Spectral chains pulled, forcing me forward, each step growing harder to resist. Nev stood still, unbothered and at peace. My hand moved slowly, every inch becoming harder to resist until my grip finally tightened around their throat. Tears streamed down my face as I shut my eyes, trying to fight against this coercion however I could.

"Mersault," Nev said calmly.

I looked up at them through tear-filled eyes admiring the soft smile they still wore.

"It's gonna be okay. You'll be okay."

"No, it's not okay. It's not gonna be okay. I just got you back. Leif, Gemma, hell, even Berthold helped me try to save you, and now everyone has to suffer because I'm too weak." I replied, through a forming runny nose.

"You're not weak."

The feigned smile wiped from Nev's face as my grip tightened inch by inch. I closed my eyes and felt the invisible bindings pull my frame to its will. As I focused, I could see the bindings form, spectral threads that wrapped my body from neck to toe. In my mind, something about these bindings felt familiar.

"Fuck that!" I yelled out, fingers still wrapped around Nev's neck. "I refuse to hurt you, I refuse to betray my friends, and most importantly, I refuse to help that bitch for one more goddamn second."

I focused on the invisible threads as if they were real ones, concentrating until I forced myself to see the glyphs I'd seen with my eyes many times. Then I pulled on a single string, unspooling and unraveling until I was no longer covered with this invisible mass. My hand released itself.

Nev hunched over, gasping for air as Pheralynn looked dumbfounded. I turned to face her and saw confusion shift rapidly into fear.

"I said, kill them," Pheralynn repeated, trying to maintain composure.

I could feel the bindings emerge again from a point on the back of my neck, where the Pheralynn had cursed me before forcing me into the Crafters. However, the invisible threads were rendered into confetti before they could find any influence. I turned away from Nev, taking a step toward Pheralynn instead.

"No, no, no, this won't do. I'm afraid we're going to have to alter our plans. Dispose of him. I have no further use for Mersault Hood."

A solid mass of wood struck my ribs from the back, launching me into a pile of hoarded treasure.

"I'm sorry, Mersault, I can't stop. You need to run!" Nev cried out.

"No, I'm not going to leave you," I replied, hopping back to my feet.

Nev was far faster and stronger, but still, I had the advantage. They were trying to kill me, and I simply had to touch them. Plus, I wasn't alone.

"Bert! If you're still here, I really need you!" I shouted throughout the vault, taking careful steps back away from Nev.

"What? My brother-in-law was gone the second he got his hands on the palimpsest," Pheralynn laughed. "DeBraziers don't help others. They'll take what they want through deception or brute force. And suckers like you should be grateful that they even took the time to trick you. Now stop all your scrambling and just die."

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Pherallynn's words hurt, but they carried a hint of truth. Bert had tricked us into coming into the city. Why would now be any different? Any attempt at the honesty he made could have just been a step in his deception. For all I know, my death has a prominent place in his plan. I cleared the idea of backup from my mind and braced myself against Nev.

They approached slowly. Hardened wood emanated from their pores with each step until they stood over seven feet in their verdant armor.

"I'm sorry, Mersy." They apologized as their twisted Oni helm slid to cover their face.

"Don't be. I'll save you."

I detached the cape from my back, disassembling and reforming until the fabric matched my will. Two concentrated fabric obelisks jetted from my back, then relaxed, settling on the floor below me.

They moved like a blur, thrusting a massive wooden point toward my chest. Reflexively the prosthetic fabric across my back pushed me from that spot deeper into the vault. Nev's wooden spear penetrated, scattering gold and treasure piled up behind where I stood.

I dipped and dashed between the massive piles of wealth, constantly aware of the booming footsteps following my trail. I grabbed what I could from these piles, throwing them in every direction to pull any attention away from myself. I believed it worked momentarily as the booming footsteps quieted before a dozen sharpened branches bisected a treasure mound, attempting to do the same to me. My artificial limbs sprung me into the air, dodging the branches effortlessly but exposed me in the process.

"Mersault, no!"

A web of spun lichen shot through the air, wrapping around me as I fell back. I hit the ground on my side as my prosthesis flexed, shearing through my bindings. Leaving me no time to relax, Nev was on top of me instantly. Though they still wore their warped demon mask, I could hear soft weeping and see the tears dripping from the corners of the vizard.

They dropped their heel toward my chest, my arms reflexively reaching to catch it. It paused momentarily before my arms strained, unable to support their enhanced strength, and their heel pressed against my chest.

"Run! Please, Mersault," they desperately begged, fully aware that running was no longer feasible.

Threads shifted to my front side, which braced my arms as I extended, lifting their massive verdant foot from my chest and allowing me to take a full breath. I focused, searching my mind's eye for the spectral threads that forced away my friend's autonomy. A wall was all I could find, an unmanipulatable life force that had almost taken my life a dozen times in the past minute. My only chance of breaking this control was getting through their shell.

I rolled back as my prosthesis sprung outwards, launching me away atop one of the more prominent mounds of valuables.

"Very good!" Pheralynn shouted out. "Really, Mersault, you are truly doing wonderful for someone with no martial skills or abilities."

Nev placed their armored hand on the base of the pile as the treasure rumbled beneath my feet. I slid down the mound away from them. Sharpened branches began slicing through from the inside, tracing my path as I skimmed down. Dodging the wooden spears sent after me, I lost concentration on my descent, falling perfectly into the massive outstretched hand of my oldest companion. Their giant hands gripped around me, locking my arms to my side. Before I could fall into despair, my eyes were fixed on the highest-value item in this vault.

Desperately my prosthetic threads tore through their hands but still left me trapped inside. The threads swung wildly with steel-enforced tips chipping away at their wooden armor, exposing parts of Nev's skin.

"Settle now, Mersault. It's all over," Pheralynn said, closing the distance between us. "Mask down now, dearie."

Nev did as she commanded, showing red eyes and a trail of snot running down and off her chin.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way, really," she said unconvincingly. "But that's how the world works sometimes."

Pheralynn paused momentarily as if she was thinking of another way to settle this, then shrugged.

"Finish him."

Nev's grip tightened around me as I felt the air rush from my lungs. My joints began to pop as I screamed in pain, but the pressure only grew. My vision began to blur as I could feel blood forced out of my torso, rushing to my head, hands, and feet.

"Mersy, I'm so sorry." Nev sputtered between sobs. "Why didn't you run?"

"What?" I managed to ask. "I said I was gonna save you, right?"

A hand reached out and grasped firmly against the back of my neck while an identical one did the same to Nev. Before they could react, the three of us were consumed by a divine bright light.