Swords sang through the air and locked with a resounding scream. Kalian gave himself no room for hesitation. He stomped his foot into Dagen's inner ankle and forced his leg back, throwing the man off balance. Kalian thrust his sword forward and Dagen stumbled.

    Before he had a chance to recover, Kalian's foot collided with his chest. Dagen faltered again. Kalian slammed his sword down, but Dagen managed to catch the blow. Asar was practically glowing with magic. Kalian knew it had to be burning Dagen's unprotected hands, but the General showed no signs of suffering.

    "You fight well for half a Faerie," Dagen sneered.

    "I've been training for almost two centuries," Kalian replied through gritted teeth. "I should hope I can fight well."

    He shoved Dagen aside and whirled around him. Briefly, Kalian glanced at Moira. She was still astride Zelek, watching the duel with a worried gleam in her dark eyes. Despite her concern, Kalian knew she would stay put. She would let him claim this victory on his own. And if he failed, she wouldn't hesitate to put Dagen down. He almost wanted to fail just so he'd have the satisfaction of watching Moira tear him limb from limb. Almost.

    "Tell me something, Dagen," Kalian grunted. He swept another kick at the man, but Dagen managed to evade it. Kalian stormed towards him, power rippling through his body. "What made you like this? What did my people do to warrant this much hatred? You founded an entire organization dedicated to our extinction. You slaughtered a healer and an innocent girl just because they were Faeries. Why?"

    Dagen's smirk faltered. He rolled beneath Kalian's next blow and landed a kick to the center of his back. Kalian staggered, but caught himself before he could fall. The lack of steadying weight on his back was all too apparent. "I wasn't always like this," Dagen said, his voice almost too quiet to hear.

    "Like what? A sadistic bastard?"

    Dagen's cruel grin was renewed. "Yes." Asar clanged against Kalian's borrowed sword. "I was cast into the streets as an infant. What mother wants to bear a cursed son like me?" He gestured towards himself. "I was rescued by a courtesan who took responsibility for me. Of course, she also liked to take her anger out on me."

    "So that makes it right for you to take your anger out on others?" Kalian snarled. "On my wife and daughter?"

    Dagen forced him backwards, a hard light in his gaze. "When I was eight years old, I ran. I lived like a rat. Scrounging for food and warmth. Thieving where I could. Occasionally finding work. Then, I met a Faerie. He called himself a doctor and a scholar. He found my condition interesting and wanted to study me. In exchange, he offered food, shelter, and considerable payment."

    Kalian slipped past Dagen and kicked the back of his knees in. Dagen fell, but somersaulted away from the blow of Kalian's sword. "He told me my condition is a rare disease. Not a deadly one, but a disease nonetheless. He told me he could cure me, so I agreed. Do you know what he did instead of curing me?"

    "No, but I imagine you're about to tell me." Kalian snapped his foot up into Dagen's wrist. The General cried out, dropping Asar. Kalian snatched up his sword and gripped both weapons tightly, angling them towards Dagen.

    The man drew Calandra's obsidian dagger from a sheath on his hip. He reversed the blade in his hand, waiting for Kalian to attack. "He tortured me. Used me for his bloody science, as he called it. He cared nothing for what his tests did to me. I have the scars to prove it."

    "Just as I have scars that prove what you did to my family."

    "He cut me open and bled me dry, while preserving my life through magic. Do you know what that's like? Being fully conscious and aware that there is no blood in your body, that you aren't even alive, but you are unable to die? He threaded small tubes into my veins when he was ready to return my blood to me. I felt all of it, but he didn't care. He liked taking skin samples from my body too. He took a little bit from every part of me."

    "What was he hoping to find?" Kalian asked.

    "Magic," Dagen scoffed. "He told me there were stories about people with my condition being able to make themselves invisible and walk through walls. Essentially, they could become actual ghosts. He wanted to find the source of that magic and take it for himself. Ultimately, he never found anything. It didn't surprise me. He was mad. But after that, I never trusted Faeries. And after the Soleone War, I knew something had to be done."

    Kalian relaxed his stance, but only slightly. "You were wronged, but my kind don't deserve to be slaughtered because of the actions of one madman."

    Dagen tilted his head. "But that's just the problem, isn't it? All of you Faeries are mad. You prove it every single day. Humans will never be safe until you're gone, and it's up to me to see to your demise."

    Kalian shook his head, readying himself one last time. "You've suffered, Dagen, but so have I. You've lost yourself to anger. To madness. I won't let you destroy my people because of it."

    Dagen merely shrugged. "You won't be able to stop me, once I've destroyed you."

    Kalian didn't reply. He lunged and Dagen met his attack. Sparks flew as Asar collided with Calandra's obsidian dagger. His mind spun with Dagen's revelation. But despite knowing what the man had gone through, Kalian couldn't bring himself to pity him. Dagen had repaid cruelty with even more cruelty, and it had cost Calandra and Yara their lives. It had even cost Moira hers, in a way. It had cost his own.

    Kalian rained blows upon Dagen, but the General managed to keep up. Faster and faster their moves went. Dagen ducked beneath one attack and parried another. Kalian threw in several kicks, which the General avoided.

    Dagen jabbed his palm against Kalian's bicep, forcing his arm up and out. He wrenched his wrist the wrong way and Kalian lost his grip on his second sword. He kept a hold of Asar and knocked the sword's pommel into the side of Dagen's neck. Dagen stumbled over his own feet. Kalian recognized the opening.

    He brought Asar down with a clean sweep and wedged the blade through Dagen's gut. Dagen gasped, dropping Calandra's dagger. Kalian tugged Asar loose. Blood ran down the blade and a dark stain spread across Dagen's shirt. He fell to his knees, clutching at his stomach.

    "For my daughter," Kalian rasped, his eyes burning with unshed tears. He dropped Asar and picked up the obsidian dagger. Kalian ran his thumb over the blade, swallowing the lump in his throat. His gaze flickered to Dagen's. The man watched him with unmasked hatred.

    Kalian came closer, readying himself to deliver the final blow. Two years of hunting. Two years of failing. Two years of longing, grief, and pain. All of it leading up to this moment. The moment when he finally avenged those he lost. When he finally freed himself from his vendetta. Kalian saw Moira from the corner of his eye. The moment when he was truly able to move on.

    "For my wife," Kalian whispered, and slashed Dagen's throat.

    Blood spilled down Dagen's ivory skin and the man toppled to the ground. His hands flew to his neck, grasping at his throat as if he could somehow keep his blood from flowing. Kalian knelt over Dagen. "You'll die this time," he murmured. "Don't worry." Kalian wiped his blade clean on Dagen's shirt, then sheathed it at his thigh.

    Dagen was still convulsing when he stood and reclaimed Asar. Kalian stared at the smoke filled horizon and breathed, "For my people," as he brought Asar down, severing Dagen's head from his body. He backed away from the corpse, exhaustion crashing through him.

    "Kalian," Moira called, sliding off Zelek's back. She threw her arms around him and held him tightly. Kalian let most of his weight fall on her, unable to hold himself steady. "Are you all right?"

    "Let's get back to the capital," Kalian said. "The fighting won't break off until the Ironblades know he's dead." He lifted Dagen's head by the hair and mounted Zelek. Moira jumped up behind him and they took off towards Noctis.

☽◦༻◦☽◦༺◦☽

    Hours passed before the Ironblades retreated from Noctis. Moira aided where she could, but mostly, she stuck close to Kalian. He'd been quiet since defeating Dagen, leaving her rather concerned. And, she knew it wasn't wise for her to wander off on her own. Not until the Faeries trusted her, which might never happen.

    When the Ironblades finally retreated, a new work began. The dead were gathered up and identified if possible. Dozens of pyres were built for the deceased Faeries, while the Ironblades were carted off to be buried at the nearest Human settlement. Lir and Delilah were among them, though Moira had yet to tell Kalian. She didn't want to upset him any more than he already was.

    The sun had risen and set twice before the work was finally completed. Moira raked her fingers through her tangled curls, longing for a hot bath and soft bed. Kalian sat on a nearby crate, tracing the edge of his obsidian dagger. Moira hesitated, then approached him.

    "We should find somewhere to get cleaned up and rest," she said. "You especially." He still hadn't wiped Dagen's blood off himself. It was dried and brown now.

    Kalian gave a slow nod, lifting his gaze to hers. His denim eyes shone with a new light. He looked tired and sad, but hopeful besides. A small smile tugged at his lips. "You're staying with me?" He asked.

    Moira nodded. "I can't exactly run off on my own right now. My reputation precedes me, and that isn't a good thing."

    "No, it's not," he agreed. "Maybe we can make a new reputation for you."

    "Such as?"

    "Whatever you like." Kalian hooked a finger beneath her chin and drew her lips to his. Someone let out a low whistle behind them. Kalian broke off the kiss with a groan. Moira looked over her shoulder and found the dark haired, purple eyed Faerie watching them. "It's rude to interrupt, Gabriel," Kalian sighed.

    The Faerie, Gabriel, smiled. "Normally I wouldn't, but this time I'm curious." He shot a pointed look at Moira. Kalian narrowed his eyes and stood. "Easy, Kal. I didn't say anything, did I?" He turned and gave a short jerk of his chin. "Come on. Arius said you can stay at the manor until you're ready to leave. Iyan wants you to let Sybella look at your...injury, also."

    "There's nothing she'll be able to do." Kalian laced his fingers with Moira's and they followed Gabriel.

    "I know," Gabriel sighed. "But let her take a look anyway."

    Moira glanced at Kalian. His jaw was clenched and his throat bobbed. She squeezed his hand tightly, offering an encouraging smile when he looked at her. Neither of them said anything as they followed Gabriel back to the Royal Estate.