Hephaestus believed in their morals. Believed in the things they could see when they fell asleep. Because their dreams are their memories. So, looking at a page of a book, the gunsmith felt that this was a sign. Not a sign from the Spirits. No. A sign of luck.

After she talked about the scientist, Lucifer showed everyone the bottle. Tell everyone that he was the one who made it.

''It will change everything'' She said. ''That is what he told my aunt'' She muttered.

''Poison?'' Ukko asked.

Hephaestus shook with disagreement. ''It is more than poison.''They explained.''It won't kill us at least.''

''How do you know that?''Lucifer asked.

Their eyes turned on Mordred.''If it could kill warlocks why didn't your superior tell you to destroy it?''They asked him.

He did not seem to have an answer but he did try to speak.''Maybe ...no, if it was he wanted to....''He stopped talking.''It isn't poison. But it shouldn't be used especially in the wrong hands.''

Who tells who is the right and wrong hand? The memory of Prometheus asking them that question popped into their mind.

''It is something greater.''Hephaestus smiled.''Something that it won't kill us. But maybe, change us.''

Lucifer shook a no. Hephaestus agreed with her. If it was poison, warlocks would want to destroy it, not take it back.

''We won't get out alive'' Hephaestus announced. ''We can't because we are weak''

''Uh, we know,'' Ukko replied with a frown. ''But that doesn't mean we can't..''

''Two bullets in your vital organs and you die'' Hephaestus reminded him. Their eyes turned to Lucifer. Judging by Mordred's nervous finger movements, he could not do anything to help her out. Few weapons, weak incantations. No source for them to use. Iron is a weakness.

The page. The voices. I KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO.

''We will try to get out''They shouted with false hope. Their fingers tap towards the table as they look left and right, each cog of their brain working perfectly.

"But if we don't... " They looked at the bottle.

Mara let out a loud gasp as she nodded in disagreement. ''Fuck no'' She said. ''You are insane''

Ukko nodded in agreement as well. Even Mordred.

''We will get out and we..''He tried to comfort them.

''And then what?'' Hephaestus asked with a rough growl. ''More soldiers after us and more people getting hurt''

I can't do this again. They couldn't do it but now they were dragging people with them. They could not tell them that though. The guilt the consequences. But they couldn't get out alone. Not alone.

''It wouldn't change if...''Mordred tried to speak.

''We will likely have more time'' They interrupted him again. ''More time to think, more time to live'' Or more time to get hurt. But they shouldn't say anything. They had to live. They all did.

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''Call me selfish but I want to live'' They took a step forward, clenching their cane.

They faced Lucifer. She remained silent but it seemed she was agreeing with the gunsmith from the look of her tired eyes.

''And for whatever reason, you want the artifact to get back to Babel''They looked at both Mordred and Ukko. One to fulfill a promise to a friend, the other for a cause.

''Yeah, great''Mara lifted her hand, drawing everyone's attention to them. ''I am sorry but I am not willing to risk my life for..''

''You said that you were planning to help me''Lucifer interrupted her words with a dry cough.

''Get out'' She rasped. ''It seems that it will be one of the ways''

''And that is different from Your Majesty''Mara frowned and faced Hephaestus. ''What if it makes us explode?'' She said with a stutter.

''It won't, '' Hephaestus said determent. Mara emerged from them, focusing on their eyes, studying each movement. Hephaestus stood still, waiting for her to speak. The gunsmith did not know what the thief saw in their eyes or their expressions. But they knew that whatever it was, it gave her the answer she was seeking.

Her lips rested as she moved further from everyone, taking steps to the door.

''You are either insane or honest''She said breathlessly. ''All right'' She lifted her hand. ''I would die like a thief any way''

Lucifer lifted her hand too. Ukko shook his head with disagreement, shouting the word no. He looked at Mordred, hoping that he would agree with him. But instead, the healer turned to the gunsmith.

''If it means that the artifact will not fall to the mortals once more...''

Hephaestus found relief, as more people agreed with them. And yet they wanted to let out a loud frightened scream.

Ukko frowned. ''We know nothing about it...I am sorry but no''

Inside the wagon of the car, the girl removed her left boot, showing off the disgusting scent of Diyu. And also a bottle with red liquid inside of it.

Hephaestus sighed and looked at Ukko nervously. ''Last call''

But they could see his complexion even with the soft light from the green fire lanterns. He was dying. Just like the rest of them.

''If I die'' Ukko groaned. ''I will haunt you for eternity''

Each one of them searched for any other option. There was none. They did not want to die. Death had been coming from them since the day they stole their first breath. They were just buying more time. More life.

And still, after what they saw in the area, the young gunsmiths had their doubts. Even when the liquid was getting swallowed from their lips to their throat. No taste. No feeling of the liquid. As if they drank air. It was just a small sip. One sip for each one.

Mordred prayed before he took his gaze falling to Hephaestus as he moved his mask up.

Ukko drank next and after that, he helped Lucifer to drink. The last one was Mara. For a brief moment, the girl hesitated.

''No more examples'' She rasped and drank whatever was left.

''It tastes awful'' She complained.

''But it doesn't taste like anything,'' Ukko noted.

''Exactly''

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Hephaestus could feel death approaching, ready to send them to another life. The fire burned their skin as they were chained up. Weak. Just like the others.

An hour of praying, sitting still, and awaiting their death passed and Lucifer had started coughing rough and spitting blood.

NOW.

All five of them admitted to their crimes. Eighteen deaths.

Chained up with iron and the fire waiting for them. There was laughter and mocking. They were murmurs of disgust. As well as looks of fear. Every priest, every noble, every royal, and of course every soldier in Naraka awaited their deaths.

Boudica looked up to her niece who was staring, tired at the ground.

‘’I hope that the Spirits will guide you to the right path’’She said, moving the torch to the hay.

A scream broke far in front of the crowd. The great Ruler watched the fire start as a young guard pushed each noble away from him so he could get to the center of the pyre. He looked left and right before he rushed to his general.

‘’The cages’’ He screamed. ‘’Every warlock’’ He panted.

The Great Ruler’s eyes darted and looked back to her niece. The fire moved higher to her dress but she didn't seem to care. Her face became even brighter. But not because of the colors.

The girl was smiling, looking now right at her aunt’s eyes.

‘’I will tell you where it is’’ The girl laughed. Boudica waited for an answer but looking at her niece one more time was enough for her to understand.

They drank it.

And that was the beginning of the ending of the world as history knew.