‘What’s going on?’ Luna tried to make sense of the ever-spiraling situation.

  Olivia battled Noah Orvel, still believing him to be Silas, but his two skeletons had broken off, rushing straight for Conrad. Wanting to protect her incapacitated comrade, she moved to intercept the undead beings, leaving Orvel free to turn his sights on Luna and Alwin.

  Alwin remained locked in his duel with the skeletal knight, unaware of the new threat closing in. Though his fire abilities were stronger, the undead warrior was clearly a master swordsman and a single distraction could spell Alwin's doom.

  Luna herself was fending off the vicious attacks of the monstrous four-armed skeleton, all while keeping Noah in her sights as he charged.

  Orvel barely looked human; he was coated in blood from numerous cuts and slashes, his disheveled beard and hair soaked in red. Only his eyes glowed with a pale green light.

  As unsettling as he appeared, it was what lay inside him that disturbed Luna. Orvel was emanating a murderous aura - Luna could have sensed the pure killing intent even without her empath ability.

  ‘What has this man been through out here...?’

  “Wait, Noah—” Luna called out to him while dodging the monstrous skeleton, but the sudden, ear piercing sound of shattering metal interrupted her.

  Alwin and the skeletal knight clashed in a fierce exchange of strikes. Yet, Alwin’s Dark Steel blade proved superior, breaking the undead warrior’s worn, battered sword into a spray of splintered fragments.

  The skeletal knight was left clutching a broken blade, and just as Alwin readied himself to strike the finishing blow, something lunged at him from the tall grass.

  It was another animated skeleton, this one seemingly belonging to a humanoid reptile. The monstrous undead slashed at Alwin again and again, but his armor absorbed the brunt of the assault. Alwin slammed the pommel of his longsword into the reptile’s skull and raised his other arm, fire already gathering at his fingertips.

  However, before Alwin could unleash a jet of flames upon the undead reptile, the skeletal knight drove his broken blade into an unprotected spot on Alwin’s thigh. The young Touched groaned as his leg buckled and he collapsed down to his knee.

  "Alwin!" Luna rushed to her comrade’s aid, but at that moment, Noah had finally reached her.

  She wanted to tell him she knew he wasn’t Silas, that they needed to stop this madness and talk. But before she could utter a word, Noah rammed his bone-clad fist into Luna’s stomach. The wind was knocked out of her, and she spat out blood, unable to speak.

  Noah grabbed Luna’s long hair, jerking her head back, while his other hand clenched around her exposed throat, poised to tear it open. Luna’s eyes widened in horror as she met Noah’s gaze.

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  ‘I’m about to die.’

  Noah’s bloodied face twisted in rage, and his fury burned through Luna’s insides like fire. Yet, suddenly, his expression softened, and his grip on her loosened. Luna felt his rage give way to something else—guilt, remorse, and sadness.

  ***

  ‘I... I’m scared. I want to go home. M... mommy...’ The words echoed in Noah’s mind, followed by the sickening, blood-gurgling noise.

  ‘Why now, of all times?’ Noah had grown accustomed to reliving the final moments of the girl from The Blazing Path whom he had slain. ‘But now? In the middle of a fight?’

  Noah’s gaze lingered on the Vanguard girl still trapped in his grip. The blood staining her lips and chin, the terror and tears welling in her eyes. She reminded him of her. Of the day he became a killer.

  ‘I can’t do it... not again. Maybe it's better this way. Perhaps I deserve to die.’

  Noah’s minions stopped in their tracks. Dozer and Harold no longer charged at the speedster, and Steve and Claws ceased their brutal assault on The Vanguard’s swordsman. Slowly, Noah began to release his would-be victim.

  “No!”

  Noah turned his head toward the direction of the shout and saw the infuriating speedster charging at him, using his ability.

  ‘I guess he came to and saw me about to kill his friend.’

  The brute’s right hand flailed behind him as he sprinted toward Noah, seemingly held in place by little more than skin and muscle. His nose was squashed and twisted, his right eye swollen shut.

  “Conrad, wait!” The blonde girl called out to her comrade but it was too late.

  Though his speed had greatly diminished after being brutalized by Dozer, the speedster remained swift beyond comprehension. Noah had little time to react as the brute slammed into him, hurtling them both through the air before crashing to the ground.

  Even though he had resigned himself to die, Noah instinctively raised his arms to protect himself as the speedster landed on top of him, awkwardly slashing with his dagger in his left hand.

  “Die, you bastard!” The speedster kept attacking Noah. “I’ll gut you, traitor!”

  Noah’s fury surged again within him until he snapped, gripping the speedster’s wrist as he hammered his other fist into the man’s face.

  “You just couldn’t leave me alone, could you?” Noah muttered through gritted teeth, flipping the speedster over.

  “Traitor, I won’t—” Before the speedster could finish speaking, Noah’s bone gauntlet slammed into his face, shattering the brute’s front teeth. Another blow mangled his jaw, followed by strike after brutal strike.

  The speedster's team members attempted to intervene, but as Noah's rage flared once more, his minions resumed their relentless assault against them.

  Noah pummeled the speedster again and again, fully intending to kill him. The brute’s smug smirk from before had long vanished, his face now a bloody, unrecognizable mess.

  The last remaining four-armed devil came to Noah’s side as he continued pounding the speedster. It was only a matter of time before Voidstrider appeared, and Noah intended to be prepared. But just as he raised his fist for a final strike that would cave in the brute’s skull, a blue light forked through the air, exploding in a thunderous impact next to Noah.

  The blast disintegrated the four-armed devil and sent Noah tumbling off the speedster. He rolled across the ground, engulfed by dust and dirt, coughing as he lay on his back. His injuries piled up, and his dwindling essence weighed on him, making the effort to get back on his feet feel insurmountable.

  As the dust settled, Noah sat up, or as upright as he could muster. A small crater formed next to where the speedster lay motionless. A buzzing, crackling noise filled the air, and as Noah looked up, he saw a man hovering above him, lightning flickering around his hands and feet.

  ‘Strombinder...’

  “Mr. Orvel, I take it? I think it's about time we have a little chat.”