"All right, just one more errand, if you don't mind." Rasin gestured towards the main street, and they headed back the way they had come.

"No." Severance didn't mind at all. He couldn't keep the pleased little curve from his lips, and was in a rather cheerful mood. "Where are we going?"

"Just outside the city. Not far. We're meeting up with a hunter. She's got some things that Olen requested."

"A hunter? I thought the clan did all of its own hunting."

"Well, that's true to some extent. But sometimes we just don't have the time or people to spare. Then it's worth paying someone else to do the work."

Considering there were little over two dozen people in the Veiled clan, that made sense. As it was, Severance rarely saw more than a handful of people at the House at any given time. They all probably had a lot of things to do.

They left through one of the city's two main gates, and came to a stop well before the massive bridge. Two Bridges, like its namesake, has two great bridges connecting it to the surrounding land. The city itself sat on a lonely plateau, and without the bridges, no one would have been able to reach it.

"She should be here any moment," Rasin said. He turned, looking out at the canyon. The skies were dipping into the pastel yellows of sunset, creating a warm backdrop of color. Their shadows stretched out behind them.

Severance said nothing, content to enjoy the moment. It was peaceful here, with barely a breeze to stir the air. Birdsong echoed distantly through the canyon. Maybe it was silly of him, but he wished he could spend the rest of his allotted time for the day here, quietly watching the sun set with Rasin.

The man's face was turned towards the sun, his skin cast in golden light. The years had aged and weathered that face, and they hadn't been kind, but Rasin wore it well. He was like a worn rock, having withstood the worst of storms yet still standing; patient, wise, enduring.

In this way, he was different from Fenn. Fenn had been beaten down from the storms of his life, gaining a stoop to his shoulders and a touch of gray to his hair. Though he always had a smile for Severance, there was a weariness about him that never seemed to fade. But Rasin hadn't bowed his head. He stood steady, back straight and head high.

Severance watched that face, and found himself wishing that he could one day possess that kind of strength, that unflappable calm and quiet confidence. Dhin was so very blessed to have such a man as a father. The thought carried a trace of bitter regret, of longing, and then he pushed it all away because that was then and this was now; virtual reality or not, this moment was real and he would hold it tight in his memory because it was the closest he would ever get to having such a thing.

Boots crunched behind them and a voice called out, "Hey, look at this! You really are just waiting for us."

As one, Rasin and Severance turned. A large group of players approached. Severance took one look, recognized the chalice symbol displayed on their armor, and froze.

"Free Traders," he whispered.

Rasin grabbed hold of Severance's arm. "Let's get out–"

Chain whipped out, catching golden light along each link and each razor-sharp tooth. Rasin was forced to leap away as it tore between them. If he hadn't moved, he would have lost an arm.

The chain snapped back to its owner, a tall woman with sharp veridian eyes. She smiled pleasantly. "Why don't you stay?"

Severance's heart sank. He knew her. Maeve Makasa. She was one Ervante's followers, and she'd been there when that creepy clown had him slaughtered outside the Ruins. She knew it too, because what she just said was almost the exact same thing Ervante had.

"No thanks." Severance cast a worried look about the area, but he didn't see any sign of Ervante. Thank goodness.

He shuffled closer to Rasin. Maybe if he was quick enough, he could get off a teleport somehow.

"I wasn't asking." Maeve's smile vanished. She held out an arm, chain swinging from her grasp. "Shred."

With a flicking motion, the chain abruptly snapped forward like a snake going to strike. Severance caught the movement, and started to react, but even his agility couldn't keep up with the speed of it. The chain struck him across the chest, then wrapped around him, jagged teeth biting into his bare arms and digging into his coat.

He gasped, startled by the sudden restriction, but that turned into a startled cry as the player yanked the chain back. It spun him around as it retreated and tore through his flesh, ripping through his coat. Hot blood splattered the ground.

Severance staggered, barely aware of Rasin moving past him towards the players. His first instinct was to cast a Mend, but a knightglaive leapt, flying towards him like a great eagle with talons extended, his glaive glinting gold in the setting sun.

Alarmed, Severance leaped back, just in time for the knightglaive to land before him, his glaive plunging into the ground. Without even a pause, the Knightglaive grasped his weapon, using it as a fulcrum, and swung around in a whirling kick.

It caught Severance's chin, snapping his head to the side. Stars burst before his eyes. The ground rushed up to meet him, and by the time his mind caught up, he was half sitting, half sprawled on the ground.

Red pulsed in his vision like a racing heartbeat. It was his hp, on its last flicker of life. Shock stole his breath away; with a mere two attacks, he'd been nearly killed!

The knightglaive grabbed his glaive, yanked it free from the ground, and twirled it into a ready stance. Severance scrambled to his knees. His new fans were in his hands, but the knightglaive drew his weapon back and there was no more time.

"Supress!"

The skill burst out in a pale, silvery explosion. He hadn't used it in Sky Dance—there had been no time to invoke a Dance—so it lacked its damaging capabilities. But the stun was still there and the knightglaive froze mid-attack.

"Earth Dance! Skyfall!" Severance unleashed the skill on the stunned knightglaive, siphoning health into himself.

Instinct flared and he danced sideways, narrowly avoiding an arrow that flew past his face. He kept moving, though he sought out Rasin's location. It wasn't hard to spot the clansman, as Rasin was caught in brutal chaos. Multiple players had teamed up to try and take him down.

For a short two seconds, Severance looked. Time stretched out like a rubberband, allowing him to see it all in perfect clarity..

Rasin had blood running down his face and splattered over his hands, but it was impossible to tell whether it belonged to him. The players around him were just as bloody. One already lay motionlessly on the ground. Another kneeled, clutching his arm which had been sliced to ribbons.

Rasin danced amongst them, a blur of dark, deadly motion. There was a fluid grace behind every movement he made, a frightening efficiency that drew blood with every strike, every counterattack. But he was only one against many.

In a blink of an eye, Rasin went down. An arrow sprouted from his back and a rainblade's sword burrowed into his side. He hit the ground and didn't move.

A soundless wave roared through Severance's mind, muting out everything else. Rasin... died?

No.

The rubber band snapped.

Severance's jaw clenched so hard, he could hear his teeth grinding together in his skull. He mentally reached out for that little buff hanging in his awareness, and tugged it apart. Precaution dissolved instantly. A storm of pale energy descended upon Rasin's motionless form, gathering him up and sinking into his battered body.

Seeing that, Severance felt an absurd amount of relief. Rasin would be okay. Now, all he needed to do was evade the rest and–

"What the heck?" A player exclaimed. "He didn't even cast it!"

"Doesn't matter," said another. Only, her voice came from right behind Severance; cold, hard, and cruel, just like the dagger that suddenly plunged into his back. An arrow slammed into his chest right after. It jerked him back, further onto the dagger.

There was a tightness in his chest, a pinch in his back, and he coughed weakly. His arms flopped at his sides, the strength leaving his fingers. One by one, his war fans fell. Blood filled his mouth, bitter and sweet at the same time.

Snow drifted before his eyes, rapidly gathering into a silent squall. Just before it overtook him completely, he saw Rasin's feet touch down upon the ground. The man's eyes snapped open, and Rasin's chin lifted, fresh blood trickling down his face. There was hardly any hp left to him, yet the look in his eyes didn't waver. He didn't surrender, didn't stop, didn't give in.

And then Severance was gone.

He arrived in the Veiled courtyard, his chest still tight even though no wound remained. Panic buzzed through his veins because he couldn't forget the sight of Rasin lifting his chin, determined even though he barely had a foot out of the grave. With so many Free Traders surrounding him...

Severance's hands curled into fists. He knew, he knew that Rasin couldn't face those players on his own. He had to get back, with help, before Rasin fell again. The last time he'd died, he almost hadn't come back, and Severance couldn't bear to imagine that.

No. He's not going to die.

His boots struck the courtyard heavily, carrying him towards the House because the Courtyard was empty and no one seemed to be around, but he needed to find someone. Rasin was in danger and how long would he survive on his own?

He's strong. He'll be okay. He'll hang on 'til we get there.

Severance burst into the House. He saw three people right off the bat, saw faces without really seeing them, his anxiety skyrocketing so high he could barely think beyond getting help. They turned towards him, surprise dawning in their expressions, but he plunged on before anyone could react.

"You gotta come! Rasin's fighting and we have to go! Free Traders!"

"Where?" Someone asked, strangely calm and the lack of urgency behind it nearly had Severance shouting, because this was an emergency. It was time to hurry, not ask questions!

"Two Bridges," Severance blurted out the words as fast as he could. He'd already touched a hand to his teleport ring, unaware that every motion he made sent a fresh splatter of blood onto the stone beneath him. The moment he named the city, the ring activated and carried him away.

He could only hope they were behind him.

The second he felt solid ground under his feet, he was running. Down the street, past startled Elionans and players alike, straight to the gates. They were still open, but just a crack, so he had to turn sideways and slip through. Then he was outside the city, beneath golden skies streaked with orange and red like fire, with the bridge stretching out before him and–

He stumbled to a stop.

Laughter rang out, cruel and full of pride. It was the only sound in the area, for where there had been a furious scuffle before was only silence.

Most Free Traders had left, but a few remained. They stood around a dark shape on the ground. One of them was the tempest with the viridian eyes. Maeve Makasa. She looked down, lip curling, and gave the dark shape a harsh kick.

"Stupid trash."

A cold wind howled through Severance's chest. That... was that–?

No. Please, no.

"Rasin!" The anguished cry was both familiar and alien as someone rushed past Severance. At the sound, the Free Trader players turned to see.

Maeve regarded them, completely unconcerned with their arrival. The fact that someone charged towards her group didn't even faze her. Then her gaze spotted Severance and a slow, mocking sneer pulled her lips upwards.

"Too slow," she called.

And with that, the little group of players dispersed. They left casually, walking by twos and threes towards the city gates. Behind them lay the broken body of Rasin, which stained the ground beneath it a deep crimson. Violet sparkles twinkled over him, a few at first, but rapidly multiplying before their eyes into a sea of stars.

Horror unfurled its wings. She was right. He'd been too slow. And then he, too, was running, fans appearing in his hands, because there had to be something he could do. Words burst from him, lost in the noise, but they still summoned a shimmering, transparent Dome over Rasin's still form.

The clan member who'd rushed out fell to his knees at Rasin's side. It was only then that Severance recognized him. It was Dhin.

His heart clenched. And then it seized, because the sea of stars erupted into a single, spectacular explosion. The entire area went blindingly bright, so much so that for a short moment, Severance couldn't see. When it faded, little afterimages of violet sparks faded from before his eyes, like glaring spots one would get after staring at the sun for just a moment.

He didn't even notice.

All he saw was the empty space where Rasin's body had been. And kneeling beside it was Dhin, leaning forward, hands planted on the dirt. There came a low, anguished sort of moan, a wordless sound that reached into Severance's chest and tore into him like the savage claws of a beast.

Rasin was gone.

He'd brought Dhin here only for him to watch his father die.