Shale stepped up behind Reed's shoulder, holding his rapier loosely in one hand. He had just finished practicing, and Reed was sitting at his desk with a mountain of paperwork from DEPRAC. He looked up as Shale approached.

Shale smiled. "Hey Reed," he said calmly. "You busy?"

Reed rolled his eyes and pointed at the paperwork. "Do I look busy? Let me finish this first."

Shale raised his rapier and touched it to Reed's neck. Reed paused, glancing over. His eyes were searching. "Shale?"

Shale didn't move. His smile was gone, his face was expressionless. "I've had enough of waiting and planning. This ends today."

Reed spun away, drawing his rapier quickly. He got a thin cut on his neck, but it was nothing serious. "Shale, what's going on with you?"

Shale growled and swept his rapier casually to face Reed. "Nothing. You're just finally seeing me for what I am. I need to get to Venn, but you're a serious threat."

Reed lowered his center of balance and raised his rapier. The two circled each other warily. "You need to get to Venn? I'm a threat? Shale what-" he cut off, needing to focus on Shale's attack.

The rapiers rang as they collided. There was a flurry of silver flashes as they exchanged blows back and forth for a minute before retreating. They returned to circling each other. Shale had earned a light slash on his arm. Reed had gotten a serious gash in his side.

"Are you possessed, Shale?" Reed asked. "This isn't you."

Shale rolled his eyes. "Quite the contrary, I've been looking for an opportunity to put the demon out of his misery for a while now. He doesnt seem like he'll fight too hard right now."

"What happened to the trust you two had? You're going to break the trust of someone you taught and died for?" Reed swung his rapier, which Shale blocked.

Shale didnt respond for a minute. Another flurry of blows clashed between them before trailing off again. "Dying for him was purely accidental. I didnt expect to be trapped with the ghost."

Reed was about to say more, but Shale swung at his head. He blocked it and their swords locked as Shale kept pushing. Venn vaulted over the stair railing, he was looking down at something wrapped around his hand and he was bent over slightly in pain. "Hey, have either of you seen my Source?" he looked up and froze.

Shale's face shifted to one of alarm, though from where Reed stood, he could see the smugness in his eyes. "Venn! Reed just attacked me!"

Reed's eyes widened in shock. "What?! You put a rapier to my neck you little crap!"

Venn looked between the two, his expression torn. It was clear now that the thing wrapped around his hand was the silver chain from his pocket watch. His eyes flicked to his rapier sitting on his desk across the basement.

"Venn please, help me out here," Shale said. He danced back, releasing the pressure on Reed's rapier suddenly enough that Reed lost his balance slightly.

"Don't get involved, Venn," Reed said tensely. "Don't do something you'll regret."

Venn bit his lip hard, drawing blood and adding to the burning pain he already felt. He touched the spot and looked at the red smear against his pale fingers. "Please don't kill each other. I want to do the honors of whoever is lying to me."

Shale took advantage of Reed looking over at Venn with a concerned expression. He leaped forward, hooking the tip of his rapier through the hand guard of Reed's rapier. The blade cut Reed's hand as Shale yanked his rapier up.

Reed yelped as his rapier was torn from his grip. Shale grabbed a paperweight and swung it at the side of Reed's head. Reed jerked his arms up in an attempt to block the blow, but the paperweight kept going. It cracked against the side of Reed's head and he crumpled to the floor.

Venn flinched and looked away. It pained him to see Reed unconscious, even if he wasnt sure which one had been telling the truth.

Shale lowered his rapier and approached Venn. He looked sad. "I'm sorry, Venn. I know he was like a brother to you."

Venn backed up against the wall, looking at Shale with a suspicious glare. "What happened here?"

Shale didnt respond. He stepped up to Venn and put his rapier against Venn's neck. Venn went very still. He looked at Shale, his eyes full of fear, confusion, and broken betrayal. "Shale..."

Shale gave Venn one of his charming smiles. His bright blue eyes shone. "I would apologize, demon, but I don't feel the need."

Venn's mind was reeling. Shale had lied to him. All this time, Shale had been building up to this. Venn was pretty much paralyzed. "W-what did you do with my Source? Why are you doing this?" His voice broke.

Shale pushed the rapier harder against Venn's neck, making him wince. "Your Source is sitting comfortably over a little fire in my bedroom."

Venn closed his eyes against the pain. His combined anger and emotional pain took control and a couple tears escaped him. "I trusted you," he whispered. "You protected me, taught me everything, and I TRUSTED YOU!"

Green ghost fog billowed up around them out of nowhere. In some flash of motion, Venn whipped out a silver dagger and rammed it up through Shale's chin. He jerked it out unceremoniously.

Shale's rapier sliced Venn's throat dangerously deep. As it fell, it also cut down his arm and leg. Shale's bright blue eyes widened in shock for a moment before they fluttered closed. Shale's body fell backward away from Venn.

Venn looked at the knife in his hand. He had raised the tip to his chest at some point. He shuddered and threw the weapon away from himself. He needed his Source and Shale's. He limped up the stairs, leaving the bloody, unconscious Reed downstairs.

Reed woke up in the hospital the following day. Venn was sitting next to him with a bandage around his neck and arm. Reed smiled up at Venn. "Hey, Venn."

Venn looked over, and the smile on Reed's face melted like snow in the summer. Venn's black eyes were wary and distrustful. The shattered look he had had only occasionally in the past had clearly been on his face for quite some time. He looked broken and wilted as a flower after a tornado.

"They incinerated Shale's Source this morning," Venn said, his voice flat and emotionless.

Reed sat up, wincing as he the motion pulled on the stitches in his side. He felt a pang in his heart as Venn didnt move to stop him. "I'm really sorry, Venn..."

Venn scowled at the floor. "This is why I shouldn't put my trust in anyone. Things like this always happen."

Reed was silent for a moment. Those words stung. "Venn, I would never try to kill you. Ever."

Venn looked up coldly. "That's what I always thought about Shale."

Reed met Venn's gaze, he tried to stay calm, but his eyes showed the hurt Venn's words had caused. "Listen to me. Shale was a snake. He got enjoyment from his long con with you and I can't imagine how much it hurt you. I'm not like that and I wish there was some way I could convince you of that."

Venn held Reed's gaze for a moment before he looked away, closing his eyes. He slumped further in his seat. Reed had expected a different reaction, so he just kinda watched silently. A couple moments later, he did a double take. Venn's shoulders were shaking. It was subtle, he was hiding it well, but Reed caught it.

Reed reached over and touched Venn's shoulder. "Venn... come here." He scooted over and patted the bed.

Venn looked up at Reed through his tears. The sympathetic look on Reed's face was all it took for him to get up and flop down on the bed. Reed put an arm around Venn, ignoring the intense pain shooting up his side as Venn leaned into him.

The door opened and a doctor looked in. A sharp glare from Reed, combined with the sight of steadfast Venn breaking down, made him retreat.

Reed pulled Venn closer and rested his chin on Venn's head. "I'm so sorry... I wish I could do something to help you."

Venn took a deep, shuddering breath. "You have no idea how much you help me."

The two fell into a sort of silence as Venn tried to pull himself back together. Reed's side was bleeding again from the pressure, but he still made no complaint. It wasn't long before the pair had fallen asleep there.