Gene rolls, rigging the roll to a natural twenty, killing me in a single blow.

Mother fu-

Nathan is dead. I take his soul.

Riley and Ash lunge, as I attack with the rest of the crew, allowing us to corner Gene in one, final all out attack. However one roll of the dice...

Manny! My font! Before-

Everyone... struck down by lightning. All of them, expect me, Ash, and Riley.

"Gene!" Riley pleads, "stop this!"

"Oh," Gene chuckles, "I'll stop. I'll stop when I have my brother back!"

"I have an idea," Ash smirks, "let's make a deal."

"Deal?" Gene asks.

"Fair fight," Ash explains, "we win, you stay here and die. We win, then-"

"No deal," Riley glares, "not like that. Gene, dad, listen to me. Edgar wouldn't want this. Phoenix, Sour, me... you. You don't really want this do you?"

"Here's my deal," Gene replies, "no more rigging. We fight. You die. We all die. If you beat me, I know you'll kill me, but if you don't, I'll take it as proof. Proof you readers, manifestations, are good, and I was wrong. I'll save this world by sending everyone into the void, and never try this again. We'll call it even. I'll head to book three, and you'll head to the void. Do we have a deal?"

"Deal," I shake Gene's hand.

"Bad move," Gene smirks, as I realize this position gives Gene a plus three on the roll he is making...