Josh fell asleep after crying his heart out.

Shivam finally broke their embrace, and stood up. He looked up at the stars again, but there were none. Clouds had gathered on the sky and a cold wind blew.

As Shivam started walking, the first fat drops of a promised thunderstorm began falling. He was still wearing the armour, the Shadowblade on his back. As rain drenched him, the armour made an odd hissing sound.

Shivam walked, shoulders slumped, eyes focused on the eager earth soaking up the rain. Lightning flashed once, followed by a distant booming of thunder.

Shivam walked, mind a jigsaw-puzzle of memories and images. He remembered the summoning of Took, directed by Tiyasha. He had summoned Took for his personal gain, hadn't he? He was responsible for separating Took from his parents, and ultimately, for his death.

How many lives was he risking, actually? How many more will die for the sake of his quest?

And what was his quest, after all? What was he trying to find? What did it matter to him if Blikrot reigned or not?

And just like that, the memory of Aparajita slipped entirely from Shivam's mind, as he laid his eyes on Tiyasha. She was standing alone, eyes closed, face up toward the falling rain.

She looked beautiful. Of course, she always looked beautiful, and quite effortlessly, too--their wild, incredulous journey hadn't been able to diminish her lustre.

The drops of rain caressed her. She moved her fingers through her hair, unaware of Shivam watching. The raindrops fell on her face, slid down her chins, and found her shoulder. Most of her waist was exposed to the elements, and she glistened with the light of the rain.

Shivam felt that it was immoral to ogle over her when she wasn't aware of his presence, but found himself unable to retreat. A strange warmth pulsed in his veins, his heart hammered inside his ribs, and the urge of walking towards her was irresistible.

He placed a palm on her shoulder, and turned her. "Sh..Shivam?" she said. The rains had swept clean her tears.

"You're crying?" Shivam asked, now holding her with both hands.

"Uh, nn-no..." she whispered, thinking about taking a few steps back. What was Shivam doing?

"For Took?" Shivam asked, ignoring her lie. He was fascinated by the melancholy in her eyes. The rain crashed all around them, but now Shivam was impervious of it.

"Not o-only for Took. The whole world seems to be burning..." Tiyasha said.

"I'll set it right," Shivam said. "If you're with me, I can set things right. Defeat Blikrot. Make Josh the king, maybe. He'll make a fine king, don't you think?" Shivam said, his right hand sliding down her back.

"Yeah...what are you...?" Tiyasha said, horrified. And elated. Wasn't she feeling elated...?

"You're so beautiful," Shivam said, bringing his lips closer to hers.

"Wait! Your girl..." Tiyasha made a final attempt to prevent it from happening.

But it had to happen, anyway.

They locked lips, Shivam leading her. He brought her closer to him as he kissed her. And eventually, she began kissing him back, too, returning his fire with an equally sharp passion.

And as she kissed him, her initial reserve and guilt and surprise and horror washed away in the rain. She thought that Shivam must have decided to choose her, over Aparajita. She thought now Shivam loved her, maybe...who knows...maybe Shivam had given up the idea of tracking his girlfriend? Maybe his priority was now to defeat Blikrot and bring order to Heart? That was why he spoke of defeating Blikrot right before kissing her, wasn't it?

And as they kissed, Arthur watched them from behind a tree. They were still kissing, eyes closed, when he went back to camp, and took out the Capture-Painting.

He would have to do it tonight, he decided. A little bit of blood on Shivam's painted face, and Blikrot would be here. Allowing Shivam to get everything suddenly seemed a far worse option than letting Blikrot reign. Heart deserved HIM as a ruler... and he loved Tiyasha far more than Shivam ever could. And what was that hypocrite doing, eating her face like that? What about his beloved he was looking for?

These thoughts raged inside Arthur, and the Capture-Painting trembled in his hands.

"Still studying the Capture-Painting?" A voice asked. Arthur jumped, and then found that it was Josh. He was awake for some reason.

"Ye..yeah," he said hastily.

"I love that you're with us, you know. A warrior like you. I know we couldn't have saved Took back in that temple, but I alsp know that you would have saved him anywhere else," Josh said.

Arthur smiled. 'You would soon begin to hate me, kid...and the worse thing is, I don't hate myself for that,' he thought.

***

"What do you choose? Defence or offence?" The Orb asked Blikrot, in the Temple of Eclipse. "Choose carefully, for one has already been taken."

"Offence," Blikrpt said immediately. Already taken? What was that supposed to mean?

"Wrong choice, emperor of Heart. For your foe now has the Shadowblade," the Orb said.

"NO! I AM HERE! AND I DEMAND IT!"

But the Werewolves began surrounding them fast, and pulling Bakrasur away. "A sacrifice is needed, to let you leave, emperor. The blood of the one most faithful to you," the Orb said.

Bakrasur screamed for help, looking at Blikrot.

"I'm sorry," Blikrot said. And then he walked out of the chamber. He didn't feel bad. Small scarifices had to be made for the greater good of the world. And Bakrasur, after all, had been nothing more than a companion--a disposable companion.