We proceed towards a nearby duo of auras. Reaper seems intensely focused as we walk, as if he's going after the Author himself. If he's this determined now, I wonder how he'll be when the war actually starts. I look into his eyes...

They are full of wrath. Deep, dark pits of rage, bitterness, and pain, but behind all that, is a man. A man who wishes to protect. A man who cares deeply about the ones he loves. A man who wishes only to make the world a better place. If only he knew he's doing it all wrong...

"What are you looking at?" I demand.

"Oh," M.S. replies, "nothing."

She looks away, embarrassed slightly. What's up with her? Doesn't she get that I don't care about her or anyone else until they're safe?

Makes me wonder though, am I wrong? Am I protecting anyone at all? Am I just doing this out of greed?

...

No. Couldn't be. Writers take away happy endings. I must destroy them, no matter the cost. If there was another way, I'd take it. I cry sometimes before I rest, because I miss them. Because I miss the ones I love, but I know what I am, and have always been. I'm the punching bag. That's all I'll ever be.

We near the auras now, in the middle of an empty, unsettled part of the void. Only blackness for about five miles in all directions, but if I look closely, I can see a town to the east.

We reach the source of the aura, and I can already tell we're in for a fight. The Unwinged Angel and his wife, the Warlord, block our path. The Warlord wears a full suit of armor, hiding her physical appearance under a white and gold set of knight's armor. The Unwinged almost smiles, but catches himself, remembering we aren't friends. The Warlord only glares, and I glare back. I never really got along with her. I can't get along with everyone after all.

"Hey," Unwinged greets with a fake coldness.

"Hello you Loyalist scum," Reaper growls back.

"Come on," the Warlord sighs, "let's just kill him. He's not the friend you once knew."

"No," Unwinged retorts, "we have to try, OK?"

Unwinged smiles at me, indicating and understanding a mutual goal to help Reaper. I nod back.

"Let's get to the point," Reaper sighs, gripping his scythe.

"Hold on," I grab his shoulder, which seems to cause some hesitation, "let's hear what he has to say."

"Why should I?" I demand, annoyed by the pointless hesitation. I should be training. We're wasting valuable time.

"For me," she smiles her sweet, sweet smile, melting the ice within me, frozen by the Author's sin. Damn it. I can't say no can I?

"Fine," I sigh, "make it quick."

"OK," Unwinged replies, "Reaper, we want you to listen. If only this one time, listen to everything I have to say."

I turn to M.S., and she smiles sweetly again.

"I hate how cute you are," I sigh to her.

"You know you love it," she chuckles.

"I do and I hate that," I explain, "it's distracting me from my goal. Unwinged, speak."

He does and he hates it? On one hand I'm flattered, on the other, I'm kinda hurt. I don't get it. Is he truly in so much pain that I can't convince him he needs to be saved? Oh pen, please, please don't let that be the case. I can't lose him. I know he's still in there. I just have to keep searching.

"Reaper," Unwinged explains, "I'm here to bargain."

"Bargain?" Reaper inquires.

"Yes," Unwinged smiles, "here is my offer. We help you kill Gen and Edgar, and you allow us to revive Andrew."

"I'm..." Reaper takes a deep breath and runs his hands over his face, "OK, tell me more."

"We revive Andrew," Unwinged continues, "but we have him under intense security, make sure he won't go rouge, make sure he'll actually let the series end.  He won't be our master, we'll be his. We both are armies, and together, we can stop the Antiheroes. What do you say..." Unwinged approaches and extends his arm, smiling, "do we have a deal, old friend?"

That... is quite an offer. I won't lie, it truly is, but it's not a chance I can take. No chances, no loose ends. Tolerance, Forgiveness, and Hatred were loose ends, and now we're here. I won't repeat my mistake. Besides...

Before he can react, I use my scythe to slice his arm off.

"We aren't friends," I remind, blasting him with hellfire before he can react, burning and killing him. His charred corpse falls with a thud and all goes silent.

...

I take his soul. The Warlord, with her super human strength, leaps at me. I smirk at her and blast her with holy magic, a golden explosion from my palms, killing her in the divine light of her husband's power, before taking her soul too. I'm letting them go after I win, don't worry. After all...

In the end, I want to protect them, not imprison them.

"Shall we continue?" I smile at M.S.

I stand there, shocked. He... killed them. I really hoped he would accept that offer, for a moment, I though he would. Guess not. I take a deep breath, and remind myself, even if only showed up for a moment, he's in there. After all, he didn't attack right away. He's in there, somewhere, and now, I've seen him, he's under that mask. I know he is. Unwinged does to, cause he didn't shoot first.

"Sure," I smile, "let's go."

We proceed deeper. Deeper into the war zone...