Abigail ran through the castle, wondering where everyone went. The once tumultuous fighting had apparently filtered back out into the castle grounds.

"Trey?" she called, cursing the maze of hallways and levels. "Trey, where are you?"

"The boy's here?"

Abigail whipped around, gaze narrowing at the person who'd rounded a corner behind her. "What are you doing here?"

#

Phoenix, Samson, and Youlden dropped lower into the castle, nearing the ground level. A small figure darted into her path as she reached another staircase.

"Trey?"

"Phoenix!" Trey's eyes widened as he stared up at her. "You're okay!" He threw his arms around her waist and she hugged him back.

"What are you doing here? It's dangerous!"

"I thought you might need my help." He blinked, all innocence. "I wanted to help."

"We need to get you out of here." Phoenix glanced around at the other two. "We need - what?"

Trey jerked away from her, watching Samson and Youlden with wary eyes.

"Trey? What is it?"  She turned to look at the two men with her, trying to see what Trey saw.

Youlden's brows migrated to his hairline as Samson cocked his head to the side. Trey's gaze slid over them, his countenance darkening.

"What's wrong?"

Trey pointed at them. "They're wearing gloves."

Phoenix turned to Samson and Youlden, both of whom were looking at their hands.

"It's part of the uniform," Samson said, frowning as he pulled his off. Phoenix's heart broke at the sight of the thin white scars lining his hands. "Makes people uncomfortable," he mumbled.

Youlden pulled his off, too. "I just don't like people to see these." He showed Trey his markings. The black lines were as bold as ever, darkening Youlden's already tawny skin.

The little boy took a step back, a strange expression crossing his face. He turned his attention to Samson.

"I remember," he said, staring up at Samson. "I know it was you that night." He glanced up at Phoenix. "But she doesn't." 

Samson's confusion shifted to understanding, and he nodded. "Trey, let me-"

A scream echoed from somewhere in the east wing on the other side of the castle. A second guttural cry sounded somewhere below, familiar. Phoenix flinched, turning toward the noise, and Trey was already on the move.

"Trey! Wait!" Phoenix rounded on Samson. "What did he mean?"

"What?"

"What did he mean, it was you? What night?" She took a step back, seeing him with new eyes. "It was you, wasn't it? You're the one who took him from the orphanage."

Samson reared back. "What? No! No, that isn't - it's not -"

But Phoenix was already backing away, ignoring both Youlden and Samson's words of caution. She turned and ran, heading down the nearby stairs after Trey and toward the sound of Eric's cry.

#

Eric ran out of the castle and found Bainon kneeling at the side of Narissa's body. A surge of revulsion ran through him at the sight of her mangled body, twisted at unnatural angles, her eyes staring into nothing.

Around the king, Army soldiers fought to keep him safe, protecting him from the enemies. Bainon didn't seem to notice, his whole body shaking as he stared at his wife.

"Sir." Eric slid up to Bainon, tugging on his arm. "We need to get you out of here. You can't do anything for her anymore. We-"

Bainon let out a cry of rage, pulling his sword up and attacking the nearest Militia soldier with surprising ferocity.

A scream from within the castle sent Eric's blood cold. The sound of it dug deep into his bones, whispering his worst fear to him. His heart broke, and he let out a scream of pain and rage.

#

Noelle skidded to a halt, fear holding her in her place. A cloaked figure stood opposite Abigail, their back to Noelle. She saw Abigail's gaze shift to her, and the other woman gave the slightest shake of her head.

"Is the boy here?" the voice asked, not noticing Abigail's divided attention. "Tell me."

"Why should I tell you?" Abigail asked, squaring her shoulders. She glowered at the figure. "You're one of the ones after him aren't you? It was you who sent that assassin back at the Militia."

The figure chuckled, and Noelle crept closer.

"Such a clever little girl. When did you figure it out?"

"I never trusted you." Abigail shifted so the figure would mirror her, putting Noelle even further behind her. "I could sense it the moment I met you. I shook your hand with my gloves off, don't you remember?" Abigail flexed her bare hand. "Maybe you never paid much attention to my gift."

"A little empath." The voice, Noelle decided, was undoubtedly female. It sounded familiar, and yet...

"Who is it?" Abigail asked. "Who is the traitor in the Ancient Circle?"

"You think I'd tell you that? If I am doing all I'm doing for a more powerful being than you could ever dream of understanding, do you think I'd be so foolish as to tell you? What do you think someone like that would do to me?"

"No more than you'd deserve."

"Tell me where the boy is, or die." The hooded figure pulled out a dagger, holding it in her right hand.

Noelle leapt into the air, wrapping her arms and legs around the cloaked adversary, holding tight as Abigail ran from the front to do the same.

All three went down, punching, kicking, and slicing. Noelle felt the blade bite into her arm and kicked out. She untangled herself from the mass with a roll. Abigail lay beside her, panting and staring down at her abdomen. Noelle followed her gaze and saw blood.

"That's enough." An all too familiar, bored, apathetic voice echoed in the hall. Noelle's stomach churned, her panic rising as Aundreya stepped out of the shadows. "I mean, it was fun to watch, but wasted time. Don't you think?"

The cloaked woman stood, her hood off. "Where's the boy?" she asked Abigail.

"Helena?" Noelle squeaked, horrified. "You're trying to kill Maverick and Gwen?"

Helena eyed Noelle with disgust. "Gwen, yes. The rightful heir to the throne. The brat that bitch bore - the only seed of my Tarvril. I planned for Maverick to be king, but his inability to listen is getting on my nerves. If he can't obey, he can't be on the throne."

"You'll never get away with this."

"Why do people always say that? As though by saying it, you'll somehow initiate my defeat." Helena shook her head. "I've been getting away with it for years. I helped Tarvril kill almost all the Guardians, ensuring our victory." Her mouth twitched as she remembered. "But he was soft - unwilling to kill his brother. Bainon's life meant Tarvril's death."

"And you've spent the last quarter-century working toward your revenge," Abigail said through clenched teeth, her face pale as blood continued to pour from her wound.

"Blah, blah, blah," Aundreya said, stepping up next to Helena. "Backstory is so boring. I'm far more intrigued by the future." Her gaze slid to Noelle, dark eyes glittering. "A future where my sister isn't in my way anymore."

"Noelle," Abigail took her hand. "Do you know what you are?"

"Dead meat?" Aundreya suggested, grinning down at them. "You feel it, don't you Noelle? And you, whoever you are. Your bones are breaking, snapping. Your wounds are bleeding, your life dwindling."

Noelle sucked in a gasp of pain as Aundreya's words hit her. No, not again.

Abigail tugged harder, and Noelle felt Abigail's pain as well as her own. "You're like me, Noelle. Not exactly. Not an empath, but an amplifier. You adapt. You resist - you're resisting my gift now. But don't. Embrace it. Take it in. Push it out."

"I can't," Noelle cried, her whole body shaking as Aundreya's words continued to pour over them.

"Stop!" Helena's voice sounded urgent. "I need Abigail alive. I need to find that boy!"

"You can. Noelle." Abigail squeezed her hand. "I'm not going to survive this. Do you understand? I'm dying. I need you to do this. For me. For Trey. I can't let them force me to tell them where he is."

Noelle tightened her grip on Abigail's hand, burrowing deep inside herself, searching. She could feel Abigail's pain, her anguish - an aching sadness for a baby and a young man who would never see her again. It was too much, she couldn't handle it.

Get rid of it. Push it out. Get rid of it.

Noelle let out a scream, something inside of her reverberating, pushing out the pain. It fled from her, slamming into Helena and Aundreya, knocking them to the ground. Noelle lay back, turning her head to see Abigail's eyes wide, unblinking.

She'd screamed with Abigail's last breath. She closed her eyes, letting darkness take her.

#

Maverick held his hand over Gwen's mouth, both of them watching, horrified, from their hiding place as Helena picked herself up off the ground.

"What the hells was that?" Aundreya snapped, still flat on her back.

"What's your sister's gift?" Helena asked, glaring down at Noelle's limp form.

"She's flexible. That's all."

Helena growled deep in her throat. "That's not all, you imbecile. She's obviously more powerful than that to survive a childhood with you." She knelt down beside Noelle, blade in hand. Maverick jerked forward, and Gwen stopped him.

"What are you doing?" Aundreya asked, groaning as she pushed herself into a sitting position.

"She knows too much."

"Don't kill her," Aundreya demanded. "You will not kill her. You don't want to."

Helena paused, glancing back at Aundreya. "And why not?"

"Because." Aundreya grinned, wicked, dark. "I want to play with her."

Maverick jerked forward again, but Gwen blocked his path.

"We need to go," she whispered. "We need to get out of here. Now. Helena will us both."

"But Noelle -"

"We'll come back for her. We need your sister." Gwen pushed him down the hall. "Go. We need to go. Now."

Sooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry guys. I know you all loved Abigail. Helena and Aundreya are not a good combo. Yoro might be dead, but it looks like the trio working with the Ancient Traitor is still at it.

Also, many of you called Helena as a no-good-baddie...and I'm guessing your vindication at being right is tainted by her most recent act.

Mourn Abigail with me - tell me your favorite thing about her.

*Final note: war is hells. Which is exactly why someone like Abigail is gone. Never think it's all fun and games or the good guys will escape unharmed. Evil doesn't see families or children or innocence and pass it by. Evil will always go after those things. Combat evil, my friends, so people like Abigail don't die in vain.