The last thing he remembered was seeing Nina's face. Her beautiful face. His thoughts were about being without her. His little red bird. Then he woke up. Wait, if he woke up that meant... He must not of been dead! He was in a casino not unlike the Crow Club, but this casino was far more brown and clean. A mirror drew his eye, it was on a white column. It entranced him and he bounded over to it. He saw Nina in its reflection!

"Nina?" He called out. She was crying. Holding him. No....  this couldn't be. This couldn't be real. To be done in such a way. He had so many goals. He needed to live. He just couldn't be dead. This could not be happening. He punched the mirror in frustration. It fell off of its hook and shattered.

"Tch." Matthias turned around. A little girl from Fjerda. "Strike one," a burst of air pushed him onto the broken glass against the column it was hanging on.

"What?" Matthias rolled his sleeves up. Just cause she was a little girl from his country didn't mean he wouldn't hit her. Especially since he was pretty sure she was the one who made him go against the column. He shifted his weight and felt the glass impale his feet. It went through his footwear. He grimaced. "Where the hell am I?" He stepped off the glass and charged her.  He was pushed back again. Yeah, it was definitely her doing this to him.

"Threatening me, strike two." Oh he so wanted to pound her into oblivion.

"Now, now, Birgit, lets give him a chance." A cool voice reached his ears. Cool yet unsettling. Dark and a hint of cruelty. Matthias looked to the voice. As soon as his eyes met his Matthias flinched. His dark aura was so overpowering he felt like he was dying over again. He wanted to vomit, but still he didn't recognize him. He didn't want to.

"W-who are you?" He regretted the stutter. No weakness. He couldn't be weak. Not to this person. Whoever he was.

"Hello, Drüskelle," He gave a horrifying smile. "You should know who I am."

"You'll have to spell it out for me," the figure pushed back his black hair.

"I'm a drüskelle's worst nightmare."

Matthias never thought he'd be glad to see Kaz Brekker ever in his life. Technically he wasn't alive, but it definitely counted. Yet he here he was. Kaz Brekker didn't look very nervous, but Matthias could never tell what he was thinking. How was he here? Was the main question on his mind. Of course in death he would be the one to stare the most feared Grisha of the past 100 years in the face and not look scared. Matthias scanned his body for marks for how he died. Nothing noticeable. Brekker glanced to him. A smirk stuck itself on his face. Matthias felt like shit or he would have tried to make his way over to him. Ugh, Matthias thought. He was pathetic. He was too weak.

"Hello," Brekker said to the man holding Matthias hostage. Matthias caught Birgit's sadistic glare. It sent shivers down his spine.

"Get him, Birgit,"

"Gladly," she summoned a gust of wind and blew him forward. Why wasn't he running? Kaz tried to stand but he ended up kneeling. The Darkling pulled shadows from the room and wrapped them around Kaz.

"Let's see what makes you tick." Matthias had seen people be wrapped in shadow before and even he had had it happen to him, but he had never seen anyone like Kaz take it before. Or was he? What was going on in there? Everyone who had ever seen his dark visions had been screaming. Matthias watched as Birgit grew bored. She always delighted in the screams. What a messed up little girl. Birgit began tapping her foot.

"Sasha, he's boring."

"What do you suppose instead?"

"He cares about the Drüskelle, hurt him instead," then the three of them heard laughs.

"What was that, Brekker?" The shadows disappeared from his body and Kaz fell to the ground, still laughing.

"You think I care about him?" Kaz asked. Matthias' eyes widened. Matthias knew Kaz didn't care, but talking to the Darkling like that. That was probably a mistake.

"You asked for him when you first arrived, didn't you?" Kaz smirked as his face was pressed against the floor by Birgit.

"He owes me money," it came out slightly muffled, but still menacing. Matthias knew something was up though. Matthias didn't owe him anything. Besides Brekker wouldn't die so easily. He must've been planning something. Matthias decided to play along.

"I told you he was a demjin, don't let him near me!"

"You didn't think I'd follow you did you!?" He shouted, "If I can't have your money I'll pummel you into the ground!!!" The Darkling silenced Brekker. Matthias sighed internally. They were safe for now. At least the two of them wouldn't suffer the same fate at the hands of the Darkling. This still begged the question. Why was Brekker in the underworld? The tricky demjin must've had a plan or else he would never let himself be killed. Who killed him?

"He's coming with me." No, Matthias thought. The torture The Darkling brought was some of the worst pain Matthias ever faced. The pain wasn't just physical. it was emotional. he had to watch his Nina mourn him. Over and over again. It only ended when someone passed out or The Darkling got bored. There was no death to end suffering here. It was pain that never ended. 

"No! Please! You can't! This demjin!"

"You can get your feelings out when you both have to fight."

"Oooo, yes! This'll the the Grisha murderer suffer!"  Birgit said. "I love how we punish his kind! People just like him burnt me at the stake. I can't wait to watch Helvar bleed!" Kaz's and Matthias' eyes widened. It made so much sense. Birgit was slain by a drüskelle. Matthias always had his suspicions, but it was never concrete until now. The Darkling looked to Birgit and nodded.

"Djel, please!"

"He will come with me drüskelle. You'll just have to make sure he doesn't destroy you when I finally force you to battle." And so the duo forced Kaz and Matthias up with dark shadows binding them. "Oh and Jordan!" The Darkling called. "I know you just wanted to help your brother and," the darkling took a sigh. "Because I need you to keep order I will let you off with a warning." Matthias looked back. Again things were clicking into place. Matthias became a friend very quickly so he never saw The Dealer head on, but it made sense for The Dealer to be Brekker's brother. Matthias feigned fear, well only slightly feigned. As much as Matthias didn't want to admit it he was terrified of The Darkling. Matthias pretended to be afraid of Kaz. Kaz looked relieved. Matthias would've been too if he knew his sister was out of trouble. Matthias was too upset about being dead to even look to see if his family was here. What a mistake.

"I can't wait for Helvar to suffer!" Birgit said with strange delight.

"I know Birgit, but if it happens too often it will become stale. Pick two other people out and you can have them fight, instead," The Darkling said.  Birgit's creepy smile shown bright. Oh no, this wouldn't be good.

XxX

Kaz was so close to victory. He expected to have a little more time to figure everything out, but the plan would just have to proceed on an expedited schedule. The fighting thing intrigued him. He did need a distraction, but he first needed to find a way to get to Matthias. He was going to get Matthias back to the living even if it was the last thing he ever did. Unfortunately it might actually be so. Kaz scowled. He needed to believe this would work. He needed to get back to life. He needed to see Inej again. A whole lotta need was on his agenda. Matthias was luckily catching on slightly. He wasn't as much of a lughead as he thought. The finally arrived at their destination. It was a golden throne room. Tens of people sat all around it. They were friends. They all looked absolutely miserable. 

"Alright Brekker! Save your anger for the arena." He had an arena? Of course he had an arena. How had he not known about this? Perhaps it was a secret? Jordie was going to have to face serious consequences for not telling him. Kaz sat down on the floor. He would figure it out. Matthias was put near the throne. He looked to Kaz with confused eyes. Kaz nodded and mouthed to him.

"I'll explain when I get the chance." The chance for anymore direct communication was finished for the current moment when The Darkling sat down on the throne. Birgit was looking for people she wanted to see fight. The sound of Birgit skipping around was grating on Kaz's ears. He looked back to see if she was finally done. She looked to a girl in a durasts kefta with freckled tan skin, brown hair, and large brown eyes. 

"I guess I choose you! Tahlia!" Tahlia looked very distressed. Her large brown eyes widened significantly and she reluctantly stood up. Birgit tapped her chin and brushed back her blonde hair. "And... you!" She pointed to a very large Shu man. "Come on Hong! It's time." This wasn't going to be good.

But, Kaz reminded himself. During the he might get the chance to talk to Matthias. At least he hoped he would.

I'm back! At least for a little while. I can't believe it's been so long. Again I apologize, but I think I'm in a pretty good place to write currently. (Though one reason is because I lost the chapter and had to rewrite it.) Today was really good for me. Like really good. I actually wrote like 800 words for the chapter. Which allowed it to finally be finished. Hopefully, it will continue to be good. Expect only like five more chapters after this one. I might add one more, but I'm not sure if any of you want me to prolong the conclusion to the story any longer. And I recently bought a laptop, which makes it way easier to write. Ahh I can't wait to finish!!