As soon as Petra ran off, Adrien took a deep breath and turned around. He wasn't meant for fighting like her or Peter, and he wasn't used as a sacrifice like the Front Liners. He was in the Tactics Brigade--the commander of the Tactics Brigade. He wasn't meant for fighting, he was created for thinking.

But if he wanted to stall time and think of a way to twist Petra's plans, he was going to fight.

He could feel it. Whatever her plan was, it was falling into place. It made him scoff and furrow his brows. He knew that there was something suspicious the moment he found the two burying a dead body in the gardens, and he should have known that it was Petra's idea to use the star map.

If there was one thing he learned while fighting alongside her, it was that the star map was accurate. Scarily accurate. And there was only a slim chance of fate being changed.

He clenched his hand into a fist, careful as to make sure he wouldn't let his magic burst. The last thing he needed was to go off like a bomb while Peter was in his pocket dimension.

Peter.

Almost immediately, Adrien knelt down and snapped his fingers. In a flash of silver, Peter appeared on the snow. His eyes were still closed, and his skin was slowly turning paler. The only good thing he could see from this was that he was still warm.

The question was how long.

Before he could tend Peter and give him medicine, his ears twitched. There were people coming towards him, maybe two of them. And they were close, too.

A sigh left him as he removed his cloak. "Sorry, Peter."

He tossed the cloak behind him and turned around, just in time to see the rebels jumping down towards him.

"There's going to be bloodshed without you."

He spun his arms and formed them to a cross. The sound of metal against metal hit his ears, before the shield he created immediately shattered. He took a step back and ducked, dodging the blade, and swept the rebel's feet.

Adrien gasped and took a step back. He shouldn't feel that tired yet, but using the pocket dimension probably took a toll on him.

He needed to leave, but he hadn't even thought of a way to stop Petra's plan. Maybe he could--

Pain rushed from his back, and he found himself gasping for air. Adrien turned around, only for him to feel even more air knocked out of his lungs. His head spun, and the next thing he felt was the cold snow below him.

"This is the power of the Tactics Brigade?" The rebel scoffed. Adrien assumed the shining thing in their hands was a sword. "I thought you'd be better than this, but it seems like you're all think and no act."

Adrien's arms shook as he lifted himself up, but he found a smile forming on his face. "T- True, but at least I can see what's behind you."

The rebel turned around. Even if his body was still aching, Adrien used any strength he had and punched their temple. They fell back on the snow, and he pierced another ice on their chest for reassurance.

As he dusted his clothes, he snapped his fingers. A flask appeared in his hands. He turned around and punched the rebel's face. Once they were knocked back, he grabbed their shirt and shoved the potion in their lips, forcing them to drink every drop.

He hitched his breath and watched them cough. Gasps left their lips, and their hands reached for their neck. Then, with a final gasp, they fell on the snow.

Adrien winced, a shiver traveling down his spine. At least he knew what the potion could do.

And now he was aware what truly happened to it.

Just as he turned to Peter, however, another sound reached his ears. Adrien turned around, just in time to see Allaine walking towards him.

Like yesterday, her mask covered the lower part of her face, only allowing him to see her eyes and brows. They were still furrowed down, and he could still feel the rage behind them.

It was unlike any other anger he has seen. While the soldiers in Royisa's Army had been angry, they never held what her eyes had.

The pain of an immortal was nothing compared to someone with a fickle life.

Slowly, Adrien stood up and dusted his clothes. "I'm surprised that you came to me." A hum left him. "Or maybe not. Maybe you're aware that I'm the only one you have a chance against."

"Save your breath, soldier. I saw what happened, you're not fit to fight." Though he couldn't see it, he knew her lips curled to a smile. "Especially with that liability over there."

Adrien furrowed his brows and placed himself in front of Peter. "He isn't a liability, he's a comrade."

"Acting like you care, how adorable. What's next, you're going to pretend you'll miss him once he dies?"

It took a lot of courage for Adrien to not retort or say anything. No matter how many words he would waste, he knew she wouldn't understand. And if he was honest, he wasn't sure he understood, either.

"You're a weapon," she hissed. "And weapons don't weep."

"Thank you for reminding me what the Royisan Army philosophy is. It's not as if I haven't heard it for the past hundred years of my life and need more reminders."

Allaine clicked her tongue and grabbed her dagger. "Don't toy with me, soldier. Or do Royisans really see war as nothing but a game? Maybe that's the reason you want the war to extend."

Adrien groaned and rubbed his temple, ignoring the look Allaine gave him. If Petra was here, he knew that she would start talking about how much she hated war. That she was willing to do anything just so the conflict between Royisa and Nuryyn would end.

But as for him...

"You're right."

He lifted his head and met her eyes. Before she could turn away, Adrien spun his fingers. Thin threads appeared in his fingertips, and a light pull of them was enough to make Allaine keep her focused on him.

"I don't think war is a game, but you're still right. I find it fun and I enjoy what I do." He shrugged. "Seems better than just sitting down doing nothing in my lab the whole day. But you're one to talk, when Nuryyn was the main reason the war started in the first place."

Allaine furrowed her brows and clenched her hands into a fist. "Nuryyn didn't start the war, they only fought because of Royisa--"

"--and Royisa fought because we had no choice. We needed to protect our people." Adrien took a step forward, making sure that Allaine wouldn't look away from her. "For a country that claims to be advanced and better, you sure do a poor job at explaining history."

Before she could say anything else, Adrien grabbed her shirt's collar and lifted her up. Allaine squirmed in his hold, and he had to snap his fingers just to make sure that she wouldn't move.

"Tell me, Your Highness. Does Nuryyn ever mention the fact that they started the Raid on Elderis while Royisan soldiers were there, or did they intentionally say that Royisa raided an innocent town for no reason?"

Allaine froze. Any anger that she once held immediately melted, unveiling the true emotion she had been hiding the whole time. Her eyes shook, and he could feel her entire body tensing and shivering.

Though as much as he wanted to continue, Adrien released his grasp on the princess, making her fall on the snowy grounds with a thud. He could feel magic pricking his fingers, and the last thing he needed was to blow the princess of Nuryyn's royal face.

"H- How..." She held her neck and slowly got up. "How long... how long have you known?"

"Ever since we met back at Kytzlanna." He huffed and muttered a healing spell in his palms. "Your mind is very jumbled, and it's easy to read. Maybe next time, you should try organizing your thoughts and focus. Makes it harder for me to know what you're thinking that way. Now if you'll excuse me."

"W- Wait!"

Adrien turned around and raised a brow. The princess walked towards him, dusting off the snow from her body.

"Y- You can... you can read minds?"

Mentally, Adrien kicked himself for mentioning it so casually. Before he continued, he turned back to Allaine and nodded. "I think I made that part clear."

Allaine gulped, and she fiddled her hands together. "Then... then can you tell me who killed Uncle Alejandro?"

"By the way, Adi. How accurate is that mind reading of yours?"

"A bit. Why?"

Adrien froze, and he felt chills crawling down his spine. That exchange with Petra just happened yesterday, and General Alejandro died just around a week ago. Yet... all of those felt like it had been a long time ago. Even though that was their main mission, he almost forgot why they were here in the first place.

He turned his head to the princess. Her eyes were slowly brimming with tears, and her lips were quivering. He didn't have all of the pieces yet, but he slowly understood. Thar explained why she knew where General Alejandro lived.

His eyes flicked to where Petra ran off to, and where she was possibly waiting, before turning to Allaine.

"If you have your suspicions, then you're correct. Petra killed General Alejandro a week ago." He flicked his eyes to one of the bodies on the snow. And she used my own potion for it.

Allaine's eyes widened, and she pressed her hands on the bottom of her face. Then, she yelled and fell to her knees again. Adrian could only watch and stare as the princess of Nuryyn thrashed on the snow and burried her face underneath it.

"I'll kill her." She lifted her head and smashed the snow again. "I'll- I'll kill her!"

Adrien turned his head away. She couldn't. She wasn't trained, and she didn't have anything that could protect her against a super soldier's magic. She would be dead before the battle could even start.

His eyes flicked eyes to the right again. He stalled enough, maybe even too much, and he still didn't have a plan. It was time for him to move.

"Your highness." Adrien knelt down to her height and lifted her head. "I think it's time for you to go. I stayed here because I knew you would be after me rather than her, but I think it's time for you to go. It's dangerous here, and super soldiers aren't your only enemies."

Allaine shook her head. "Please, let me stay here for a while. I- I need some time to think."

"Very well."

Without waiting another word from her, Adrien picked Peter up and slung him over his shoulders. He wasn't sure yet if he could send him to his pocket dimension, but he wasn't risking anything. Not when his life was already on the line.

It didn't take long for him to find the end of the forest. Petra's kills littered the ground, and it provided him a trail to the ravine.

"A long jump," he said with a scoff. "Just what I needed."

"Adi!"

Petra waved her hands on the other side. If it weren't for the fact that Peter was over his shoulder, Adrien would have blasted a fireball at her before jumping. At the same time...

He took a step back, tightening his hold on Peter. Then, with a deep breath, Adrien jumped.

Adrien moved Peter closer to his chest, allowing him to hold him in one hand. He stretched the other, and reached for the ledge.

His hand grabbed onto the rock, making him sigh in relief.

Though his victory was cut short when Peter slipped from his grasp.

"Peter!"

Adrien removed his hold from the ledge and grabbed onto Peter's hand. Fortunately, before any of them could fall, he was able to grab onto a stray root. Though he wasn't sure how long he could hold. Peter was heavy, and the root wasn't enough for them both.

"Adi!" Petra called from above. "Adi, grab my hand!"

"I can't!" He heaved Peter up, stopping when it looked like the root was about to break. "I'll drop Peter, I can't!"

"Adi, just grab my hand!"

When Petra stretched out her arm, Adrien looked down. Peter was below him, unmoving. It didn't look like he was going to wake up anytime soon. It was hard to tell if he was still breathing. Every part of him was still.

Adrien looked back at Petra's hand again. He could either grab it and let Peter fall, or continue holding onto Peter and let them both fall.

He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

Then, with all of his might, he tossed Peter upwards.

Petra's eyes widened as she caught her brother by his coat, then dragged him up the other side. A smile formed on his face as his other arm reached for the ledge, then grabbed onto Petra's hands.

Only for him to yell as he felt fire burn the back of his hands.

Petra inched herself closer to him, their faces merely breath away from one another. Adrien had seen dead bodies before, yet none of their eyes were as dull as Petra's icy  blue ones.

Everything fell silent in his ears, and the only voice he could hear was hers.

"You're aware, aren't you, Adrien?"

Adrien gritted his teeth and furrowed his brows. "Petra, let. Me. Up."

Her eyes narrowed, and a smiled formed on her face. "So you do know."

"That you killed Alejandro that night using my potion?" He scoffed. "Yeah, I know. What idiot thinks about it while asking if I can read min--agh!"

He winced as he felt even more burns in his hand. If it weren't for Petra holding onto him, he would have fallen. Though he was sure she was planning to do that.

"What are you- what are you waiting for?" He gasped for his breath. "Just kill me already, what's the stall for?"

"The stall?" She laughed, and one of her fingers left his hand. "I'm stalling because I want to see the look in your eyes when you realized that you could have lived. You just got in my way."

"What makes you think I'm against you? Petra, just lift me up! Then we'll talk!"

"I know you're against me."

Her smile widened, and it made Adrien's stomach twist.

"You decided to be against me when you didn't let go of Peter."

Adrien felt his heart wrecking his chest. He tried to cling onto Petra's hands, but his fingers were aching with every move. It didn't help that, one by one, she was loosening her own hold on him.

"F- For a defect," he tried to say with a smile, but he only found himself frowning. "You sure do act like a perfect soldier."

And that was when it hit him. The final piece that he needed.

"Petra!"

"Such a shame, Adi." Her brows furrowed as she lowered her head.

"I really did like you."

It was like time decided to slow down. Adrien's heart stopped when Petra removed her hands from him. His arms reached forward, trying to summon even the slimmest of magic to try and reach her. But nothing reached him.

The cold sliced against his cheek, and a bitter chuckle left his lips.

He should have let go. Yet he didn't.