Chapter XXXVIII

As the spray of glass shards scattered across the balcony, Eric used his wind magic to keep any of them from hitting Lilly as he landed firmly between her and Album, his arms outstretched with power surging around them. He knew what was happening the moment the power went out and, when he heard Lilly’s scream, he hurriedly barked a few orders to Damien and Liz before launching himself through the sliding glass doors. Had the situation not been so urgent, he wouldn’t have smashed through them, but he didn’t have time to open them, so he told himself he would fix it if he survived this encounter. His breathing was ragged as he eyed the woman in white standing just before him. He was determined not to let her get anywhere near Lilly or the others, but as he quickly took in his surroundings, he realized that Nigreos wasn’t present. He was about to demand where the Master of Darkness was when he realized something else—something far more terrifying.

Alice Mendez, despite having just gone out to the balcony to talk with Lilly, wasn’t there.

“Glad you could join us, Reiner,” Album said with a cocky smirk. “And luckily for you, this should be our last encounter. We’ll be finishing this tonight.”

He clenched his teeth, praying that Lilly would turn and run away, but she never moved from her spot behind him. He kept glancing around for Nigreos, knowing that the man would have to be out there somewhere, but Album’s next words caused him to exhale sharply.

“Oh don’t worry,” she went on. “Nigreos will be here soon enough…once he’s finished dealing with Clark, Tao, and Hill.”

No! He’s going after them?!

His immediate instinct was to turn and run, but he forced himself to refrain from acting irrationally, knowing he couldn’t just abandon Lilly to Album.

But if I stay here then I’m leaving the others to face Nigreos!

“So you have a choice,” the Master of Light stated. “I can’t harm you with my magic and thus, as long as you place your body between myself and Harper, she is safe. But if you stay here, the rest of your friends will be finished. So, are you going to move and give me the chance to erase Harper, or are you going to let the others die?”

What should I do?! What the hell do I do?! I thought gathering everybody here would make it easier to protect them! But now… I can’t be at two places at once! Damien, Liz, Natalie!

He swallowed, the images of all those he had lost flashing across his mind. Vinny, Brad, Jay, Rina, and even Evan. He’d already failed so many people and now, he was being told that he had to choose between those that remained. His first instinct was to go after and protect the larger number of people, but by doing that, he would be allowing Album to kill Lilly and he couldn’t accept that either.

“Make your decision, Reiner,” Album pressed when he remained silent. “The clock is ticking…and you’ve already failed Alice Mendez. She got the paradise she so wanted.”

He already knew. When he arrived on that balcony and saw Album instead of Alice, he knew that she was gone. He knew that another person had been lost to erasure, yet hearing it directly from Album’s mouth was somehow all it took to make it feel real. Anger boiled up inside of him. As he looked at the smug woman before him, he felt such passionate hatred that if he was given the chance, he knew he could kill her without hesitation.

“Eric, I’m being serious! I actually think Alice might be right! What if they’re all alive?! What if, by killing Album and Nigreos, we can somehow bring them back?!”

Liz’s words from earlier in the week came back to him and in that moment, he prayed with all his heart that they were true.

I know it’s unlikely! I know this world of magic is far too cruel for that to be the case, but I want to believe I can save them! I want to believe something can be done to bring everybody back… So then… He grit his teeth. Maybe the only way to save both Lilly and the others would be to beat the shit out of Album Luz right here and now!

“You’re not as talkative as you often are,” Album mused. “But I suppose that’s fine. Take your time and think.”

He took a deep breath, wanting to test one thing before he acted. “Tell me. The ones you erased aren’t dead, are they? They’re alive?”

She smirked. “They are. We’ve been telling you that since the very beginning, haven’t we? They’re merely somewhere else…in another plane of existence.”

“Good,” he growled. “And I don’t imagine you’d let them go?”

Album cocked an eyebrow. “There isn’t a thing you could do to make me release anybody. They will be remaining in that realm for the rest of their lives, and soon enough, the rest of your friends will join them.”

“Is that so?” He clenched his fists. “So be it then. If you won’t let them out, then I’ll make you.” Then, just as Album seemed to be growing even smugger, he shouted, “Proto!”

The Master of Light’s eyes went wide as he launched from his spot in front of Lilly and toward her, but just as he predicted, she jumped at the opening he had made. Album’s body turned into a bright light as she flashed across the balcony and toward where Lilly was standing. But that was what he hoped she would do. The moment he made his move, he used magic to push himself back, revealing his feint, just as Album reached out for his girlfriend. And the moment her arm of light touched his chest, his mother’s voice echoed through his mind.

I’ll always be there for you, Eric. I promise I’ll never abandon you.

As if Album had deactivated the spell, her body instantly regained its physical form, her eyes going wide as his mother’s protection defended him. She immediately pulled her hand away, but the damage was already done. The tips of her fingers on her left hand had seemingly been severed, blood spewing from the wounds.

You didn’t think I’d be stupid enough to give you that opening, did you?!

Yet, he knew she did. Every time he spoke with them, he realized just how arrogant Nigreos and Album were. They looked down upon them, saw themselves as superior, and while that may be true in many ways, their arrogance was their weakness and he planned to take full advantage of that.

“Proto!”

As Album frantically tried to put distance between them, Eric lunged forward, grabbing her by the neck and slamming her body against the railing of the balcony, using wind magic to enhance his strength. However, he put far more magic into the attack, and the force was strong enough to shatter the wooden barrier, sending both of them hurtling over the side and toward the empty street below them. Frantically releasing his hold on the woman, he called out, “Ventus!”, causing his fall to slow enough that he was able to land gracefully on the road in front of the apartment building. Across from him, Album used her magic to once again turn her body into light, lessening the impact of her fall. However, it didn’t completely negate it and, when her back hit the concrete, the spell deactivated and she cried out in pain.

“Eric!”

He heard Lilly’s shout from up on the balcony, but he ignored her, his sights set solely on Album Luz. If he gave her even a second, she would turn back into a being of light and, at that speed, he would never be able to catch her again. He couldn’t allow her to slip through his fingers. He was going to kill her right then and there, and hopefully that would be enough to bring down the supposed paradise.

He shouted his incantation and launched himself toward her just as she was pushing herself to his feet. Eric used his wind magic to put more force into his right foot as he sent a kick right into her side, sending the woman flying like a ragdoll into the lamppost across the street. Never once breaking his stride, he darted across the road to where she sat, stunned, and sent his fist right into her nose. The audible crack was one of the most satisfying feelings he’d had in a long time.

“I’ll kill you!” he snarled, slamming his fist into her face again, this time against her cheek. “How dare you look down on me! How dare you try to take everything away from me! Bring them back! Bring them back, god damn it!”

I’m going to kill her! I’m going to fucking kill her for this!

Every time he punched her, he saw images of those she’d taken from him. He recalled Rina’s corpse sitting slumped on the side of the road. He thought about how he felt when the club forgot about Vinny, and when he saw what they did to Jay. They were evil pieces of shit and he was going to make them regret ever coming to Wilham.

“Luminetta,” Album rasped before he could get another punch in, and seconds later, a beam of light slammed into his chest, knocking him backwards.

Don’t worry, Eric. I’m still by your side.

The beam dissipated and Album cried out in pain, the bone in her left hand sounding like it must have snapped. Her face was swollen and bloody, and the look of fury in her eyes made him smile with satisfaction.

“Look who’s powerless now!” he roared. “You can’t do a damn thing to me!”

“I’ll…” she breathed.

But before she could get another word out, he raised his hand and snarled, “Perkari!”

A blade of wind burst from his fingers and cleaved through her right elbow, blasting her limp arm off and sending it flying onto the road in a spray of blood. She shouted out in pain and, having learned from his last mistake, he sent a burst of flame toward the severed hand, setting it alight and charring it to ash.

“That was for Vinny,” he breathed.

Album stared at it in horror, seemingly barely keeping herself from screaming, right before he sent a wind-powered kick into the side of her head, knocking her to the concrete. He rushed forward and pressed his foot against the side of her head, then brought his mana to his toes, knowing it would give him the strength to crush her skull beneath him if he chose to.

“Bring them back!” he demanded. “Release them from wherever they are and then leave here! Because if you don’t I will kill you!”

For the first time since they met a little over a week ago, he saw fear in her eyes and he knew that she realized he wasn’t bluffing. He was prepared to kill her for everything she and Nigreos had done. He reveled in her fear and was happy to drag her down to his level.

“You shouldn’t have underestimated me,” he growled.

For a second, he saw that fear remained in her black gaze, but her pride must have overtaken it because she forced a defiant smile. “Underestimated you?” she uttered. “You were only able to do this because of your mother’s damn protection. There’s nothing special about you.”

He increased the pressure on her head and saw her wince in pain.

“Let them go!” he ordered yet again.

“You can’t…kill me,” Album spat, blood dripping from her mouth. “Killing me…won't bring your friends…back.”

He snorted. “Is that so? Well why don’t we see about that—”

“Let her go, Reiner!”

He froze and when he turned his head to stare back over his shoulders, he saw Nigreos Noctis standing a few yards away with Lilly right beside him, shadows twisting around her body.

“Let her go,” the Master of Darkness repeated. “Or I’ll kill Harper.”

At that moment, Eric didn’t know what he was supposed to do. On one hand, he had Album Luz under his foot, at his mercy, but on the other, Lilly was once again in danger. With Nigreos’s shadows surrounding her, he knew the Master wouldn’t hesitate to kill her on the spot. He might prefer to erase them all, but with his partner at risk, Eric couldn’t put it past him to kill Lilly if it meant saving Album.

And they’ve already killed Rina. I know he’ll make good on his threat if I don’t act now.

Yet, he knew that if he released the Master of Light, he would be losing his only chance at killing one of them and potentially bringing everybody back. Album had been responsible for so much of his loss and he wanted to believe that her death would solve everything—to undo what she had done.

But…is victory really worth Lilly’s life?! Of course not! I swore I’d protect her! I can’t let her die! I can’t let Nigreos take her away from me! He’s already killed my mother! I won’t let him kill my girlfriend, too!

“Release her first,” Eric spat. “Otherwise, we don’t have a deal.”

Nigreos narrowed his eyes. “Oh really? And if I let Harper go first, what’s preventing you from killing Album?”

“If I release Album, there’s nothing preventing you from killing Lilly,” he retorted.

He could see the unbridled fear in Lilly’s eyes as she watched them, and he could tell that she knew just how at risk she was. Nigreos could rip her apart with a flick of his wrist and her life would be snuffed out. Of course, if he did kill her then Eric wouldn’t hesitate to kill Album without mercy. From there, he would do everything in his power to kill Nigreos where he stood. If Lilly died, he would ensure that neither of those Masters ever found their way back to Ijiria. He would protect what little remained of his life with everything he had.

“I’m not moving, Nigreos!” he snarled. “Release Lilly and I swear on my mother’s name that I’ll let Album go! Just don’t harm her any more than you already have!”

He increased the pressure he was putting on Album’s head to show the Master what he was willing to do. As he briefly glanced around, he found that the streetlights all around them had gone dark and shadow was swirling around, blocking them from the view of any civilians that might have been watching.

“Fine then,” Nigreos snapped. “Have it your way, Reiner.”

Then, he grinned and swung his hand out, commanding the shadows not to release Lilly but to hurl her body through the barrier of shadows and out of sight. Acting purely on instinct, Eric propelled himself from where Album stood and shot himself through the shadows, emerging on the darkened road beyond. Lilly’s form was heading straight for the concrete so he launched himself below her just before she hit the ground, wrapping his arms around her and catching her. He let out an exhale of relief and he could see her shaking, her skin pale and her eyes wide.

“Eric,” she uttered. “Thank you. I…I don’t… I…”

“It’s okay,” he whispered, grateful beyond belief that she was okay. “Now I need you to run. Please, go to my house and hide with my father. Get as far away from here as possible, Lilly, and find some way to contact Damien or Liz. I’ll…find some way to fight Nigreos. Album’s already down so it’s just him.”

She weakly shook her head. “N-no…Eric, I can’t…”

“Just go!” he urged, frantically glancing back at the mass of shadow, terrified that the Master of Darkness was about to make his move. “Please, get out of here! I can’t go all out with you here! I’ll meet you there, okay?”

He could tell that she didn’t want to leave him but, most likely seeing how desperate he was, she stumbled to her feet and nodded.

“Please,” she said. “Be safe.”

He forced a weak smile. “Of course. Now run, please.”

With one last look of fear, Lilly turned and took off running down the road before disappearing into the dark. Content that she would be safe for the moment, he turned around to face the shadow, bringing his wind magic back to his fists just as the man in black stalked out, an annoyed look on his face.

“You know it’s pointless to have her run,” he stated. “We’ll find her eventually.”

Eric scoffed. “Not if I kill you right here.”

Nigreos shrugged. “Sure, if you were capable. But you’re not. You may have beaten Album with your mother’s blood magic, but you won’t beat me. I can assure you of that.”

Well…we’ll see about that.

“Proto!”

***

When the lights abruptly shut off, Damien Clark realized that the time had come—Nigreos and Album had made their move. Eric jumped to his feet just as they heard Lilly shout out on the balcony and, in that moment, all his old friend did was look back at him and shout, “keep Natalie safe!” before he chanted one of his spells and burst through the glass doors. He’d been expecting an attack though he hadn’t thought the Ijirians would go after them while they were in Lilly’s apartment. However, he knew they didn't have time to hesitate. He could feel the handgun tucked into his belt, concealed beneath his shirt. He’d kept it on him outside of school since Monday and now, he knew he wouldn’t have an option but to use it. He exchanged a quick look with Liz, but the girl was already on her feet.

“What’s going on?” Natalie cried out in fear. “What was that crash?! Why’s Eric shouting?! Did something break?”

“We’ll explain later,” he replied quickly, reaching out and scooping the small girl up into his arms.

Her features were panicked and she tried to struggle against him, but Liz hurriedly cut in to calm her down. “It’s okay, Nat’,” she assured her. “We just need to run! Something really bad is happening and we need to keep you safe. Just stay with us! Please.”

The girl looked ready to protest again, but she must have heard the desperation and fear in Liz’s voice because all she did was weakly nod.

“Okay, but…what about Lilly and Eric?”

Damien frantically glanced over his shoulder and instantly felt sick to his stomach. He could see a woman in white that he knew was Album Luz standing on the edge of the balcony and ahead of her was Eric and Lilly. He desperately wanted to rush out and help them, but he didn’t want to give Eric somebody else to protect so he knew he didn’t have a choice but to listen to what he told him to do.

We need to get Natalie to safety!

“They’ll be fine!” Damien said. “But we need to run! Now!”

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He could feel her trembling in his arms and he couldn’t imagine how confused and frightened she must be, especially given how little they actually said. So it was a testament to her trust in Liz and the rest of the club that she simply pressed her head against his shoulder and nodded once more.

“Okay,” she murmured.

Knowing they had very little time to waste and praying that Eric and Lilly would be safe, Damien and Liz rushed toward the front door and hurriedly threw it open before rushing out into the hallway. The lights in the corridor were off as well and other tenants had already come outside to see what was happening. The minute the three of them rushed outside, an older woman from next door looked their way with obvious concern.

“I heard a crash. Is everything okay?” she asked.

Liz forced a smile as she closed the door behind them. “Uh, yeah, we’re fine. Don’t worry about us!”

Then, without waiting for her response, they took off running down the hall, ignoring the protests of the neighbors calling after them. Damien knew there was very little chance that they could hide what was happening from them and since they didn’t have the keys, there was nothing stopping Lilly’s neighbors from looking inside and seeing the shattered glass doors.

Damn it! And they’ve seen our faces! If we do get out of this somehow, I don’t have a damn idea how we’re going to explain all of this! I guess I just have to hope it was too dark for them to make out any details!

But he knew that was a problem for another time seeing as there wasn’t any certainty that they would even survive the night. Natalie was crying and shaking and he wished he could offer words of comfort, but he could only press forward and pray they would survive.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered to her as they rounded a corner and rushed toward the elevators.

Yet, they came to an immediate stop, both his and Liz’s eyes going wide as they gaped in terror and the man in black standing just in front of the elevator doors, his form almost seeming to be merging with the shadows that surrounded him. However, the smug grin on his face was clear as day.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Nigreos called over to them. “You would be Damien Clark and Elizabeth Tao, correct? Ah, and you’ve got Miss Hill with you, too? Excellent.”

“Who is that?” Natalie whispered. “Why does he know my name? I don’t recognize that voice.”

Unfortunately, Damien knew he had to ignore her soft questions as he finally found himself facing the Master of Darkness.

“Liz, keep Natalie behind you,” he muttered.

She looked confused but still did what he asked as he placed the little girl on the ground. Damien then walked forward, putting himself between the two girls and the Ijirian. Nigreos appeared amused as he folded his hands behind his back and regarded him.

“You’re Nigreos Noctis,” Damien said, more a statement than a question.

The Master smirked. “I am, yes. Glad to see you’ve heard of me as that should make my job easier. You should know how powerful I am and thus, you should know that fighting is pointless. So you might as well come with me peacefully and we can put this whole situation behind us.”

Damien could see the shadows slowly moving along the wall, seeming to slither toward him and the others, so he slid his hand down to where his weapon was concealed. He couldn’t even begin to guess what a weapon of technology would do against magic, but he considered it better than not being armed at all.

“Put the situation behind us, huh?” he replied, never removing his eyes from his opponent. “You mean you’ll get rid of us…send us to that paradise place or whatever?”

Nigreos grinned. “Yes, that would be the case. I can indeed have you sent to a place equivalent to a paradise. I should consider myself grateful that Mendez already told you about what we’re doing to you. It might make this all easier.”

Damien frowned, thrown off by the man’s words. “Mendez?”

“Hmm?” Nigreos looked confused for a moment before a knowing expression appeared on his face. “Ah, so she’s already been dealt with. Good to know.”

Already been dealt with? No! Wait! Don’t tell me we lost somebody else! Was there supposed to be somebody else here?!

He’d been under the impression that Liz had come up with the theory of a paradise from the bits and pieces of information they’d been able to gather, but was it possible that there was somebody erased that had set them on that train of thought? He didn’t even want to consider what that could mean, but he didn’t want to let it cloud his judgment at such a crucial moment. The shadows were still getting closer.

I can’t drag this out. I should just act and hope for the best!

“So, will you at least cooperate with us, Mr. Clark?” Nigreos went on. “I assure you that it’ll be less painful for you if you do.”

He subtly wrapped his fingers around the handle of the gun, knowing that failure could mean either dying or finding himself erased. “Sure, I’ll cooperate with you,” he said simply, then in one swift move, going through the motions he had been practicing since Monday, he flicked off the safety, took the gun in both hands, and pulled the trigger numerous times.

The sound of gunshots rang through his ears, seemingly echoing throughout the corridor as if the shadows surrounding them were keeping the sound contained within, but despite the sudden ringing, Damien refused to turn his weapon away from the Master of Darkness. However, not a single bullet landed. The shadows on the walls all burst off forward and placed themselves between Damien and Nigreos, stopping the bullets as if the darkness had become solid. It wasn’t what he had hoped for but it was better than nothing.

“Liz, go!” he shouted, spinning around to find that his girlfriend already had Natalie firmly on her back. He could tell she was shocked to see the gun, but she was quick enough to turn and sprint back in the direction they had come.

“The stairs, right?” she breathed and Damien nodded.

But of course, he knew it wasn’t going to be as simple as running.

“Why do you all have to fight back?!” Nigreos roared from behind them, and within seconds, the darkness of the hallways seemed to take a solid shape as they burst toward them, seeming to go specifically toward their legs.

Damien quickly turned the gun toward them and fired off a few more shots, hoping that if the shadows had become solid then he might be able to deal at least some damage. Unfortunately, while it did stop the darkness for a moment, it didn’t cause them to disappear. Cursing the indomitable power before him, he rounded the corner with Liz and Natalie at his side and he knew the stairwell had to be close by. Natalie was crying and he was certain the gunshots only terrified her more than she probably already was. Damien knew they wouldn’t be able to outrun the darkness and reach the stairs in time, but without any warning, the tendrils suddenly vanished and the shadows around them returned to their normal state.

What the hell just happened?! Why did they stop all of a sudden?!

“It’s up ahead,” Liz called out, making a b-line for a door off to their left.

Damien picked up his pace and wrenched the door open. Once he was certain neither of the Masters were waiting within, he beckoned Liz to follow after him, then hurriedly closed the door.

“Don’t move yet,” he quickly said, taking heavy breaths as he tried to calm himself. “Nigreos could be waiting for us down at the bottom. For the moment, it might be safer here. At the very least, we can take this chance to come up with a plan.”

“Guys…what’s going on?” Natalie managed to ask between sobs. “Why are there gunshots? Who was that man? I’m scared.”

“It’s going to be okay,” Liz quickly whispered in another attempt at comfort. “I promise.”

The bespectacled girl then glanced over at Damien and eyed the gun still clutched in his hands.

“Borrowed it from my dad,” he answered the unspoken question. “I wanted to have at least something to defend us with, not like it did all that much, though.”

“Yeah, I figured that much,” she murmured, though she still looked slightly scared by it. “Thanks.”

He could hear a commotion taking place on the other side of the door. Between the power outage and the gunshots, he couldn’t begin to guess what the apartment’s other tenants were now thinking.

And if anybody discovers the mess in the Harpers’ apartment, then when the police arrive, they’re going to want to talk to Lilly. At this point, I don’t have a damn clue how we’re going to explain away any of this. It’s not like we can tell the cops that some magic wielding maniacs are trying to erase us from existence.

“Alright, let’s go,” he muttered. “Hand Natalie over to me and let’s see if we can get out of here.”

Liz obliged, passing the crying girl over to him so he could hold her firmly on his back. To her credit, as terrified as she seemed, she still latched onto him and held on tight, confirming that she was relying on them to protect her. He kept his gun held in his hands, ready to fire at anything that attacked them. Damien clenched his teeth, then rushed down the stairs with his girlfriend at his side. He went fast but made sure he didn’t lose his footing in the darkened stairwell, all the while waiting for Nigreos, or even Album, to make an appearance, but to his relief, they made it to the first floor without incident. He quietly peeked out into the hallway beyond the door and found he could hear people talking off in the direction of the lobby. They sounded scared and frantic.

We can’t chance going out the front. I don’t want anybody to see us again.

Instead of heading for the front doors in the lobby, he motioned for Liz to follow him toward the exit in the back of the building that he knew would lead to a less populated alleyway. As they moved swiftly through the hall, he continued to fear that he’d either run into another tenant or one of the Ijirians, but yet again, they reached the backdoor without an encounter.

“We’ll head to my place,” he whispered as he reached for the doorknob. “Hopefully we can be safe there until we get ahold of Eric.”

Liz nodded, her body shaking as she nervously glanced over their shoulder. “Okay, yeah. Sure.”

Content that they now had a plan to follow, he gently pulled open the door and poked his head out, only for it to fling open further by itself. He cried out in surprise and went to step back, but before he could react, he grunted in pain as something was shoved straight through his chest. But he didn’t have the chance to look down, his eyes already locked on the bruised and bloody face right in front of him—the face of a woman he knew was Album Luz.

“You lose,” she wheezed.

“Damien!” he heard Liz exclaim. “Natalie!”

Album wrenched her hand free, sending his blood spurting from the wound as she regarded him with hatred and malice. He couldn’t bring himself to speak as the shock and pain brought him to one of his knees. He knew he had to get up and run, if not for his sake then for Natalie and Liz’s, but the sudden pain overwhelmed him. He wanted to raise the gun and fire off a few shots at Album, but his vision was already turning hazy and weak.

And it was then that he realized he wasn’t the only one gasping for air. Behind him, Natalie’s breathing had become ragged and seconds later, her grasp on his body weakened and she fell from his back to the hallway floor.

“It’s over,” Album rasped. “For all three of you.”

***

Just like Album, Nigreos Noctis was an arrogant fool who only continued to underestimate him. Eric was able to use that fact to catch the Master of Light by surprise and take her down before she knew what was happening. That was his plan with Nigreos. They were far too experienced to beat if he took them on in head-to-head combat, but if he could get the upper hand at the very beginning, he would have them. So, he launched himself at Nigreos with everything he had, prepared for him to try and use his darkness to fight back. He knew that as long as Nigreos couldn’t use magic, the fight could be won.

So, he wasn’t ready when the Master of Darkness met Eric’s charge not with a wave of shadow, but with his fist. It collided with his chin, snapping his head backwards and dropping him to the ground in a spasm of pain. The boy crumpled to the concrete, stars spinning in his vision as he frantically scrambled to get back to his feet.

What happened?! How was his attack so fast?!

“You know, something flawed about blood magic,” Nigreos began as he watched Eric stumble to his feet. “It only protects against magical attacks. But, should I use magic to simply enhance my physical abilities, the defense is nullified.”

Eric exhaled sharply, seeing the wind magic swirling around his opponent's fist. He…used the same spell I was using on Album?! He amplified the force of his punch with wind magic?!

“Now, why don’t we talk properly,” Nigreos went on.

“Carseka!”

Pushing through the pain, Eric dropped to the ground and pressed his hands against the concrete, sending his mana flowing into it. Where Nigreos stood, the ground shot upwards, aiming to trap him within rock the same way he did to Jay. Yet the Master simply launched himself from the ground, the explosion of rock missing him entirely as he soared over Eric’s head and landed twenty feet behind him.

“Honestly, Reiner,” he snapped. “This is a waste of both of our time. This is ending tonight whether you like it or not, so we might as well cease the fighting and talk.”

“Perkari!” he chanted, ignoring Nigreos once again and sending blades of wind straight for his throat. “Condite! Perkari!”

He continued to chant, but his spells wouldn’t land. Nigreos either dodged the attacks completely, or faded into the darkness and allowed them to pass through him.

Damn it all! If I can just get close to him then I can get the upper hand!

“Fine then. If you won’t talk, I’ll just beat you into the ground until you don’t have an option!” the Master snarled, his body merging with the shadows once more.

Eric prepared himself to launch another wave of attacks wherever Nigreos reappeared, but he still wasn’t ready when only the Master’s hand emerged from the darkness, sending a wind-powered punch right into his cheek. The boy cried out in shock and desperately sent another blade of wind hurtling toward where Nigreos had attacked from, but the Master’s fist had already vanished, reappearing to the left as another punch slammed into his stomach, knocking the air out of him.

What the hell?!

He kept trying to fight back, but Nigreos’s body wouldn’t fully emerge and instead, the Master of Darkness assaulted him from every direction, sending numerous punches into his body before fading back into shadow. Pain was spreading all throughout him and he felt sick to his stomach before one last attack jammed straight into his nose. Eric lurched backwards, skidding along the concrete before rolling a few feet and going still, stuck on his back as he gaped up at the darkened sky, gasping for air.

“You see, Reiner?” came Nigreos’s voice, though with his body bonded with the shadows, it sounded like it was coming from all around him. “You’re weak. Your blood protection might have worked on Album, but it won’t stop me. You may have taken us by surprise many times, but at the end of the day, your fate was already determined.”

Nigreos emerged right over him, his white eyes staring down at Eric with what seemed a mix of sadness and pity. Eric wanted so badly to use every attack in his arsenal to rip Nigreos to pieces, but he didn’t have the energy. Every part of his body was in pain and he felt like he could puke at any moment.

“I said it back in the forest and I’ll say it again,” the Master continued. “We need not be enemies. You are half-Ijirian and a damn talented mage. You belong in the Citadel, among other people like you, not in this disgusting magicless town. So come with me, Eric. I’ll take you to where you really belong.”

He extended his black hand, a serious look on his face as he tried to convince Eric to go with him.

Where I really belong? Ijiria?

The boy grit his teeth, thinking of everything he’d been through in Wilham. He recalled his time spent with the Magic Club, and with Lilly when she joined. He thought about how happy he was when she asked him out and how much fun he’d had over the years with Vinny, Damien, and Liz. Until Nigreos and Album arrived, he had been happy despite losing his mother. He would do anything to go back to those simple days. And so for Nigreos to tell him he didn’t belong there only made his hatred burn hotter.

“As if…I could ever…go with you…” he sputtered.

Nigreos narrowed his eyes. “Reiner, listen to—”

“Infernus,” he spat.

Using what energy he could, Eric raised his arm toward the Master just as fire exploded from it. He put every last bit of mana into that attack and so, it came out far more violently than he had intended. All the darkness surrounding them was overtaken by fire, its heat scorching and painfully bright. He heard Nigreos cry out in horror though he couldn’t see where the Master was anymore. All he could do was rely on his instincts and run before he was killed. So he rolled over and chanted, “Proto”. Fighting through the utter pain, he felt his body soar through the flames and away from wherever Nigreos Noctis was.

***

Liz took an involuntary step back as she stared blankly at the scene before her. Album Luz was standing in the doorway, her black eyes wild and her body covered in blood, the white of her suit and skin dyed with red splotches. Her right arm was completely severed off, but there was no sign of blood dripping from the stump. And right in front of her, Damien was kneeling, clutching the bloody wound in his chest with Natalie collapsed behind him, the same wound spurting blood from her tiny form. Liz had seen it all. She had been standing behind them just as the pale arm was shoved through the both of them and she had heard them cry out in pain.

“Mommy,” Natalie uttered, her breathing ragged. “Mom… Mommy…”

No! Please no! Don’t let this be real! We were going to get away! We were going to escape!

“Liz,” Damien rasped. “Get out of here.”

But she ignored him. Relying purely on her instincts, she rushed forward and placed herself between the Master of Light and Damien and Natalie. She knew it was stupid, but she couldn’t allow herself to stand by and watch them either die or get erased. She was shaking with fear, but she thrust her arms out and planted herself firmly in front of the doorway where Album was.

The woman in white narrowed her eyes. “You know there’s nothing you can do now, girl. It’s over. They’re going to be erased…so do you intend to make this easy for me? Would you like to join them?”

Liz clenched her teeth, wanting to do something but not knowing how she could possibly fight this godly being before her. She frantically tried to think of any way to save Damien and Natalie, and for a moment, she glanced down at the gun laying beside her boyfriend. Her first thought was to lunge for it and hope for the best, but they’d already seen how ineffective it had been on Nigreos.

“Stop this,” Liz cried, instead turning back to face Album. “What is wrong with you people?! We’ve never done anything wrong! All we did was screw around with a stupid gemstone! We didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into! We didn’t—!”

She exhaled sharply as Album lunged forward, driving her left hand straight through her chest so fast that Liz hardly processed it. The Master’s face was inches from her own, emotionless as she gazed at the bespectacled girl.

“Liz!” Damien cried weakly.

“I do not care,” Album whispered, ignoring the boy and facing only her. “Why would I care about your feelings? Why would somebody as worthless as you mean anything to me? I have my mission and I will complete it.”

Without waiting for a response, she pulled her fist from Liz’s chest and grabbed her by the face before slamming her into the wall with strength surprising for her smaller build. Liz slid to the ground, feeling her blood beginning to stain her shirt. Damien was slowly rising to his feet, but Album dropped him back to the ground with a blast of light that shot through his leg. Liz desperately wanted to reach out and help him, but she couldn’t get her body to move.

“Look how pitiful you are,” Album spat. “Just like that, you’re all on your knees. You are nothing before me. You thought you could fight back, but you couldn’t. And now, it’ll all be over. Harper and Reiner will be the last ones left, and I will see to it that they die before the dawn.”

“Dami…en. Li…z…”

When Liz weakly turned her head, she saw that Natalie had rolled onto her stomach and was grasping at the air, her hand outstretched toward where they lay. Tears were rolling down her pale cheeks and the sight made Liz want to cry, too.

“Please,” Liz rasped. “Spare Natalie. She’s just a kid. We…dragged her into this… She’s…innocent…”

Album glanced down at her right before a twisted smile spread across her lips. “Erasurei…Natalie…”

“No!” Liz gasped, sending more pain through her body as, right before her eyes, Natalie began to crumble into dust. Liz tried to reach out for her but it was no use, and instead she was stuck with her back up against the wall as she watched the little girl she failed to protect crumble until there was nothing left of her.

Wait…what just happened? Why am I staring at the ground?

Yet, despite not knowing why she was gazing at the floor, she felt a powerful anger surging through her, as if she had just lost something dear to her.

“You’ve lost,” Album said, turning a sharp look between both Liz and Damien. “It’s over for you.”

Liz grit her teeth, wanting to oppose her with everything she had. If she was reaching the end, she wanted to go out with as much defiance as she could.

“You’re wrong,” Liz spat venomously. “We just lost the battle…but the war will go on. When you erase us…we aren’t dead, right? We’re just somewhere else.”

The Master of Light scowled. “That is correct.”

“Good,” she whispered. “Then we’ll come back. I’ll find some way…anyway…to crawl out of that place…and find you again. You won’t get away with this. We’re…” She swallowed back the pain and forced a smug grin to rival Album’s. “...We’re the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team. We won’t go down…this easily. We’ll find you…and make you regret…ever coming…to Wilham.”

But Album merely chuckled in the face of her threat. “I would like to see you try.” Then she turned her back to them and muttered, “Erasurei.”

Then, with the utterance of that last word, Album Luz vanished in a flash of light.

Liz felt a tremor run up her body and she knew that whatever Album had just said was the incantation for the erasure. Everything was about to end and she was going to go to the erased world. She was scared, but at the same time, she was determined. She meant every word she said. She and the others would find their way home, one way or another. She refused to let this be the end.

“Liz,” Damien choked as he dragged himself toward her, his arm outstretched to where she was sitting, his body splayed out across the hallway. “I… Liz…I’m sorry…I failed…”

She could see his form beginning to crumble into dust as she weakly reached out and clutched his hand. Her own fingers were already falling apart as they turned to dust as well.

“It’s okay…” she whispered. “We haven’t…failed yet… We’ll…escape from inside.” She tightened her grip as her legs fell apart. “We’ll…beat them. Just…do me a favor and…” She forced back her tears, not wanting to cry at that moment. “...don’t forget me…Damien.”

“I won’t… I…promise.”

Those four words were the last thing she heard before everything went dark and her mind shut down.

***

There was nothing.

***

Nothing existed.

***

She wasn’t real.

***

She didn’t exist.

***

Elizabeth Tao opened her eyes and sat up in bed with a start, breathing heavily and her heart pounding, as if awakened by a nightmare.