"I will hurt you for this. I don't know how yet, but give me time. A day will come when you think yourself safe and happy, and suddenly your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth, and you'll know the debt is paid."
― George R.R. Martin

Tommy runs after Techno as the villain rushes out of the church. Techno races down the street, and Tommy struggles to maintain a fair distance between them. Techno is halfway down the sidewalk when he stops. Because of the distance between them, Tommy has enough time to stop without crashing into Techno's arm. The villain pulls a bag off the side of his motorcycle. He unzips the bag as he darts into an alleyway. Tommy averts his eyes, but Techno grabs his forearm, dragging Tommy into the alleyway behind him. In the darkness, Techno throws something at Tommy. The blonde's arms snap up to his chest to hold the item thrown at him. The texture pressing against his skin is familiar, and Tommy realizes he is holding his costume as Vendetta.

"Shit, you really do plan for everything," Tommy murmurs to himself as he rushes to put his suit on. He pulls his hood over his blonde hair. He snaps his metal mask on. He slides his goggles up his nose. He holds his extended staff in one hand and flexes his other hand's fingers, summoning his powers to the surface.

"Come on," Ravager says, walking past Tommy and out of the alleyway. Tommy watches his back. He really shouldn't associate with anyone from the Syndicate... but if the people of the Syndicate are part of this fight... if there are some heroes part of this fight... Tommy shakes his head. He is doing this for Red Dragon only. He doesn't care about anyone else... Except Enderwalk, of course... and maybe Jolt, on his good days... but that's it. That is all he will allow for.

Ravager steps onto the seat of his motorcycle. He uses this as a jumping off point, launching himself so far into the air that he lands on the roof of the church. Ravager grabs one of the spires to keep himself upright. His red eyes burn brightly in the dark night as he stares down at Tommy. The blonde grits his teeth while rolling his eyes. He uses his power on himself, also using Ravager's motorcycle as a jumping off point. He floats into the air. Ravager jumps to another building across the street, and Tommy deactivates his power. His glider slides out. He rides the wind currents with his arms outstretched.

The priest pointed them in the general direction of the fight. Tommy realizes they wouldn't need that direction. He can hear the fight happening since it's so close, and the scent of smoke billows in the air. Ravager rolls across a building, stopping at the parapet. Tommy lands right beside him, perching like a bird. Tommy stares down at the conflict. The priest was right about more things than one. The Syndicate is there. There are members of the Cult of Erythr, if not the entire group. Tommy can even see some Hunters throwing their hat into the ring, but he can't tell which side they're fighting on. Inferno is specifically trying to stop Reaper, Reishi is fighting the Syndicate, and there's someone Tommy vaguely recognizes fighting the Red Army.

"Are you going to be okay?" Ravager asks lightly, leaning down on his knees to survey the land. Tommy knows what he is referring to. If the Hunters are here, Reverie must be here as well.

"Fine," Tommy grits out, looking around for Reverie. As he searches for the viridian speedster, Tommy finds himself looking at Azrael. The villain is in the midst of fighting Reaper alongside Inferno. His large black wings are spread out around him, glistening a soft purple color when an attack hits them. His glowing blue eyes shine through the eyeholes of his crow mask. On his shoulder, there is a small blue and gray figure that must be Inchling. The small-time fighter launches himself at Reaper, hitting the villain square in the forehead. He gets swatted away, but he lands on his feet.

Tommy sucks in a tight breath. His chest feels like it is going to explode. He feels his fingers twitch. Power lights up his palms, and memories play in his head. He can feel the ghosts of his family. They are grabbing at his body, nails digging deep into his flesh. They hiss angrily in his ears like malicious spirits. Tommy's blood boils with so much ferocity that Tommy fears he is going to ignite. The people who killed his family and ruined his life are right there. They're even distracted. It would be the perfect opportunity to attack them. Even if he doesn't win, even when Azrael tears him apart limb from limb or Inchling attacks his internal organs directly, Tommy would be able to inflict some sort of pain on them. He would die knowing that he had done his best. He would-

"Vendetta, go to Sparrow's safe house. Protect Scarlet Demoness and Technician from falling back under Crimson's control," Ravager commands, throwing an arm out in front of Tommy like he knows exactly what is going through Tommy's mind. As observant as Ravager is, he must not be because he doesn't sound particularly angry. Determined, sure. Unwavering, definitely. But not angry, and Tommy was expecting Ravager to pummel him into the concrete for even daring to think he could hit one of the two great leaders of the Syndicate.

Tommy feels something warm drip inside his palm. He doesn't want to leave. He unfurls his fingers, finding blood sliding into his palm. He should probably leave.

Tommy glances back at the battlefield. He tears his eyes away from Azrael and Inchling. He is starting to see the neon streaks left behind by Reverie's superspeed darting around the area. Tommy knows that he won't be able to stand with all three of them there. He will cower before Reverie, especially after recent events, and he will crumple around Azrael and Inchling. He doesn't need to bring his personal trauma into a large-scale conflict like this. He isn't just playing with his life; he would be playing with other people's lives.

If those three were bad enough, heroes are going to be arriving on the scene at any moment. Minotaur will inevitably be among them. Tommy doesn't know if he will be able to handle all four sources of his trauma to show up. No, he knows he won't be able to handle it.

"Stay safe," Tommy tells Ravager as he jumps to the neighboring building in the direction of Sparrow's cabin. Tommy's feet hit the ground for a second, and then he's launching himself into the air once more. He joins the stars. His mask whirs as it filters through the colder, thinner air. Tommy keeps finding places to push off of and openings in the buildings to glide through. He moves with all the strength and grace he's perfect over the years. Despite this, it still takes Tommy way too long to get to the borough Sparrow's safe house is at.

He manages to get there, however, and he lands on the ground with a running start. When he sees the safe house, he jumps over the concrete steps. He lands on the small porch. His hand scrambles for the door handle. He turns it a second before his shoulder makes contact with the wood and glass. Tommy stumbles into the safe house. He holds his staff at his side and lifts his hand up. The caustic pattern of his powers moves subtly across his skin, illuminating the hall in front of him in a hauntingly red light.

His power illuminates the face of a Red Army soldier. They turn around quickly, raising a gun at the hero. Tommy's staff strikes forward, hitting the soldier in the knee. They stumble down. The gun goes off, but the bullet hits the ground. It richots, striking the side of Tommy's calf. He ignores the pain as he raises his staff. He slams the end down on the soldier. They crumble face-down across the ground. Their gun slides out of their fingers. Tommy scoops the gun up. He lifts the cold metal up. Another soldier rushes the entrance of the hallway, probably having heard the gun go off. Tommy fires the gun. The soldier jumps to the side, eyes widening as they try to follow the path of the bullet. When they finally look back at Tommy, the blonde has his hand right in front of their face. He grabs it, pushing the soldier down onto his back. Tommy's power spreads out across the soldier. Now weighing almost twice as much as they usually do, the soldier remains tuckered out on the ground. Tommy hits the soldier in the side of the head, ensuring they fall unconscious with minimal brain damage.

Tommy continues his journey through the hallway. He slides into the main room. There is a soldier standing in front of Pearl, undoing both her cuff and her power suppressor. It isn't a cultist like Tommy expected, but he supposes they were all needed for the huge fight. Plus, Pearl and Etho are technically cultists in their own right. Once a soldier freed them, they would handle whatever resistance came to them. The soldier doesn't even look up from their duty as the cuff finally snaps. Tommy curses. He takes a step forward. He stops when the soldier is thrown across the room. Tommy watches the soldier slam right into the wall right beside him. Tommy whirls around to see Pearl standing on her feet. She rubs her wrist with her other hand. A red mist coats her fingertips, obviously the reason why the soldier was launched across the room. Tommy eyes her warily, stepping between her and the soldier.

Pearl groans, lowering her forehead into her hands. The mist disappears. Etho stirs, getting as close as he can with a chain still binding him to the wall. Pearl's eyes peek through her fingers. They are no longer red. They are a cobalt blue color. Her pupils dilate as she stumbles forward. Tommy instinctively reaches his hands out. This is unnecessary as Pearl stops herself. She lowers her hands in front of her cautiously. She takes a few deep breaths. "I'm good... I'm me, again. I mean, Crimson is still there... talking in my head... but I'm in control, not him."

Pearl throws her hand over to Etho. The red mist darts away from her hand to cut through his chains. Etho leaves the cuff on as he moves across the room. He glances at the soldier. His eyes lift until he's meeting Tommy's eyes. "I've been 'me' since they gave us that drug."

"I need to get you both the fuck away from here. Crimson knows where you are, after all, and he probably doesn't like that you're both free from his control," Tommy admits. He steps over the bodies in the hallway. He closes his eyes when pain shoots up his leg. He forgot that a bullet grazed him. Tommy sighs, leaning down to touch the spot. Blood is seeping down his skin, but it isn't so much that he's worried. It was only a superficial wound. Tommy will get over it.

"I don't know where," Pearl says, following Tommy out of the safe house. Tommy looks around the street. There is a Red Army soldier turning around the corner of the house. Tommy prepares his staff. Pearl hits the soldier with a ball of glowing mist. The soldier tumbles to the ground. His eyes fall shut, but Tommy can see his chest moving. Etho says nothing as he jumps over the railing of the porch. He lands beside the soldier's body. He does a lap around the house. Tommy listens for fighting or a sprung trap. Nothing sounds, and Etho comes around the corner of the house with a nod.

"I might have a place," Tommy murmurs. He is about to take off flying with his powers, but a look thrown over his shoulder convinces him not to. He doesn't know if Pearl can fly. He does know that Etho can't. They need to travel on foot, as painful and time-consuming as that is for Tommy. "Follow me."

Tommy starts jogging down the street. Pearl and Etho fall into line behind him. He has little doubt that they could run faster than his stilted jog right now, but since he's the one leading the charge, they remain behind him. Tommy is grateful for that. He doesn't want either of them to see his facial expression right now. He fears it is a little paler than it should be.

Tommy stops jogging when he gets to the entrance of the tavern and inn. Tommy hunches over his knees, putting the heels of his hands against his knees. He takes in heavy breaths. He feels a gentle hand brush against his back. Tommy lifts back up, forcing his spine to be ramrod straight. Pearl startles, taking a step away from him. Etho tilts his head to the side curiously. Tommy ignores them both as he steps into Chroma. He ignores the odd looks the patrons give him. He notices the bartender giving him and his companions an odd look, but there isn't anything malicious in his eyes. Tommy ignores him in favor of climbing up the stairs.

Tommy moves down the hallway. He leaves no time to waste. He slams his fist against Good Guy's door. If anyone is going to care about hiding fugitives, he has to be the guy whose sister is part of them. While Pearl and Jimmy are having relationship problems at the moment, Tommy hopes they can work out their issues while her and Etho stay there. At least, for the time being until the Syndicate can provide a different safe house. Plus, with Pearl and Etho with Jimmy, Grian will eventually arrive. Between those four people, the Cult of Erythr would have to send several members to recapture their former operatives. Tommy thinks it is the best situation for everyone... if Jimmy would open the damn door.

"Vendetta," Pearl whispers. Tommy stares at her, then looks past her. Tempestarius is standing at her open door. She is frowning at Tommy, her eyes passing between him and his two companions. She narrows her eyes. He can sense the situation turning against his favor the more he dawdles here.

"Well? Get inside. Hurry up," Tempestarius commands them. She shifts to the side. One hand points inside her room while the other makes an ushering motion. Pearl and Etho share a look. They both turn to Tommy. He knows Tempestarius. They probably don't. Tommy doesn't know if he trusts Tempestarius, but he doesn't have many options right now with Jimmy not answering the door and other heroes dwelling inside the occupied rooms. He nods minutely. Pearl and Etho take the cue, ducking into Tempestarius' room. She reaches for the door knob as Tommy approaches her, much slower than his other companions. She raises an eyebrow at him, tilting her head into the room.

"I can't," Tommy tells her unimpressed face. "Look, my little team and I captured the Scarlet Demoness and Technician a few weeks ago. We tried to rehabilitate them. We succeeded. They're fine right now. I need to hide them from the Cult of Erythr. I-"

"I understand," Tempestarius assures him, reaching a hand up to stop him from continuing his rambling. She looks him right in the eye with a half-smile on her face. "I promise to protect them from the Cult of Erythr."

"Thank you," Tommy smiles at her. As powerful as she is, Tommy has little doubt Tempestarius will be able to protect Pearl and Etho. He worries what would happen if Crimson were able to get inside her mind, though. He does not want to face off against a villainous Tempestarius.

"No problem. It's what friends do," Tempestarius tells him with a bright smile. Tommy winces. Tempestarius continues. "Are you staying with us, too?"

"I should. I really fucking should," Tommy says. A lofty sigh exhales from his lips. He taps his mask with his fingers in contemplation. Tempestarius frowns at him. Tommy shakes his head, and this extends to his entire body. "I don't feel fucking right leaving the others to fight alone."

"You have a great sense of justice," Tempestarius admires, sparkling in her eyes. Tommy doubts her. He doesn't have a 'great sense of justice,' only a selfishness that wanes and waxes but never goes away. He isn't doing this out of some sense of moral responsibility. He is doing this because something could happen to these people that he begrudgingly cares about. "Be careful, Vendetta."

Tommy doesn't respond as he heads toward the stairs. He nearly jumps down them. As Tommy steps back outside, it begins to pour rain onto his head. Tommy doesn't remember clouds being in the sky earlier, so when he steps out onto the street, he glances up at the window of Tempestarius' room. She is standing at it, her eyes shining as lightning strikes somewhere in the distance behind him. Tommy decides to treat the rain as a blessing instead of a curse, even though he isn't able to glide in these stormy weather conditions.

Tommy races through the streets. His feet slam into water puddles, creating a cascade of water all across his body. He is absolutely soaked in a matter of minutes, but he refuses to acknowledge the cold water seeping into his bones. He continues running, only stopping when he hears the sound of a battle. The group has moved since the last time Tommy was there, but that is only better for Tommy since it is closer to Chroma. Tommy slides to a stop in the middle of a wide street. He lifts up the wet flap of his hood. He peers out across the battle.

The heroes have not arrived yet. The Syndicate and Cult of Erythr are still there. Tommy notices a few Hunters, but not as many as there were earlier. He doesn't notice any other groups even though the gangs should be getting involved in a battle this close to Empires.

Tommy looks around for where he is needed most. His eyes land on Serenade. The villain is standing alone. He meets Tommy's eyes. He starts moving his arms and hands as if he was giving some sort of nonverbal description. Tommy takes a step closer, not understanding anything Serenade is talking about.

There is suddenly a hand. It has gone through Serenade's chest. Tommy's eyes widen and his throat constricts. Tommy moves slower around him as he watches Reverie pull his bloodied arm out of Serenade's back. Serenade crumbles against the ground. Blood pollutes the water puddles around Serenade's body. Tommy draws his eyes away from Serenade to see Reverie staring right at him. Reverie smiles, bright and victorious, and a loud laugh comes from his body. Reverie drops his hand to his side, smearing Serenade's blood onto his costume. Tommy looks away from him, staring back at Serenade with his mouth parted.

Tommy feels the loss right inside of his soul. It is the feeling he experienced when he stumbled upon the fiery remains of the warehouse that had been his childhood. It was the feeling he experienced when he watched the heroes tote away stretchers, one for each member of his family. It is the feeling that fills Tommy's chest every time he stares at the only picture he has left of his family. It is the feeling that consumes him when he's asleep. It is the source of the pain that drives him every step. It is the source of the vengeful feeling in his heart. It is the one who invites loneliness and anger into his life, letting them become acquainted with him. It is a searing, festering, shattering feeling of blood and agony and screams as loud as the heaven's thunder that tears him apart.

And he's going to lose someone else. He's going to lose Serenade, the villain who has made Tommy laugh and cry. He's going to lose Serenade, the friend who never judged him for his shortcomings. He's going to lose Serenade, the closest thing he has to a brother that holds him every night to chase away the nightmares that force Tommy's body into motion.

He is so terrified right now. He has never felt fear like this. At least, not in a very long time. He doesn't know what to do with himself. He doesn't know how to fix this. He doesn't know how to save Serenade.

As a defensive measure, Tommy releases his powers. From his body, the caustic light floods the world around Tommy. It shoots across the streets and buildings, cracking the concrete and bending the metal. Glass shatters, falling to the ground with the intensity of a speeding bullet. The rain stops, floating in balls of water that reflect the red light of Tommy's power. The combatants of the battle either start floating in the air, or they are brought down to their knees. Reverie lands on his knees, choking on something. Tommy doesn't bother with him. He stares at the blood swirling around Serenade's hovering body. There is so much blood... way too much. And Serenade's eyes are closed. And Tommy is going to lose someone else. And he's so damn scared of that. His own tears fall to the ground like pieces of hail.

"-detta! Vendetta!" Someone yells. Tommy wants to ignore them, but they are persistent. Tommy tears his eyes away from Serenade. He finds the source of the voice without needing to look far. Argonaut is lying on the ground. She is staring at him with watery eyes. Her skin is turning pale. She doesn't look like she's breathing evenly. Tommy realizes how badly he's shaking as he watches Argonaut smile at him. "Hey, buddy, I can heal Serenade... you know I can... but you have to let me."

Vendetta wraps his arms around himself. He shakes his head. A broken sob falls from his lips, and he hugs himself even tighter. Despite his tears blurring his vision, Tommy doesn't look away from Argonaut. "I don't know how."

"Let go, Vendetta. Let someone else take control. Let me fix this," Argonaut tells him. She sounds gentle and patient. She sounds kind. Tommy wants to believe her. He really does. He closes his eyes. He searches inside of himself. He tries to find the source of his powers. He can't seem to find it. He's always been able to control his powers, but his emotional instability is making it difficult for Tommy to do anything... but if he doesn't figure this out, Serenade is going to die. He only activated his powers because he thought they would save Serenade. They aren't. They are hurting Serenade, so Tommy needs to take the reins again. He cannot let someone else die.

Tommy feels something snap inside of him. Rain pelts his clothes once more. Tommy's knees buckle. He falls to the ground, opening his eyes. The world is no longer lit up by a red light. The Hunters and Cultists- those who are still conscious- start retreating. Argonaut scrambles to reach Serenade's side. Blood continues to mix with the rainwater, and Tommy sobs.

A pair of arms wrap around him. He startles, looking to see Dyscardia holding him. She pulls him close, tucking his head underneath her chin. He feels another hand touch his shoulder. Thermoculus is kneeling in front of him, preventing him from seeing Argonaut and Serenade. Thermoculus' expression is as stormy as the weather, but he squeezes Tommy's shoulder comfortingly. Dyscardia holds him tighter.

Tommy closes his eyes, suddenly exhausted. He feels safe with Dyscardia and Thermoculus there with him. Argonaut will heal Serenade, make him good as new. Ravager will definitely hunt down Reverie now. Everything will work out...

As darkness consumes Tommy's vision, he thinks he hears a vaguely familiar voice praising his strength.