Moonless Nights

Mica Rebane didn't much care for the status quo. He valued freedom above all things, and he would do what he pleased, caste be damned. So he didn't entertain any Sorcerer's glare as he stepped onto the Triumvirate University's mall and sauntered up the library's steps like he owned the place. If he wasn't scared of Nimhr, he definitely wasn't scared of the librarian, ignoring his protests as he flipped through the book directory.

Town records… town records… aha!

With the librarian still tailing him, he made his way to the section he wanted, frowning when he found the door locked.

"Excuse me!" the librarian snapped.

"What is it, Herra Librarian?" asked Mica. "My Eskanskaya isn't very good, so make it quick."

"Workers are not allowed in the library!" he snapped. "You will have to leave, or I'll have campus security escort you out."

The redhead sighed.

You see, Mica only pretended to be dumb. His last name meant, "fox," and he certainly lived up to his namesake. Minumna's resident space cadet was actually very sly, and what he lacked in common sense he made up for in his keen ability to manipulate people. What Mica wanted, Mica got. And not only was he clever, but he had the acting chops to match.

"That's a shame," he said. "Just when I thought I'd found my Mama, too." Crocodile tears welled up in his eyes, and he sniffled. "Oh, well, rules are rules."

"Ah-ah! Wait!" the librarian stammered awkwardly. "Please, I didn't mean to upset…"

"Surely you have a bit of kindness for this poor orphan," Mica sniveled, dabbing at the corners of his eyes. "You see, I was given up at birth and raised in an orphanage. Now that I've turned eighteen, I'm tryin' to find my mother. And—well, I tracked her to Tyressa, but I need to get into town records to find where she lives." Boohoo, boohoo, etcetera.

"Oh, geeze, um…" the librarian stammered. Other people were staring at them now.

"Every day, I was fed only a saucer of gruel and stale milk, and the headmistress would cane my hands if I even dared ask for last week's brown bread. I would earn my keep by clamberin' up chimney shoots and sweepin' them clean. It was so dark an' suffocating! And I did this for sixteen hours a day, bȧrėly squeezin' in enough time for my studies before I went to sleep at midnight and woke up at four. I just want to make a better life for myself, but if I can't, I understand. Such is a Worker's lot."

"I… I…" The librarian fidgeted. "Fine! I'll let you in! But only for thirty minutes. Then you really have to leave." He took out his keyring and unlocked the door, ushering him inside.

Mica dropped the act immediately and flashed a smile. "Why thank you, sir!" he said, and merrily headed inside, leaving the bemused librarian to realize only an hour later that he had been had… as chimney sweeps were outlawed forty years ago.

--

"Do you really think we should be doing this?" asked Crowe as they arrived at the base of a hiking trail a few hours north of Tyressa. "What if we run into Nimhr?"

Hana didn't appreciate that question. She was the first to admit she was scared of the white-haired maniac, but she was running on more than fear right now—at the moment, Hana was powered by spite and spite alone. It's not so much that she wanted to hurt Zagiha by defying him. It was more she wanted to prove she could handle herself. Then he wouldn't worry about her anymore and he would come back… right?

And this was the closest lead she had to finding Silvio. She couldn't lose it. Not now. Most of all, she wanted her brother back. Hana understood now only she had the power to find him. Everyone else was unreliable. And Nimhr was a lazy piece of garbage, so he was probably sleeping under the cover of night. They would just grab him and leave. That's all there was to it.

"You have a Blessing, don't you?" she asked.

Crowe fidgeted around a bit. "I don't know if even my strongest shield would stand up to the wrath of a God." .

"Well, we're already here, aren't we?" Hana crossed her arms. "Please, Uncle Crowe. Just until sunrise. You promised you would help."

"I did promise you that, didn't I?" He frowned. "Just this one time, okay? Your safety is my top priority. If we run into any Unforgivables with those horrible guns, we're out of here, got it?"

"Fine. Can you do the tracking spell?"

"Yes, as long as you brought the totem."

Hana nodded, producing an item from her bag. It was Silvio's old Spell Calculations textbook, well used and worn. It was the same textbook their dad used so many years ago. She remembered the drama her family went through when they bought the twins their school supplies. They were supposed to own the fourteenth edition of this book, but notorious cheapskate Téo refused to buy it on the basis all textbook editions were scams. "The eighth's the same content," he said, "they just moved the words around a little to justify making you throw your money at it. Mine is perfectly good, Silvio. You'll take it, and that's that."

And Silvio protested all summer, but dad had far more experience being stubborn, so he eventually relented and learned to cherish the book. Silvio wrote everywhere in the margins with great enthusiasm, not knowing he was soon to lose his magic altogether…

What a strange and unfortunate turn of events. When she met him again, Hana promised Silvio she'd give it back.

Crowe looked at the book and grimaced. "That should do it," he said, and cast the spell. A faint trail of glimmering light stretched from the book deep into the pitch-blackness of night. "He's around here somewhere, but we have quite a long ways to walk," he continued. "The trail will grow brighter as we get closer. I trust you're up to walking? It'd be easier for Unforgivables to spot us if we flew."

Hana wasn't in great shape, but she wasn't about to let Crowe know that. She'd walk until her feet were ground into dust if it meant reuniting with her brother. "That's fine," she answered. She paused and scowled. "Uncle, how do I know you won't betray me?"

"What do you mean?" asked Crowe. He started on the trail, as if to shake her off, but Hana was persistent.

"I know you love Isaana far more than you love me," said Hana, hot on his heels. "As her most loyal dog, what's stopping you from turning Silvio in so she can kill him?"

"I don't like being called a dog, Hana," said Crowe.

"It's nicer than what I was going to call you originally."

"… You think I haven't struggled with this?" Crowe crossed his arms, a twig snapping beneath his feet. He froze up and looked around, only continuing once the coast was clear. "You try choosing between two sides."

"I don't choose murderers," said Hana.

"You're seriously never going to forgive me, are you?"

"The one whose forgiveness you should be begging for is Silvio."

"Fine. Then I'll admit it. My loyalty to Her Holiness is absolute, even if I don't always see eye-to-eye with her. If it came down to it, I'd choose her. She found me when I was lost. She gave me a purpose in life. But you're not giving her enough credit. Isaana-sa meant what she said when she'd rather get rid of the False One than Silvio. As long as you play her game, our goals align, so I have no need to choose between you and her."

"Despicable," said Hana. "What do you see in her, anyway? Why don't you date someone who's not a psycho? Like Ffion?"

"What do I see in her…?" Crowe's words petered out. "Well, what do you see in Zagiha? Yes, I know. Don't try to hide it. But I'll answer your question. I know people say it doesn't exist, but when I first met her as a boy, it was love at first sight. There's no other way to describe it. I vowed that I would become someone who'd catch her attention. I admire her power and intelligence. I look up to her wisdom and leadership as a fellow academic. No mortal could possibly compare to her."

"Gross," Hana replied flatly.

"You asked. I suppose you're still too young to understand these things. But that's the truth. Provided you're not out of line, she'd rather just sit around and eat sweets."

At least that part of her personality wasn't a lie. Isaana was the sort to dump her work on other people.

"Please have a bit of faith in her, Hana," Crowe continued. "She was the one who brought the Continental War to an end, remember? At the end of the day, she means the best. She wouldn't be cruel for no reason."

She had him wrapped around her finger, didn't she? Well, whatever. It's not like Hana had any intention of actually forgiving him. When Nimhr invaded her mind and took Crowe's form, she was reminded of how much he hurt her. Those who refused to show mercy deserved no mercy in kind. She would just get what she needed and wash her hands of him. No, Hana didn't feel bad about manipulating him. No, Hana didn't care about his feelings.

And if Isaana tried anything funny, well… she'd figure it out.

She just shook her head and walked in front of him, gaze fixed on the aura trail leading deep into the darkness. Hana didn't appreciate her love being compared to Crowe's. It wasn't even close to the same thing. Zagiha never made her do anything evil…

Suddenly, Crowe grabbed her shoulder, squeezing it tight.

"What are you…?" she gasped.

He pulled a switchblade out, brandishing it. "Show yourselves!" he barked.

The reply was as dark as the shadows they lurked in. "Leave this place, or lose your lives," they said.

--

And this world, while offering much beauty, is also ugly beyond measure.

Lilja, do you remember how much you despised me at first?

I knew all along how you resented being an offering to me. I am truly sorry for any suffering I inadvertently caused you. And, perhaps it would've been for the best if we never met.

Do you remember how cold you were to me? You couldn't even stand the sight of me, even though I hide my face. You criticized me for that. "Why can't I look at my own husband?" you said. "Are you such a coward you can't look me in the eye?"

Again, I apologize. I don't expect you to understand, but… wearing this mask is for your own good. We Gods are far capable of more sinister things than you could even imagine should you gaze upon us.

Although, I also wish you had seen me just once.

I also remember how unhappy you were to voyage with me those years ago when we went to pay homage to the other Gods. I was the source of all your misery, taking you away from Minumna. And perhaps I actually was. But we ended up having a fun time, didn't we?

Remember when a pride of lions surrounded our campsight in the middle of the night in Afrika? There was nothing to protect us but a layer of canvas. We were on edge all night, but the lions meant us no harm. They were very beautiful, don't you think?

Do you remember trying on kimono on the island nation of Eyishu? Neither of us could figure it out. That man who came home with us, Satoru, he laughed at our attempts. But what does he know? Clumsy though you may be, you still looked beautiful to me.

When we traveled to the other side of the world, do you remember what a hard time you had hiking through the rainforest? You would always have to use the restroom in the early hours of the morning, but you were so scared of snakes I would have to carry you to make sure there weren't any underfoot. What a fool you were. If anything, the snakes ought to be scared of you.

But most of all, do you remember when we snuck out that one night? It was all we could do to prevent my bodyguards from following us? We nicked a boat and headed down the river to see the dolphins. Well, we mostly found piranhas and only one dolphin, but it was fun, wasn't it? We got caught when we came back and the guards gave me such an earful.

You told me you loved me. And I loved you, too.

But I think maybe you loved me in a different way? I wish I could understand how you felt, and now it is too late to ask. Perhaps I will never know. Gods are forbidden from completely comprehending the human heart.

Do you remember what else we saw?

Poverty, illness, discrimination.

Despair that ran deeper than the blackest cave.

This world is not the idyllic place I naïvely believed it was, but if anything, I'm glad you were with me if I had to see it. Thank you.

And now, I've experienced grief with you as well.

Lilja, my dearest friend. Why did your life have to be cut short? Why did we only get four years together?

My powers are immense in service to other people, but I can't do anything for myself.

I waited for a long time. I waited, and waited, and waited for someone to make a contract with me to bring you back to life, but no one ever came for you. Were you always alone, and that's why you were offered up as my bride during the festival not so long ago?

But people are selfish, and so am I.

I understand now that I give of myself everything to them, from every strand of hair, to every last drop of blood. But they will never give anything back to me. They have taken advantage of my kindness, but they will never show kindness to me. Did they ever care about my sacrifice? Did they ever pay the favor forward? Why should they? That's what people do. They take, and take, and take, and I'm the idiot who rolls over for them like an obedient pet.

How do I stop this resentment brewing inside me?

A God shouldn't be like this.

But I'm so broken.

Forgive this messy eulogy. You would've scolded me about not getting to the point. Don't worry. It's not like I'm going to read this at your funeral.

Humans are humans, and Gods are Gods.

If I must feel this way when you die, I must never get close to a human ever again. They can offer me more brides, for all I care, but none of them will be you. You were my one and only. Perhaps someday I will know what you meant that day.

Thank you, my dear, and goodbye.

(Excerpt from the Diary of Rirasiru)

--

Crowe pressed a finger to his lips and pulled something out of his pocket, imploring Hana to be quiet. Narrowing his eyes, he stared off into the darkness and suddenly threw the object. It made a swooshing noise and resulted in a scream as it nicked the person and returned to him. Crowe caught it and twirled it around, pointing the blade back at the Unforgivable.

A buŧŧerfly knife.

Where did Crowe get one of those?

… More importantly, where did he learn to use it?

"Who will be losing their life?" he asked sarcastically.

"Damn you…" The Unforgivable staggered out from beyond the shadows, one hand grasping his bleeding cheek, the other fumbling with his sheathed sword. But thankfully, he had no gun. "I just had to run into Cold-Blooded Crowe."

"Is that what you all call me?" Crowe put up a shield in front of Hana and drew another knife, frowning.

"Uncle Crowe… what does he mean?" asked Hana.

But Crowe didn't humor her with an answer. Like a leopard going in for the kill, he pounced on the man and clocked him right in the throat, pinning him down. "Answer my questions, and I'll consider sparing your life!" he barked.

"You'll 'consider?' Don't look down on me. You're the one who should be begging. Boys!"

It was then that Hana realized they were surrounded.

A guerilla unit of around eight men sprang out from nowhere, armed to the teeth. Crowe adjusted his barrier to surround Hana like a bubble, and took a fighting stance, holding out both knives.

"Hana!" he cried. "I'll handle them! Run!"

Why wasn't he using magic? Wait… Crowe fully intended to kill as many as he could, didn't he? The Laws of Impossibility didn't apply if he used weapons…

"Get out of here!" he snapped. "I don't want you to see this!"

Hana gritted her teeth.

And did as she was commanded.

She ran away, up the mountain, the opposite direction of what Crowe intended. She never meant to heed his instructions if they ran into Unforgivables. The only thing she cared about was Silvio. Hana looked behind her once, sickened at what she saw. Uncle Crowe took on all eight men effortlessly, dodging their attacks and retaliating with pure brute force. He wove his way through the throng, performing his dance of death as blood flew around him.

Where did he learn to fight like that?

It didn't matter.

No one mattered but Silvio… right? Right?

She huffed and puffed, staggering up the incline of the mountain. Her heart felt like it was about to explode, and her lungs screamed for air. Why did she have to be so out of shape? Just a little longer. All she had to do was follow the way to the end of the silver trail, and everything would work out.

Everything would…

Hana collapsed and swallowed down some vomit that came up. Her throat burned and her stomach ached.

Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it…!

Tears streamed down her face.

"Hana Sabatka, right?"

Hana looked up to the barrel of a gun right in her forehead.

"You need to hit the gym, sis."

Hana frowned, bȧrėly concealing her rage at the younger, blonde-haired Unforgivable leering down at her. She knew this girl. She tried to shoot Zagiha, her beloved Zagiha. And for that, she was "unforgivable" far beyond her caste.

"Are you gonna shoot me?" she asked.

The girl laughed and returned her pistol to its holster, holding out her hand. "Felice Blom," she introduced herself. "Your escort. What? Are you too good to touch an Unforgivable? You think I have cooties?"

Hana scowled but accepted the gesture. It was better than getting her brains blown out, and she had what she wanted. She caught her breath, and croaked, "What do you want with me?"

"I've never wanted anything from you." Felice started up the mountain, paying little heed to Hana. "But your brother does."

"Silvio? You know Silvio?" Hana perked up and picked up the pace, trailing Felice's heels.

"Of course. He's been trying to get in contact with you for awhile now."

"So in Modrica, when saw me and went around looking for my address... And in the forest, when your men tried to kidnap me…"

"Uh-huh." Felice turned around. "Of course. Sorry for resorting to such extreme measures. I tried to tell you, but you just ran away."

"Ah…"

Hana wanted to kick this smarmy girl's ȧss, but she kept her temper in check. There was nothing stopping Felice from having a change of heart and killing her. Even if she had her staff, her spells stood no chance against the superior piece of technology that was her gun.

"Don't worry, I won't harm you." Felice clambered up an outcropping of boulders, helping Hana out. "Your brother is the only person I listen to, so even if you beat me up, I won't retaliate."

"Implying I'd be able to land a hit on you?"

Felice laughed. "Aha, you learn fast, don't you?"

"How do you two know each other?"

"I think you should be able to figure it out. Pick up your feet. I don't have all day."

"Is my Uncle…?"

"Oh, him?" Felice hurried her along past the tree line, grappling lichen-dappled rocks for balance. "He'll be spared. Probably. Depends on what Leader says."

"Leader…?"

"Gods, shut your mouth already. Just because I won't hurt you doesn't mean I'll entertain you. Besides, we're here."

Hana stopped, breathing in the sharp, thin mountain air. The silver trail did, in fact, end here, but she didn't see anyone. And then they showed themselves, all dressed in black, emerging from the shadows as if they were one with them minutes prior. There were dozens of Unforgivables lined up in front of her, their rifles aimed at her execution-squad style.

"On your knees, hands behind your back," Felice barked, pushing her down. Hana gasped, wincing in pain as sharp pebbles dug into her skin.

Felice cased her, nodding in approval when she found Hana unarmed.

"Let me see her."

Hana didn't recognize the deep voice from behind the throng. A male figure waved his hand, parting them aside. He stood in front of her, tall and imposing. He wore a black cloak and a red bandana around the lower half of his face, obscured in shadow. Despite being covered head to toe, he had noticeable muscle definition. A large rifle was slung across his back, a sabre strapped to his side. He pulled down his mask, and smiled.

"Look who's the short one now, Hana."

That shaggy black hair, those intelligent grey eyes…

No matter how many years passed, she knew him.

"… Do you still get sick often, Silvio?"

"Lower your weapons, idiots," he snapped at the Unforgivables. "This is my sister, our esteemed guest. Felice… thank you. You may take your leave."

Felice nodded and disappeared into the crowd.

Silvio helped Hana up and shook his head when he saw her bloody knees. "Sorry about the lads," he said. "They've never known much gentleness. Can I get you some tea? Or do you like coffee better?"

Why was everyone listening to him? A lot of the people here were much older. Shouldn't he be the one obeying them…?

And then the realization hit her.

Hana's mouth gaped open, tears helplessly rolling down her cheeks. "… Were you the one who attacked Modrica?" she asked.

Silvio offered her a wan smile. "Silvio Sabatka, codename: Leader," he replied. "Not very creative, I know, but it gets the job done."

"I looked for you for so long…" Her words got lost in her throat, smothering her. "I tried so hard, and…"

"Don't cry, Hana. I don't want my little sister to be upset."

"You…! Why, Silvio? Why did you plan that attack? Why did you kill Sorcerers? You're a Sorcerer!"

He motioned her to sit on a log, handing her his kerchief. "I WAS a Sorcerer. I renounce that shameful part of my life."

"Did you kill anyone personally? Tell me the truth! Tell me…" she hiccupped.

"I've killed seven people," he said, lacing his fingers through the hilt of his sword. "Self defense, mostly. Hana, I have a reason…"

"You have no reason!" she screamed. "I looked up to you all my life, and now you've caused so much pain. You hurt me; you hurt everyone. How could you betray Sorcerers like this? You were friends with them. How could you kill us without a second thought?"

"You all betrayed me first," he said evenly. "Hana, do you remember Jan?"

"I…" she sniffled. "Of course I do. What's that got to do with…?"

"On that night so many years ago, I gave myself my life's purpose. I resolved to bring Jan back to life, so I embarked on a journey to meet Rirasiru-sa." He hooded his eyes and shook his head.

"… Rirasiru-sa?"

"You've met him. Do you know what Rirasiru-sa said to me?" Silvio let out a bitter laugh. "'You want me to bring Jan Addens back to life? Tell the leaves not to turn, tell the sun not to rise. It's simply not possible.' What was I to do with this wretched existence of mine? Roll over and die, or do the only thing I can and stand up for what's right?"

Hana bit her lip.

"On my journey, I experienced cruelty at the hands of Sorcerers beyond what you could imagine. Everyone else here is the same as me. And I began to think… perhaps Sorcerers don't deserve to live, anyway. But that was just me at my darkest point. I've mȧturėd since then, so I'll use every last breath of mine until all Unforgivables in the world are treated equally to Sorcerers."

"Why did you use violence?" Hana rubbed her eyes. "Couldn't you have tried something else?"

"You think I didn't?" Silvio shook his head. "I tried for so long, Hana. I gathered everyone together. We tried protests, work strikes, you name it. But of course you never noticed any of that. You had the privilege not to. While you were living your life, did you ever stop to look around you? You know what the Gesmauran government did? They beat us, arrested us when we didn't do anything to them, killed us!" Silvio hiked up his shirt, showing off a myriad of angry scars on his back. "I'm tired, Hana. If force is the only way you people will listen to us, then so be it!"

"But Dad's a cop! If you just explained to him…"

"Dad never protected me! Wake up, Hana! You're the only one who cared enough to look for me!"

"They grieved you, Silvio! Mom and Dad cried so much!"

"More like they were putting on airs." Silvio scowled, his expression darker than the night. "I'm the family shame. You know Dad would've beaten me, too. All cops like him protect is the status quo."

"That's not true…"

"It's not vengeance that I seek." Silvio sat down on another log, poking the receding embers of a bonfire with the tip of his sword. "I just want justice for all. Can't you understand that?"

So this was why Isaana meant to kill Silvio.

She somehow knew he would spearhead the Unforgivable's revolution and put the world in jeopardy. She didn't know how she could see the future, but there was a lot she didn't know about Gods. And this was the exact sort of thing he would do. Silvio always had a burning passion for justice, and an infamously short fuse. If he had the guts to pick a fight with a corrupt mining mogul as a child, he had the potential to escalate. But Hana still loved Silvio. No matter what, he was her brother. And she would protect him, even if it meant shattering his dreams.

"You're a fool," she said. "Silvio, the stories are real. If you continue down this path and plunge us into war, the Outer One will send the False One down to kill us all."

Silvio shook his head. And then he laughed.

He wasn't amused.

"Well then, Hana," he said. "If the False One is okay with a world where some people are allowed to be downtrodden… then maybe it should be destroyed."

"… You!"

Silvio took the rifle off his back, polishing the barrel with an old rag. "Of course I would rather have Jan alive," he continued. "But his death gave me power to change the world. Do you know how this gun works, Hana?" He reached into his pocket and placed a small metal object in her hand. "It's a concept so simple even a child could grasp it. Science is far more powerful than magic could ever hope to be. What happens, more or less, is when this bullet is loaded and I pull the trigger, it creates a spark which leads to a controlled explosion, propelling it forward at high speeds."

"An… explosion…" She understood what he meant. "You exploited Jan's death to create this weapon?"

"Exploited? Jan is a hero! If he hadn't died, Unforgivables would suffer under Sorcerers' thumbs for the rest of eternity! He gave us power! I'm no longer bound by the Laws of Impossibility, or even the Gods themselves! Magic is the true exploitation here! The Gods gave it to humans to keep us on a short leash! But now I'm free, and I know better. Have you ever wondered why so-called 'good' Gods would allow this social system to continue to exist? The Gods are playing you Sorcerers for fools. Sorcerers, Workers, and Unforgivables alike suffer under their system, so of course I now strive for equality rather than revenge. Hana, for humanity to move forward, we must give up magic. We've missed out on so much innovation by relying on magic too long. You're a good person, sis, and you've always had a lot more common sense than me. That's why I want you to join me to usher in a new era of mankind."

"Always getting ahead of yourself!" Hana scowled. "Magic, science—whatever that is—you're overconfident. No matter what, humanity as a whole couldn't hold a candle to a single God! You're lucky you can't be made an Unforgivable twice, because if a God heard that, they'd definitely strike you down! Didn't you listen to me at all? The False One is real! If you don't stop this madness right now, we won't live to see another year!"

Silvio shook his head. "Of course I listened. But have you ever wondered why they're called The False One? When you give someone enough power, they don't have to obey you anymore. I'm testament to that. Why would someone as powerful as that be beholden to the Gods, or even the Outer One itself?"

Hana paused, considering his words for the first time.

"A False God, or course, is the opposite of a True God. They wouldn't care about order or the status quo. They would do as they pleased. Instead of villainizing them, have you ever considered they're on our side?"

"What do you mean? How could the False One be on our side?"

"You haven't thought that they hold their own opinions? Maybe they're not driven by an endless dėsɨrė for destruction? Perhaps the False One is testing us. They seek not to destroy mankind itself, but the chains that bind us. They want us to improve, so we may continue to live on."

"I…" Hana was at a loss.

"They're testing us. If we fail, then they very well may choose to end all existence, but without strife we remain complacent. And if we don't pass… well, our miserable species deserves it."

Hana never thought about it like that. Why would a False God be called that? And they hadn't lifted a finger to punish Silvio for his crimes. Was he possibly… right? Silvio was smarter than she was. But on the other hand, Zagiha and Isaana were terrified out of their wits, and Nimhr was adamant they would be able to kill him. Then again, Nimhr slept through everything, so he probably missed the memo. And maybe what Zagiha and Isaana actually feared was losing power and influence…

It made her head spin. Zagiha seemed like a good person to her, but Silvio made some good points. All she knew was she had a lot to ask him next time she saw him—if she saw him.

Silvio extended his hand and smiled. "Having told you all this, I ask you again: will you join me?"

"I…"

"Hana, don't listen to him!"

Silvio sighed, drawing his sword and parrying Crowe's knife attack in one swift motion.

"Aren't you getting a little too old for this?" he asked.

Crowe's jaw flapped open, shocked that Silvio knew how to fight.

"Leader!" Felice barked, finger brushing against the trigger of her pistol.

"I knew you'd use Hana to track me down." Silvio stood up and brushed himself off, raising an eyebrow. "At ease, Felice. You get way too ahead of yourself sometimes." He turned back to Crowe and shook his head. "I really wish you didn't come. I know what you've done, and I don't approve of you, but I can't help but love you nonetheless. You know I can't let you leave this mountain and flap your gums off to Isaana."

"W-Wait!" Hana got up, shoving herself between them. She might not be on good terms with Uncle Crowe, but she didn't want him dead! That was way too harsh! "Silvio, you can't murder him!"

Silvio pushed her aside. "Hana, you really don't know anything, do you? He's the murderer here." He jabbed his thumb at Crowe. "How many of my comrades did you kill to get up here, Uncle? Twelve, twenty?"

"Did you think I was exaggerating when I told you about him?" The man named Eigil stepped out from the throng, expression cold as ice.

"I thought there was no way my dopey Uncle could be competent at anything other than Giant Land Slug care," Silvio answered. "But I guess you had the right man all along."

"Silvio!" Hana tugged on his cloak. "If you kill Crowe, you're going to have to kill me, too!"

"Siding with Isaana's attack dog?" He smirked. "What, are you gonna rat me out to her, too?"

"I…" No, no… Who should she choose? They were her family. She didn't want either of them to come to harm. She couldn't betray her own convictions and turn Silvio in to Isaana. But she didn't understand what Silvio was accusing Crowe of. Maybe he killed those guys back there, but that was self-defense. Or maybe he didn't, and Silvio was jumping to conclusions. Crowe, who valued magic so much, wouldn't disobey the Gods and kill, right? He just knocked the Unforgivables out. They'd be okay. They'd be… they'd be… And she knew for a while Eigil had history with him, but it couldn't be that bad. Eigil was a bad person. He was a liar. He betrayed his promise and opened fire on the train depot in Modrica. He kidnapped the Prime Minister. Crowe wasn't the most upstanding guy in the world, but, but… but…

"… Don't make me choose."

"You'll have to choose eventually, Hana." Silvio steeled himself and lifted his sabre, pointing it at Crowe's throat. "But today, I won't force you to do anything. I have no quarrel with morons, Uncle. I don't hate you for doing what your Goddess told you. I don't hate any Sorcerer. Not anymore. I don't even resent you for killing my friends just now. We're all willing to die for the cause, and that's how it is in war. But even if I don't have a bone to pick with you, Eigil does. So I'll let him make the decision. Eigil, do we spare Uncle Crowe, or kill him?"

The older man paused. "Impartial as always, Leader," he said. "Thank you." And then he grinned; the biggest, cruelest shit-eating grin imaginable. "Ignatius Crowe, you knew this day would come. You killed my parents. I have no forgiveness in my heart for the likes of you. May your death be at least twenty times more painful than what you did to them!"

"Very well," Silvio said coldly. "Hana, duck down. Uncle Crowe: en garde!"

He what? He did what? Hana didn't believe it. The next few moments went by in slow motion. Silvio disarmed Crowe, drawing blood where he sliced his arms. The Unforgivables pulled the triggers on their guns. Crowe put up a forcefield, blocking the impact.

And Hana chose.

She couldn't believe it, but she chose.

… She chose Crowe.

Eigil couldn't be believed. It was her fault Crowe was in danger. She didn't have to like him, but that didn't mean he deserved to lose his life. Even if she burned her bridges with Silvio, she knew she was doing the right thing.

… Right?

The right thing… right?

And if Silvio could be brutal, so could she. She'd end his foolish rebellion, even if he hated her forever. That was love. Love was not kind. Love was not pure. But love was the most important thing in the world, and she'd hurt him for its sake. Hana grabbed Crowe's staff and shoved Silvio away, gritting her teeth in pain as his sword sliced into her torso.

But as she started firing off a spell, Crowe sacrificed his own shield and deployed it around her instead, pushing her as hard as she could. And as she sailed off the side of the cliff, and his body was riddled with bullets, she saw him mouth his final words:

"I deserve this."

The rising sun burned away the stars in the sky. The shield dissipated into nothingness, a Blessing's spark snuffed out in an instant. She fell; accepting that in the next few seconds her life would come to a swift and unceremonious halt.

So she was useless until the very end.

But maybe she was even more delusional than her brother was. A normal girl like her couldn't save the world. Isaana never believed she could find the False One. All she meant to do was dispatch her in the most polite way possible.

Well, that's what she got.

A pair of strong hands grabbed her out of midair, landing safely on a rock below.

"Let me go," Hana hissed.

"What? Now you want to die?" Nimhr replied.