Vincent spent several minutes howling in agony as he rolled around on the wet cobblestone. Even as his body shivered from the moisture draining heat from him, he could not escape the inferno that had engulfed his face. Several cloaked men came running from the customs house, nary a stone’s throw away and slid to the scholar’s rescue. Much to their surprise, they found the Emperors face re-knitting itself back together. Sparks danced along his skull until the injury was all but an unpleasant echo, a foul memory.

The men stared in awe as their groaned and rolled onto his stomach, lifting himself up slightly. He glanced to where Tobias had been standing, only to find Blackheart buried in the stone. He sat silently for several moments, letting the rain fall down on him silently as the storm raged on. A guttural growl grumbled from his bowels as he clenched both of his hands once more into fists. His growl escalated into a roar as he slammed both fists into the cobblestone shattering the stone beneath his fists. The operatives stood silently watching this burst of anger, before long the scholar was rising to his feet. Clutching the blade, he ripped Blackheart from the cobble stone and let out another roar.

“I AM GOING TO STAB THIS FUCKING SWORD THROUGH HIS GOD DAMN THROAT NEXT TIME I SEE HIM. I WILL DRAIN HIS BLOOD FROM HIS BODY, I WILL WATCH HIM BREATH HIS LAST BREATH.” The scholar threw the blade down and stomped angrily. “AND SO HELP ME GOD.” The scholar turned to the other Tarot Operatives, “IF ANY OF YOU SPEAK OF THIS!” The men all nodded. The Emperor’s disgrace would be kept a secret. He stomped forward, towering over all of them. “And if Alyssa asks, this was a false alarm. Tobias was never here.” The scholar glared down at the blade Tobias had left, the closest thing he had to a memento. He reached down and snatched it from the ground and snapped, ushering it into the dimension he kept all of his other gear. The men gulped, to keep such a secret could be considered treason had any other man given the order.

“Are we clear?” The scholar asked glaring at the three.

“Yes sir!” The men barked snapping to attention.

“Good!” the scholar growled turning away. He paused for a moment, and a gate of teal Tap energy burst into existence. “Remember gentlemen, this is all a secret.” With that, he was gone, stepping through back to whence he had came.

It was time for a fucking drink.