She was nestled deep in the cold snow, the bite of the ice nipped at her flesh and sent ripples of goosebumps and shivers through her body. The numbing pain was a stark contrast to the burning in her neck. The Magicite had barely pierced her skin but its effect was clear. With each ragged breath Amari found it harder to breath, with every rise of her chest her heart thumped harder and harder against her aching ribs.

“Ulroke….” her voice was weaker now, words barely a whisper spoken through cracked, bruised lips. “S-s-stop….”

Amari was helpless, she had to watch as her efforts were ripped and pulled apart by a merciless man. Tears dotted her eyes. It had all been for nothing. She tried so hard to bring Noel back, and she had failed, she wanted to make it up to him, she wanted to apologise for the magicite, and she wanted to show Taka that the man wasn’t an ape headed brute. Now...she’d never get that chance.

She hiccuped and flinched as Lye bought the cleaver high over his head and with a series of ‘Thwacks’ that echoed around them, started cutting through Noels limbs, carelessly throwing each one to the boars.

”Taka I’m so sorry I wasted your time...Noel… dammit why did I let you come with me?

With a great deal of effort Amari rolled onto her stomach, coughing into the snow, she could smell the metallic iron from her own blood, her arms ached as she pushed herself up. “I...I am Amari….”

She lifted her head, ignoring the thumping pain that ebbed at her temples. Head blazing with a brilliant golden fury that burned in the dim light. A burning defiance she had never shown him, even before he broke her and moulded her into his ideal. One that he was no doubt afraid he’d one day see. “I… I… am Amari, third born of the Ar’Tuel and guardian of Ghyran’s creations and b-bringer of life.”

Despite her efforts she collapsed back into the snow. “And...I-I will not...have you...desecrate...my friends...corpse…” She spoke between ragged breaths, trying to keep focus on the visage of the silver haired assassin.

The edge of his blade fell and the head of Noel leapt from the table to the snow. Lye’s body held steady, motionless for a brief moment as Salvar’s frigid breeze filled the silence. He punctuated it by jamming his tanto into the wood where he left it to stand on its own. Wordless, he bent over and plucked the head from the tundra.

“What did you say your name was?” The words left his lips low, and guttural. He turned to face Amari, her friend’s remains dangling by the hair in his firm grasp. Lye’s boots broke the packed, icy snow with each step. A sharp crackle echoed in his approach.

“Y-you heard me.” Amari knew he was near, how near, it was hard to say. Her vision had blurred to the point where Lye was nothing more than an inky black smudge against waves of white. Every minute movement for her was agony, she tried to break free, to project her soul away from the body but the magicite held it fast to its physical form.

Amari shut her eyes, she knew she were to be punished. Severely, but Ulroke needed a good slap of reality. She wanted to remain loyal to him, she wanted to keep her promise… to ensure he smiled, just once...out of contented warmth... but how could she when he was being so ruthless?

She heard him kneel down close to him and place something into the powder in front of her. Though difficult to see, Amari looked up to Noel’s bloodied expression. Guilt wracked her body.

“Was he ‘loyal’ to you?” Lye asked. “Were you kind to him? How did he die, Scarlet? In battle, or some self sacrifice for delusional affections? I did not kill him, did I? You place your anger in the wrong place.”

“R-Remove the magicite.” Amari breathed, she was barely able to respond with the crystal literally sapping her life away. The man’s questions swam in her head, and although she didn’t speak the answers they hung heavy in her heart. Noel died for her sake, how was it that Lye was able to pick up on it so easily, knowing that the man died because he had affections for her?

She felt his warm hand reach for her neck and prepared for his firm clutch. Instead, she felt the sharp pain of his fingers prying the remnant crystals from her skin. A trail of light followed the crystal as he pulled away and wiped it free of her blood.

Amari jolted and felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from her body, she immediately sat up her hand shooting for her neck. “NEVER. A-AGAIN!” She spat at him.

“Answer my question, Scarlet.” Lye knelt down and picked Noel’s head up by his hair, pressing it into her lap. “How did he die?”

Amari glanced down, her fingers wove into the dead mans hair, his blood soaked through her wet clothes, still warm. If she weren’t so accustomed to such grotesque mutilations she would have thrown up. Instead, she swallowed the feeling of nausea. “Magicite poisoning...he went mad and attacked a man, who killed him.” Her words grew softer with each sentence as she bit her lower lip. “I was….always kind to him….” She whispered. “Noel…” Amari wrapped her arms tightly around his head and pressed her face into his matted hair. “I’m sorry…”

“Your affections killed him,” Lye stated. He stood tall over her, his judgmental gaze ever watchful. “Were you firm with him and knew his limitations as I did, you would not have exposed him those dangers. He was an errand boy at best, nothing more. Do you see that?”

Amari gripped Noels head tighter, wondering if his words were true. It made sense...if Amari had been just a little more blunt with the man, maybe he would have survived. Her thoughts drifted to Taka, and his pep talks.

“No….” Amari whispered, she couldn’t let the man talk her down.

“You’re wrong.” She carefully set Noels head to the side. “I saw a great man, who died to aid his superior. One who was ever loyal, and who had my back in battle. My kindness did not kill him, the magicite did, Aislinn said it corrupted his mind.” Her eyes drifted to her arms, which were virtually free of corruption. The people who were the sworn enemies of the Crimson Hand had done so much for Amari, she couldn’t just back down now.

She pushed herself to her feet and looked down at Lye. “I feel sorry for you, you struggle to comprehend how meaningful a kind act can be.” She shook her head, “I wonder if you are even capable of such kindness, or if it died all those years ago.”