upon her.