The numbness of terror dispersed from her in clouds. The thick stench of smoke and burning flesh flowed into her nostrils as the incubated wind infested with dancing embers touched her skin. Against herself, her fingers loosened, and Elaine dropped her wand. Without thinking, she bolted for Kliff as fast as her fragile legs could carry her, not stopping until she all but collapsed into his arms.

He appeared weak himself as the force of her colliding with him nearly brought them both to the ground, but Kliff managed to maintain his balance, taking a step back to steady himself. In an instant, all the emotions she had been holding back poured out in a torrent of tears. She buried her head in his chest, the warmth of a blush creeping up the sides of her face. And despite how disheveled she felt, Elaine was nonetheless thankful that Kliff allowed those tear-filled, wordless moments to pass without judgment.

"...Kliff...I...I thought..." Her uncontrollable sobs made it impossible for her to articulate even a single coherent sentence. The more she tried, the more challenging it became to find the right words. "I thought he was going to kill me..." she managed to squeak, burrowing deeper into his chest. "I thought I was going to die!"

Carefully, Kliff wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for an even tighter embrace. "Ssh, it's okay," he reassured her, soft and kind. "Everything is going to be okay now."

The fabric against Elaine's face had grown damp from her tears, and only then did she muster the strength to pull away from him, though his muscular arms kept her locked to him. "If you hadn't come along...he might have..."

"It doesn't matter," Kliff said fastly. "I'd never let a maniac like him hurt you."

Elaine sniffed, brushing her wet cheek with a wrist. "How did you find me, anyhow?"

"You're not the only one who had a brush with death today," Kliff chuckled awkwardly, though his expression maintained an air of grimness. "Elaine, don't freak out or anything, but right now, all of us are in real danger. Forget our Midterm Exam; this forest is filled with rogue sorcerers, and they're all doing everything in their power to capture us. I haven't figured out the specifics of their plan, but it can't be anything good, and with the barrier they placed over the forest, it'll be difficult for us to—"

"Kliff," Elaine said, gently resting a hand against the side of his face, interrupting the boy mid-sentence. "You're injured." the heat of his flush spread across her hand, and the combination of his widened eyes and trembling lower lips left no doubt about his newfound embarrassment.

"Pl...Please, don't worry about me, it's nothing," he said through a broken smirk, though the cracks in his voice weren't very reassuring. "I heal quick, remember?"

Lost in her tears and delayed emotions, Elaine had utterly discounted Kliff's condition. His clothes were tattered and charred, with his red tie having burned away completely, almost as if he'd emerged from a harrowing tussle within a raging fire. 

And then there was his face. Putting aside the swollen and purple bruises littering his cheeks and chin, blood was draining out the top of his scalp as a red line over his left eye. As she was pressed against him, she felt how ragged and disjointed his breathing was, a fatigue heaving driven from more than just the tiredness of running. With her hand still on his cheek, Elaine peered deep into his bluish eyes speckled with yellow, trying to uncover the lies he defended. "What exactly happened to you?"

"Like I said," Kliff exhaled defeatedly, "I was attacked. Hell, the oaf who I dueled nearly ended up killing me. But I managed to escape him with my life. After that, I figured his associates would be targeting everyone else just as they had me, and so, I came searching for you. Luckily, I can distinguish your Essence Signature, so you weren't too hard to find. From the looks of it, I came right in the nick of time."

Elaine furrowed her brows in confusion. "You came...for me specifically?"

"Of course!" Kliff affirmed, loud enough to cause Elaine to wince. "You're one of my closest friends! Why wouldn't I?!"

"Nothing, it's just...thanks, Kliff," Elaine said, beaming a sheepish smile up at him.

His cheeks glowed brighter. "Don't mention it..."

"So, who are these guys?" Elaine asked, falling back a few steps from him once Kliff had finally released her out of his arms.

Kliff's eyes grew tense, and the seriousness in his tone resurfaced. "They're members of the Serpent Fang Syndicate."

"Serpent Fang?!" Elaine exclaimed anxiously.

"Yeah," Kliff nodded somberly. "We're in deep trouble here. Serpent Fang isn't as powerful as it once was, but their forces are enough to give a Professional Sorcerer a run for their tokens, and we're fresh out of those, at least, with that barrier still activated. So, from here on out, we'll need to be extremely careful."

Elaine felt a lump in her throat as her mind struggled to absorb even half of Kliff's words. Deep within her, a sense of dread began to materialize, savagely clawing for the surface. Even in the small towns of Page and Corvish, word of the unspeakable acts committed by the Serpent Fang Syndicate had spread from mouth to ear of every resident or passing stranger. This infamous rogue sorcerer affiliation, ranking among the top three in the country, was steeped in a history of bloodshed and darkness.

Their crimes ranged anywhere from petty theft to murder. In fact, in the last few years, they'd become so much of a threat that even large squadrons of the Military were forced to act, yet even with the combined might of the State and elite sectors of the Arcanum, splinter groups had survived while their leader—a heinous criminal known as Douglas Cutter—had been captured. Naturally, Elaine had assumed that the Arcanum would deal with the remainder of the dangerous group, yet here they were, infiltrating Glyph's property during one of the most important exams of her life.

She had been gazing at Kliff for what felt like an eternity, but the words emerging from his flapping lips seemed to dissipate before they reached her ears. The harsh truth of the situation began to engulf her, ensnaring her in its murky grasp emerging from the Shadow. What options did they have? Cut off from their mentors by the impenetrable barrier, they could not count on their guidance. And if more perilous rogue sorcerers lurked in these woods, would they stand a chance at surviving?

Elaine's breath escaped her throat in rapid, shallow bursts as her heart thumped fiercely against her chest. Beads of sweat adorned her forehead, and a heavy sense of foreboding made everything seem blacker than it was. She had carelessly dropped her wand; why had she done that? Were their professors aware of the situation? Her heart raced even faster, and her hand instinctively grasped at her uniform's collar, clutching it tightly. Her breathing, it grew so disjointed that her shoulders heaved up and down on their own, and already, Elaine felt more tears welling up in her eyes. What are we going to do? she thought distraughtly. How are we going to...

Kliff shot his hardened hands around both her arms, freeing Elaine from her petrified hysteria with a jolt that caused her hair to flutter. "Elaine!" Kliff shouted, and suddenly, the deafness sealing her ears crumbled. "I need you with me! Right now! This is not the time to be losing our wits!"

Elaine looked at him wide-eyed before she slowly lowered her chin to the ground. "So...Sorry. You're...you're right, Kliff. Hesitation means death. I lost myself earlier. Had you not shown...that hesitation could have gotten me killed." Elaine brushed away the wet lines her tears had left behind as they had rivered down her face. "From now on, I'll focus on what's most important. If Serpent Fang means to kidnap us, we'll need to use everything at our disposal to evade them."

Kliff nodded at her firmly. "Agreed. But, first things first." Kliff grabbed Elaine by the wrist and, in that same motion, turned around to head back for the dense foliage. "I'll need to get you someplace safe. Only then will I worry about the others."

Elaine frowned at him as she was tugged along, bemused. "What?"

"You said it yourself," Kliff muttered. "You nearly met your end not long ago. If it weren't for me...light and shadows, who knows what that bastard would have done to you. More than anything, we need to establish a temporary safe zone, somewhere they can't easily find us." Kliff glanced back at her hardly. "And don't forget to Suppress your Signature if you can. The more difficult we make it for them to sense us, the better off we'll be."

"But Kliff, we can't leave!" Elaine protested.

Kliff dipped his shoulder into his chest, dark blonde hair sheathing his expression. "I'm not arguing with you. We have to move quickly."

"Stop..." Elaine grunted, and when he refused, she ripped her arm out of his grasp in a forceful thrash that caused him to stumble a few steps forward before spinning to meet her with a surprised scowl. Equally as shocked as he was, Elaine slowly took her stare off him and at her fist; something was missing. "We cannot leave, Kliff. Not yet," she said, striding away from him, her eyes constantly searching the ground until they located the commoner's wand discarded in the grass, kneeling to retrieve it. "You care for your friends, do you? Well, so do I, which means our work here isn't finished."

"Elaine, what are you talking about!" Kliff snapped, holding a clenched fist at his side. "Don't you grasp the danger we're in?! The longer we linger here, the more likely it is for them to—"

"For Aeris' sake, Kliff! Open your eyes!" Elaine shouted at him. "I'm not the only one that needs rescuing! Laurence and Kara! Mercedes and Edgar! Our friends!" Wincing in discomfort, Kliff carefully surveyed the unsettling scene through his frustrated yet more transparent lenses, noticing the sight of two mages slumbering perturbed, tightly coiled by thorny vines, their bodies slumped in an uncomfortable-looking position. With a deep, exasperated grunt, Kliff shifted his gaze to where Laurence lay sprawled among the trees, while Kara and Rollad remained unconscious nearby. "See? We can't just leave them like this!"

Kliff shook his head in irritation. "I'll come back for them..."

"And who's to say they'll be here when you do?"

"I'll track down whoever took them and rescue them myself," Kliff muttered grimly.

"In your condition?" Elaine asked rashly, thrusting a hand at him. "Kliff, you're one of the strongest mages I've ever met, but everyone has their limits, don't they? You look...your Essence Signature is weak, and you just cast an advanced-level spell. If you were to duel anyone, let alone a group of mages, do you honestly think you could beat them?"

"Then what's your bright idea, huh?!" Kliff shouted, seemingly more infuriated with his frailty than he was at her. "Are you suggesting we drag all four of them through a forest filled with thieves and killers, or perhaps you think we should carry them one by one, going back and forth until they're all safe and sound?!"

Elaine examined him harshly. "I've had worse plans than that."

"It's a fool's errand, Elaine!"

"So is thinking I can help everyone just because I am a sorcerer!" Elaine argued fiercely, clutching at her breast. "Enrolling in Glyph Academy?! A commoner like me competing with nobles possessing unimaginable power?! Accepting Orion's offer was probably one of the most foolish things I could have ever done! But I don't regret it, not even a little." Elaine stood frozen, her eyes locked on the wand quivering in her hand as if it held the weight of the entire world in its delicate frame. "Because with my magic, I have a chance at doing some real good. Abandoning the defenseless? What sorcerer would ever do something as heinous as that?"

"A sorcerer who can separate fantasy from reality," Kliff said with hoarseness in his voice. "Sometimes, we don't always like our choices. Aeris knows I don't. Still, there's a reason we do the things we do. Because it's necessary."

"I agree, so I can't bring myself to leave them here." As she said that, Elaine watched as Kliff's eyes softened. "Will you help me now, Kliff? Will you help me save our friends from this nightmare?"

Kliff opened his mouth to speak, yet nothing ever came out. He only looked at her as if she were some complex puzzle he was trying to piece together but would only scatter the pieces in all of his many attempts. Contrary to his reasoning, Elaine believed that deep down, like her, he was of the same opinion. She might not have known him for long, but she liked to think that she could recognize a good-hearted mage whenever she came across one. "El...Elaine I...I don't..." Kliff brought a hand to his face—cupping his left eye—as he diffused a sigh out of his narrow-lipped scowl. "It might take the two of us to carry Rolland. No offense to the guy, but he could stand to lose a few pounds."

Though doubtful, Elaine permitted a smile to dawn upon her. "Thank you."

"Something tells me you weren't going to budge on this," Kliff grumbled, scratching the nape of his neck. "You remind me of Aeila. She was every bit as defiant as you, perhaps even more."

"Who's Aeila?" Elaine asked, wincing from the pinch of a slight blush, and when Kliff opened his mouth to respond, mirroring embarrassment shredded into pure dread on his face. A biting strain engulfed her mind in a monsoon, and Elaine's hand grasped the side of her head in the next second. Behind her, she sensed a dark power growing, a black, ominous pool drowning out everything there was around it.

Elaine slowly adjusted her position, eyes narrowed with pain as she made out the tall, slender figure standing proudly amidst Kliff's fiery inferno. The flickering silhouette within the flames let down its head to gaze intently at its outstretched hands, almost as if it was contemplating its own existence, but Elaine could discern quite clearly the demonic grin lurking within the figure, a chilling sight that could haunt any child's worst dream.

Electric tension building within her, Elaine struggled to remain in control, and the urge to throw aside her wand in favor of crushing her head between her hands was as strong as it had ever been. Kliff appeared beside her, hopelessness looking alien in his eyes. The enormous torch he'd created could incinerate everything in its path, and Elaine feared that if it grew any bigger, it might lead to a forest fire. Yet, the otherworldly being remained inside of it, unphased even as it was cooked alive, baked underneath crumbling flesh.

"What an utter disappointment you are," the Void said. His voice was raspy and disjointed, almost as if he was speaking to them with little left of his vocal cords and throat. "They told me you were supposed to be powerful. Huh, what happened to Glyph's standards?"

Kliff shook his head in fearful disbelief. "Im...Impossible. That was my strongest spell."

"It was? Fritz, that's embarrassing, man." The Void pulled something out behind his back, a slim, lengthy object that radiated a crimson-colored glow as it was raised over what remained of the Void's skull. In accordance with it, the fire shrouding him began to shrink, growing smaller and smaller with every heartbeat, spiraling into tubular plumes that were seemingly being sucked inside of the strange object's tip until not a spark of an ember was left.

Elaine's face contorted in displeasure while Kliff emitted a noise of revulsion. Standing tall in the middle of a circle of scorched grass and dirt, six feet in diameter, the Void clutched something close to his chest. It was a wand, a grotesque and twisted wand with a black shaft not more than thirteen inches long, and it had a light-brown handle. What truly captured Elaine's eyes, however, was...well, the literal eye attached to the wand's base. Orb-shaped with a reptilian slit running down its center, it connected the shaft to its handle, resembling a fist-sized, red-colored eye.

Elaine couldn't shake the feeling that she was imagining things, but whenever she looked closely, she could swear she saw the thing opening and closing its eyelid, glaring at her as if the wand contained some deep-rooted grudge. Despite its horrifying appearance, it paled compared to the destruction of the Void by Kliff's voracious fire.

His dark-colored skin had turned as black as tar, crusted and hard, with pieces of it flaking off to reveal broken bones underneath. One such burn wound that streaked across his torso area disintegrated to black powder as he moved, uncovering the organs beating and churning behind a shattered ribcage. And his head, he'd lost a good portion of it to the flames while his lengthy hair had wholly crumbled away. The white of his skull poked out charred skin as smoke seeped out of the empty socket where an eye should have been.

What vile form of magic did he cast? Elaine thought through the pain, a hand still grasping her scalp. How is he alive?

Ash dispersed in a black puff from where the Void's bare, skeletal foot stepped hard onto the ground. "Pay attention, Dresden. I'm going to show you what real Fire Magic looks like," the fragmenting Void grinned at them. The black ember glew brighter with life, and more ferocious, a tiny flaming animal protesting its desire to destroy and consume. "Try your best not to die."

Without hesitating, Kliff leaped in front of Elaine, his Salamander Wand brandished before him. "Elaine! Stay behind me!"

Swirling magic fused inside of the Void. "Fire Magic!" he shouted with glee. "Xangi!"

As he wielded his wand, the ember erupted towards them like a small, dark comet, hurtling so swiftly that Elaine barely had time to comprehend it before a thunderous detonation of black flames, fragments of magic, and gusts of wind knocked her off her feet and propelled her several meters backward.

Grimacing, Elaine slowly lifted her head off the grass. At first, she felt an aggressive pain flaring at the side of her waist, stemming from the spot where she had landed. A putrid odor filled her nose and mouth, making it difficult to breathe when she desperately tried filling her lungs with as much oxygen as she could. The overwhelming cloud of smoke not only possessed a horrid taste but also concealed most of her surroundings behind its thick veil.

Through it all, Elaine had kept her commoner's wand clutched with unwavering determination, refusing to let go; with it, she wouldn't be defenseless. It remained tightly gripped inside her fist as she struggled to push herself off the ground and rise to one knee even as searing pain shot through her whole body. While she was relieved to be alive, that relief dissipated when she spotted a figure lying motionless in the dirt not far from her. It was Kliff, completely still and seemingly lifeless. She couldn't even tell if he was breathing, and his Salamander Wand was nowhere to be found.

Elaine's scream, meant for him, abruptly ceased as she discerned the sound of approaching footsteps, each step resounding heavily. The silhouette, tall and lean, with glowing red eyes, seemed to be advancing towards Kliff. A wicked grin played on its lips as a menacing wand, still emanating a crimson glow, dangled from its side. Emerging out of the smoke, the Void's long dark hair flowed with the breeze as bloody tendrils and patches of skin sought to swiftly stitch together the many open wounds littered across his body, sliced over with red scorch marks.

"Oops, I didn't accidentally kill you, did I?" the Void snickered, slanting his neck until a loud snap! came from it. "I've heard so much about you, Dresden. Was that really everything you had? Come on, get up again and fight, sulmo."

"Leave him alone..." Elaine uttered; that broken voice didn't even sound like herself. "Leave him alone! Now!"

The Void froze where he was, then aimed his wide grin at her. "Got something to say, Alight?"

Elaine's words fizzled in her throat as the glowing-eyed monster absorbed her. The strain that had burdened her previously had disappeared, but what opened up to replace it was a spiraling black vacuum that sucked everything into it, may it be beliefs or bravery or values, or even hope. Crouched, petrified where she was, Elaine watched as the smirking Void started for her, windmilling his dominant arm to the side of him.

The feeling that overwhelmed her, that feeling of pure despair, it had bereaved her once before, and with a rapid blink of worry, Elaine was sent across the annals of history, falling into the young girl with a bloody knee lying in the soil. Next to her, blood spilling from his scalp and covering his face like a crimson mask, Ellend lay motionless, his Common Wand just out of reach of his hand.

Back then, she knew it had been a desperate, foolish bid; two inexperienced mages—children, no less—leaving the safety of their home to challenge a merciless band of thieves and rogue sorcerers. Honestly, what had Ellend been thinking? Then again, what had she rationalized to join him on his nonsensical venture fueled purely by impulsive altruism?

Tall men in ripped clothing and equipped with either a wand or a blade towered above them; their figures cloaked the fiery light of the flames rampaging behind them. Their greedy eyes looked down at them with glee and ridicule. Ellend's magic was strong, but he never stood a chance against them, not at his current level. A single attack spell was all it took to down him.

That younger version of Elaine quivered as they stomped closer to her. The Velvet Wolves had appeared out of the forest's darkness without warning and, in less than a minute, had surrounded the two in a ring, their forces numbering well over thirty. With tears blurring her vision, Elaine glanced pleadingly at Ellend, hoping he'd get back up and cast some crazy spell to get them out of their mess, but that fleeting hope had been as nonexistent as their chances of survival.

During that fateful moment, Elaine experienced a profound fear that she and Ellend would not live to bask in the dawn's sunlight. She envisioned a scenario in which they would vanish without a single trace at the hands of heartless sorcerers. The overwhelming helplessness and the sinister presence of the Void and Kliff's menacing flames evoked a hauntingly familiar image from a dreadful night in her past.

Her heart thundering hurriedly in her chest, the thought of running away briefly crossed her mind, but with a shift of her hand, she was reminded of the commoner's wand wrapped in her fingers. Back then, there wasn't a single thing I could do to change my fate, Elaine thought, staring at the wand intensely. I couldn't use magic...and I didn't have a wand. Knuckling the forest floor, she brought herself to her full height, her blonde hair billowing with the baked breezes and smoke. I've changed. Sunder me, but I really have changed! I...I can...I can be a Professional Sorcerer!

The air crackled with tension as The Void's twisted grin seemed to grow even wider with each step he took, his ominous wand raised with the reddish light emanating from it. For some absurd reason, within that second and the next, the figure before her bore a striking resemblance to one of the rogue sorcerers who had mercilessly attacked her and had dared to harm Ellend. An overpowering wave of anger washed over her, fear ebbing away, and just as she was prepared to act on it, a peculiar yet familiar numbness crept over her. The sounds of paper pages fluttering lightly teased her ears. 

Her Essence faded away, her mind broke apart. All at once, Elaine split in two, and her body moved on its own.

Pain throbbed in his temples when Kliff came to consciousness, blinking slowly as he tried to take in his surroundings. What first he observed was that he was lying on the ground, with chipped stone and branches pressing into his side. Wincing, he moved a hand to his torso and stomach areas, expecting to touch the wetness of the blood that had soaked into his uniform. Much to his surprise, he wasn't bleeding, and if he had sustained a wound that he couldn't discern, his healing would seal it up with time.

Kliff made another attempt to move, but his legs, drained of Essence, failed to respond, his muscles throbbing with exhaustion. Despite his dire predicament, Kliff remained somewhat reassured by his inherent ability to recuperate if he stayed still for a few minutes. Nevertheless, given his situation, just how much time did he have?

Dismay flattened him as the memory of the last moment before he lost consciousness flooded his mind. He could vividly recall the terrifying sight of black flames bursting before him. Despite the fatigue and weakness burdening him, Kliff mustered all his strength to push himself from the ground. To his disbelief, he noticed Elaine standing just about ten meters away from him, near the edge of the forest clearing. Her eyes shone with an unearthly brilliance, reflecting the golden flames that enveloped her, making her clothes and blonde hair sway in an unnatural, almost mesmerizing manner. In her hand, the Common Wand gleamed like a rod of scintillating light.

"Elaine?" Kliff croaked, more so confused than worried.

"Unknown entity identified, possessing a wand and overflowing with Nether. Further analysis must be conducted." That voice, Kliff didn't recognize it. Even though it was Elaine speaking, her usually lively tone was replaced by a monotone, robotic quality. It lacked the personality and warmth that Kliff had grown so fond of until then. "Conclusion: the unknown entity is a threat to the Alight's person. Lethal countermeasures are to be resorted to. Searching index for spells that can permanently neutralize the unidentified enemy. Evaluating the durability of defensive spells in the event the unidentified enemy retaliates or resists."

The warlock held a hand over his smiling mouth as if he meant to contain somewhat the laughter exploding out of it. "Finally! There it is! This is what I've been waiting for!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms out to the side. "Come on, Elaine! Give me everything you've got! I need to see the level of your Manifestation with my own eyes!"

"Narrowing ideal choices to the compatibility of the Alight. Current Manifestation level measuring at 32%. Spells of a more advanced nature and technicality might come at the cost of damaging the Alight. Choosing an attack-related spell appropriate for the current Manifestation level," Elaine carried on emotionlessly as if reciting what had been programmed into her mind. Gusts of magical energy discharged out of her in flurries, causing Kliff to wince even from where he lay low to the dirt. "Ideal spell acknowledged. Spell No. 72 is chosen from Personal Selection within the index. Preparing to engage the unidentified enemy with lethal force. Probability of survival of the unidentified enemy less than 5%."

Even as he heard this, the warlock carried on with his insane laughter, and by the looks of it, he had no intention of protecting himself. He was an open target that a novice sorcerer with a poor stance and an even poorer aim could strike. "Show me! Come on, do it!" he screamed with excitement.

Elaine's wand grew as brightly as the sun—Kliff wondered how the Common Wand hadn't already broken from the magical pressure, given how fragile their make tended to be—and, unless his strained gaze was deceiving him, Elaine was now hovering off of the ground, her feet dangling below her as her hair floating above her was rippling in electric waves. Pointing the wand at the warlock, Elaine spoke in a tone lacking so little emotion it was as if Kliff was listening to a ghost's whisper, "Light Magic: Radianz."

From the blinding wand shot a concentrated beam of light so bright that Kliff was forced to sheath his stare with a limp hand. It was as if the spell's luminance had drowned out the world, and as it shot through the clearing like a laser, Kliff's surroundings turned to black and white outlines barely resembling the shape and structure of what they were meant to be.

The roaring beam of Light Magic surged across the clearing, obliterating trees, foliage, and anything else unfortunate enough to be in its immediate path. Amidst it all, a rumble shook the earth, the explosion's sound reaching Kliff's ears moments after he spotted a massive plume of golden and orange light bursting into the sky, creating a bulbous cloud perhaps two miles in the distance. The force was enough to uproot trees, and it summoned swirling hurricanes of dust that buffeted him.

Clenching his teeth, Kliff pressed his scalp against the earth until the rumbling stopped, and a quiet stillness reclaimed the forest. Slowly, Elaine descended from where she had been floating, her boots making contact with the ground again. Although her wand remained extended before her, a wisp of smoke streaming from its gleaming tip. Kliff was taken aback, gawking at her in disbelief. He had never realized the extent of her magical abilities.

And then, a groan caught his attention. Miraculously, their warlock foe had remained on his feet, but his eyes were peeled wide with astonishment. Black-colored liquid splurted out of him as he coughed heavily, leaking from the cracks of his mouth. His left arm and a good portion of his torso were missing. Elaine's light beam had gone straight through him, leaving a tubular crevasse below his neck.

As grotesque a sight as it was to witness, Kliff was more so amazed that the warlock hadn't yet keeled over. Most shocking of all, he seemed happy, or rather content, with a quivering smile stretched on his face. "Amazing..." he uttered, dull eyes locked on Elaine's that were glowing. "You...really are...amazing...With you...we can finally...end this..." With that, his Essence Signature fizzled out. Kliff watched him collapse, dark hair strewn over his eyes as that smile persisted on his lips.

The man was dead.