Tal sat in the chair drinking his hot tea. He checked his omnivice. His brow furrowed, increasing the hard lines of his face. Deidra was late. There was a snapping sound followed by the tinkling of glass falling and then shattering upon the ground. His head snapped to the side. He watched as one by one the lights within the warehouse went out. He sighed and set the cup of tea down onto the table next to him. Uncrossing his legs, he stood.

"So you killed her for a second time."

The only light that was remaining now was the one over himself and Anadrov. His insides shuttered as he saw Korsha materialize out of the shadows. She stood on the other side of Anadrov’s bed. There was a raw fury there that he had never seen in her before. Gone was the meek timid cowering creature he’d known. In its place was something predatory.

He activated his suit's injection protocol. He sucked in a deep breath as the liquid flowed through him, burning his veins. Heartbeats later he felt the power flare within him. Krush. The goddess’s blood. It fueled him. In it was the dominion over mages like Korsha. With a quick clinch of his fist her powers were nullified.

***

Korsha searched for any sign that her master was still alive. The medical equipment he was hooked up to showed no sign of a pulse. She pressed her gauntleted hand against his throat, being gentle so as to not bruise it. She held her breath as she searched for his. There was nothing. Her hand fell away and she clasped the railing on the bed.

Her eyes twitched as the emotions welled up within her. She had failed. I should've just killed Deidra the first time. She shook her head, correcting herself. That hadn’t been Deidra. That had been the construct. One that Tal had made. Her eyes flicked up, narrowing as she glared at the man she’d thought was her friend.

"He died thinking you betrayed him." Tal said with a smug satisfied grin.

Korsha's hands continued to tighten around the railing, she heard the metal squealing beneath her grip. She ground her teeth together, barely able to contain the rage within her. Yet she remained quiet like a predator stalking its prey, letting them get into the perfect position to attack.

"I've taken everything you ever cared about."

Tal stalked around the bed, circling her like a vulture. She waited until she had a clear shot at them before grabbing a coin from her pocket and throwing it. She latched onto it, tethering herself and drawing on its momentum but nothing happened. Tal laughed.

"Did you really think that would work?"

Korsha remained still, keeping her features motionless. She had to ensure that he had blocked her magic. That changed the way that she was going to have to deal with him. What he didn’t know was that it had been a test and that she was still setting him up. She needed to imbalance him. His gloating arrogance was already doing that but she needed to push him over the edge.

"Why do this? You realize the amount of hell there will be to pay for this? They’ll probably rip your spirit out and shove it into a labor acrena."

How shook his head, an amused expression upon his face as though he were dealing with a child who just didn't understand.

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"You really don't get it do you? You see, your master was in my lady's way. His assassination was authorized by her. Those at the top who will know what happened won't care." He stopped, his features trapped somewhere between the light in the shadows as he fixed his eyes upon her. "But the best part, the part I'm going to cherish for the rest of my life is knowing you'll be rotting away in a prison somewhere."

"All this because of me?"

"No," he screamed, slashing the air in front of him, "all of this was for Deidra. She was the only thing that was pure and holy in this wretched universe."

Korsha remained still, it was working. He was unraveling before her. She just had to keep pulling at the right strands.

"What would Deidra think about this?"

He stabbed the air between them with his finger, "Don't you dare speak her name. You didn't care about her. What have you done over the last three years? Not a damn thing other than being his glorified servant. While you were groveling at his feet I was searching for her. Trying to find a way to bring her back. And after countless dead ends I finally found it.'

"It wasn't even a full record. Just an addendum. But for someone of my talent, it was more than enough. I followed the breadcrumbs back until I found the final database. I worked as though in a fever dream. I was consumed with the thought of finding her and bringing her home. And then that last encryption was broken. I must've spent hundreds of hours trying to break through but I did.'

“I had her coordinates. I finally found her. I left, forsaking everything. It took me the better part of the day to find that damned bunker. It was such a little thing, hidden out in the woods. Covered by dirt and leaves."

Tal grew quiet, he stopped his pacing and he faced her.

"You know what I found Korsha?"

Korsha remained quiet, her eyes never leaving him. She saw the way's hand twitched at the side as though eager to grab his weapon. She'd never seen him so unhinged before. Sure he'd always been emotional but never like this.

"I found her ashes."

His voice echoed through the cargo container. Korsha's body stiffened. She shook her head, blinking at the sudden revelation as though she were trying to swat it away. Everything within her went cold. She could see Anadrov's body out of the corner of her eye.

"No. Anadrov wouldn't do that. She was useful."

“She was willful! Tools aren't supposed to think. They aren't supposed to feel.”

“We're mages. What else is there? You said it yourself. I'm the daughter of Azaelah. It's why you hate me so much.”

“I hate you because she loved you and you betrayed her!”

He lunged for her, hands up and flexed as though they were claws. She jumped aside and watched as he stumbled past. He spun on his heel and came back at her. His attacks were sloppy, emotional and easily dodged. They danced in and out of the light. The rage within Korsha bubbled up, becoming stronger, hotter, running deeper as it scorched her. Blackened her heart.

In one swift motion she stepped forward, grabbed him by the collar and yanked him towards her until they were nearly nose to nose.

"You both know I'd never needed my magic to kick your ass."

She smashed her elbow against his face and released her hold on him. His body fell to the ground in a heap. He screamed, clutching at his nose. Grabbing the pistol at her hip, she pulled it free and let it dangle at her side. She stalked forward, one foot in front of the other until she was towering over him. She lifted the pistol, leveling it just above his eyes.

She commanded her finger to pull the trigger but it remained. It trembled, unable to fight back against the flood of memories that poured into her like sand in an hourglass. Their past time together weighing her down.

She clenched her jaw, a tremor rising up through her depths. After all this, after everything he'd done, she was still too weak to kill him. When she gazed at him, she saw better times, happier times. He was the last link to a life that she'd nearly forgotten.

Clap.

Clap.

Clap.

Both she and Tal turned to see Anadrov standing, clapping.

"Well done my good and faithful servant."