Several minutes earlier.

(“I can't tell her.”) He thought as he watched her cry. (“Not now anyway. Maybe on some day near or the day of my execution maybe, but…”) Tears started to well up in his eyes. (“I don't think I can ever forgive myself I'd I ever make her cry a second more. I'm sorry Tina. I'm sorry that you had to be taken care of by such a bastard. And sorry Ruby. If I never took care of her, she probably wouldn't think twice about killing me. I'm sure you’d rest easy if your niece killed your sister's killer. This never would have happened if I never took care of her…”) He thought as his eyes slowly closed. The battle with Tibaut had left his body in a miserable state, and it was only thanks to a drug Mr. Bentley had on hand that he was conscious. He wasn't sure if being conscious now was a blessing or a curse. He wouldn't have to see Tina cry, but none of the girls visiting him in whatever jail cell he would be thrown into and it slowly dawning they heard of sins would pain him equally.

The sound of glass breaking was heard coming from upstairs, startling the fading Ezekiel. He tried to pick himself off the ground but the damage done was too severe. He was able to lean himself up, using his arms to support himself and turned to the crying Tina, who briefly stopped to turn to the noise.

“D-damnit. Tina, please, could you convince Tibaut to spare the old man!” He begged with a weak voice.

Tina blankly looked upstairs and wiped the tears off her face. “I don't care anymore…” she commented before turning around.

“T-tina hold on! Listen, I know I've messed up but, please…(Oh what am I saying, the old man's probably dead now. It sounded like they were arguing before the glass broke.)” He sighed and his expression softened. “At least kill me if you're going to let the old man get killed. After all, you can't let your (No, Tina's strong. She didn't tell me much about her, but the way Ruby talked about the two, it really seemed like they were close. Well, if she doesn't kill me then… I'll probably just hide away somewhere and kill myself.)”

With it being likely his father had been killed, Ezekiel felt a strange resolve surge through him. His father didn't get to choose how he died, but he could. At this moment in time, he felt as though the only thing he could do to redeem himself for making the girl in front of him cry, was ensuring she was the one who was killing him.

Yet his lips quivered as he attempted to get the words out and she walked towards the exit, no hesitation in her step, as if the man who had taken care of her for years no longer existed.

But they both had their attention taken away when they heard a blast from outside the building.

“Huh? What the hell is Tibaut doing?” He wondered as he tried to stand up. Another blast was heard and Tina quickly ran up the stairs. A few moments passed and she came down the stairs, running to a nearby storage room.

“What's going on?” Ezekiel asked.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

She gave him no answer and spent a few moments in the storage room, running out with a spear in hand.

“Who the hell is that?” She said to herself as she ran back up the stairs.

Her attention was drawn away when the door opened and she quickly tried to wipe the tears off her face.

“Took you guys long enoug-”

It wasn't any of her comrades who stood by the door but rather… a strange person in black armour. The black armour combined with the red eyes of the helmet unnerved the pair as they looked at him.

He looked at the man on the ground and walked towards him. Tina slowly approached as well, standing between him and Ezekiel.

“This guy your friend, Ezekiel?” She coldly asked.

He held her spear up and got into a fighting pose.

“So that is Ezekiel.” The man stated. “You and that boss of yours have been quite a thorn recently.” He stated.

“?”

“Who the hell are you, huh, you ugly piece of shit. I bet that's why you're not showing your face.” Tina anxiously stated. The night had not been kind to her and she looked to be a hairpin’s trigger away from bludgeoning this fool with her spear.

“I'll assume the woman speaks for you. But I'm surprised Daniel never mentioned me at any point during your intentional contact with each other. Regardless…” He looked around the room and noticed a body lying on a table at the far end of the room.

They were covered in blankets and had a blonde head of hair.

“(So he is dead. You never know with that man.) I can't exactly let this slide given I've come all the way here.” He slowly approached Tina but stopped.

“Ah, right, an introduction. Given our change in direction and infamy, there's no need to hide my identity. I'm the Bishop of this country.”

“Bishop? Yeah, right, what church has a bastard like you in it?” Tina answered.

“The Marrow of Lucifer. Now out of my way, he wasn't the best supply of essence but he was easily my most consistent.”

“Marrow of what?” Tina wondered.

“He's a high-ranking cultist, Tina, get out of here!” Ezekiel now managed to get onto his feet and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Screw off!” She said as she shrugged his hand off her shoulder. She ran towards the man in armour and felt herself get pulled back and behind Ezekiel. She wanted to complain but the sight in front of her made her drop to her knees.

The “Bishop” had closed the distance between them and the lower arm of his gauntlet was now inside Ezekiel. He had lifted him into the air and stared into his face, as he tried to push himself off his arm.

“Is she special to you?” He asked, staring into Ezekiel's face.

He didn't answer. Her breath began to turn ragged as she looked at what happened.

“Don't worry, I have no business with her. I could have easily killed her when you pulled her back.”

Ezekiel stopped resisting and his arms fell limply. “Thank you. Can I say one last thing to her?”

“Go ahead.”