Ethan cowered behind Konray, his pure-black eyes adjusting to the night.

His hands shook as he held a small satchel of daggers which were laced with his own poison; a back-up in case things went southwards.

"K-Kon, this is—I think we should—"

"Shush!" she hissed, waving a hand at him. She clutched the straps of her bag, staring ahead.

They were only feet away from the gate that protected Antinstine's mansion.

"Look—over at the front gates," said Konray, pointing. It was harder to see now that they were so close; the mansion's lights were too bright.

Ethan squinted, his eyes shifting clumsily between his night vision and normal vision.

"No guards," said Ethan, brows furrowing. "Well, that's more suspicious than there actually being guards—"

"It means the coast is clear. For now," muttered Konray. "Okay... remember the plan?"

Ethan gnawed at his bottom lip. "I-I'd rather stay with you—"

"You cover the left side—I cover the right," she said. She rummaged in her bag and handed Ethan another satchel, which was filled with little tabs.

They were going to tap Antinstine's mansion.

Ethan gulped. "And—y-you're sure these are the right—"

"I'm no idiot, Blank," she said. "I know Antinstine can sense electricity. I designed these specifically to go unnoticed by him."

Ethan sighed, too nervous to correct her. "Okay... o-okay."

He grabbed the string of the satchels and hung them around his neck like a necklace. He glanced over at Konray. Double-checked his ear piece, the tabs, the daggers.

"I-I'll meet you here in five," said Ethan.

Konray smirked, and her skin began to shudder like scales. They flipped and shivered, and suddenly, she blended in with the most dominant color of their surroundings—a deep, dark navy blue.

"Don't die," she laughed, and with that, she leaped over the towering gate.

Ethan cursed and clambered after her, and while Konray landed softly on her feet, he collided into the lawn. Konray giggled but said nothing, dashing towards the mansion and around it.

Ethan took a deep breath as he watched her figure sprint off, rolling into cover, then dashing towards her first target. One tap down.

He gulped.

You have five minutes, he told himself.

He kept to the shadows and avoided the bright mansion lights. His black eyes shifted to night vision, and he took a deep breath, blinking as he tried to steady himself.

In and out... in and out...

The grass rustled beneath his feet—too loud for his liking. The satchels thunked on his chest with each step.

He tapped the first target—near the front entrance. Then the second, the third... the sixth, seventh.

Ethan heaved for air, the anxiety and labor of the job wearing on him. He crouched near the hedges again, flanking the left side of the mansion. He neared the conservatory and placed a tap near it like a sticker, dashing back into the hedges.

In the distance, he spotted a light. He squinted, eyes shifting, and the laboratory came into clearer view.

Ethan's brows furrowed, and he dove into some bushes, eyeing the building. He pressed a button in his ear.

"K," he said, voice breathless. "Did you say there was another building?"

"Negative," came her voice through his ear. It was quiet yet confident; she was used to this. "What do you see?"

"Backyard, by the garden," said Ethan. "It's big. Like a house."

"Tap it anyway," she said through the line. She left it at that.

"Are you s—"

He met radio silence.

Ethan huffed, staring at the laboratory far off in the distance. It would be a stretch just getting there. It was in the middle of the open field—no obstacles to hide in... not even flowers. It stuck out of the yard like a sore thumb.

Ethan collected himself and ran along the tall hedges, sensitive to his surroundings. Thankfully, the lab was hidden in shadows, the only light coming from the small window in the front door.

He dove towards the side of the building, pressing himself against the cold wood. He stuck on a tap and took a deep breath, placing one on the back, then the other side—until the entire lab was covered.

Ethan pressed his earpiece.

"Headed back," he said, eyeing the hedges.

"Meet you there," said Konray through the line.

Ethan circled around the back, catching his breath for a moment.

The conservatory doors opened with a sharp click.

Ethan froze, fingers digging into the wall.

He peered around the side of the lab, and when he saw who it was, his breath left his lungs.

There he was—in the flesh—walking with those steady, domineering strides.

Ethan's heart hammered in his chest.

Antinstine.

He'd never seen him in person, let alone this close. And he was coming closer... closer...

Heading towards the laboratory.

Ethan clasped his hands over his mouth, breathing hard through his nose. His hands shook and fumbled as he hastily turned off his earpiece. Even though Konray swore the tech didn't give off a signal, he didn't want to take any chances.

If Antinstine found him now, he'd be as good as dead.

Ethan sank down to the floor, the grass pricking his legs. He kept his back pressed against the cold wood, peering over the corner to watch. Now that his eyes adjusted to the lights oozing from the mansion, he could see that Antinstine wasn't alone.

Beside him was a man clad in a white robe. He was half of Antinstine's height, but his stature made up for the difference. Syl.

They were talking.

Ethan jumped with an idea. He fumbled in his pockets, trying to be as quiet as possible, and fished out a phone-like device. He turned it on—praying to anything that it wouldn't give off a signal—and reattached his earpiece. His hands shook, blurring the screen, but he forced himself to take deep breaths.

He pressed a button on the phone, and it blinked at him. A sound pinged in his earpiece.

"Yes... I want it to hurt."

That was Antinstine's voice. Right in his ear.

Ethan panted, eyes wide. He didn't even know what they were talking about, but it sent chills down his spine.

He flinched when the lab door opened then closed. He glanced over the corner and found it clear.

Now was his chance.

His breath caught when their voices mingled in his earpiece.

"I... mean no disrespect sir," came Syl's voice, "but that deal... sending us home... if you go through with it—Viper just might join you."

Viper... thought Ethan, eyes wide. That must be the Tear Stealer's Evolved.

He swallowed, breaths hard.

It had to be.

"You offend me, Syl," spat Antinstine. "Do I really look that dense to you?"

Ethan flinched. Even though Anti's voice was in the earpiece, he still felt as if he were the one being belittled.

Syl gave a flurried reply, and Ethan couldn't help but sympathize with him in a way.

After a plethora of apologies from Syl, Antinstine spoke again. Ethan couldn't help but lean forward as if it would help him hear better.

"Now," came his curt tone. "Show me."

Show him what?

Ethan bit his nails, the poison from his fangs threatening to escape. God, he was nervous—too nervous... maybe he should leave now—

"It... it will hurt, sir," said Syl. Ethan could hear him gulp. "A lot."

"Kill him, I don't care," spat Antinstine.

Inside the laboratory, Antinstine leaned forward, baring his fangs in Syl's face. He stared him right in the eye, every word stark and clear.

"I will resurrect him—over and over, Syl—until he understands. My. Demand." Antinstine stepped forward, and Syl leaned back on one of the lab tables, gulping.

"N-Necromancers are—"

"Show me... the experiment," spat Antinstine.

Syl pushed up his glasses and nodded, shakily combing back his hair. "Y-yessir... yes, sir—"

He slid away from the table and rushed down the steps, wearily standing beside the metal table. Beside it was a cart of syringes, tubes, metal discs... and many other spine-chilling items.

Syl bent over and grabbed a bundle of electrical wires, which were bright red and blue.

Antinstine nearly faltered at the sight of them, his fists clenching, but he gathered himself.

"T... this experiment," said Syl. "That—you wish to replicate—"

Syl swallowed, setting the wires on the table.

"Ox and I can't promise that it'll be as..." He cleared his throat. "Successful. A-as you were saying earlier."

"I don't care if it works," said Antinstine, lips curling into a smirk. "I want it to be as painful as possible... I want him to make music for me." He breathed in slowly, smirk going wider. "Think of it as a... parting gift."

He licked his lips, eyes glinting. "By the time I'm done with him, Syl... he'll be begging me for mercy."

Syl swallowed, nervously pushing at his glasses.

"If it—if it is... successful, sir—though—"

Syl rang his hands together, losing his composure. He looked as if he couldn't believe his own words.

"Wouldn't Viper... gain other powers?"

Antinstine smirked, eyes going half-lidded. There was something in his gaze that went dark... like he was hiding something. He had an intimate knowledge of this experiment that Syl would never find out.

"If it works on him," said Antinstine, "it'll work on me. All according to plan." He glanced down at Syl, raising a brow. "Haven't I stated everything in the contract you signed?"

Syl swallowed, breaths quivering. "Yes—you did, sir—but we—we didn't think you were serious—"

Antinstine grinned, teeth flashing. "We'll make history, Syl... You, Ox... you'll be the ones who help my legacy thrive..."

He stepped closer to Syl, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing. Syl tensed, stumbling when Antinstine pulled him into his side.

"Now... continue," he breathed, gazing at the array of tools. "I want to memorize every step before this day comes."

Syl nodded, and Ethan continued to tremble outside, stunned.

Everything was still vague, but he knew something was up. Something evil.

He turned off the phone and shoved it away, sprinting out of the backyard for his life.

He pushed at hedges, tripped over clumps of grass... when he spotted Konray way past the gate, he breathed in relief.

He checked his surroundings. Ran. Clambered over the gate. Fell down, sprinted towards Konray.

She was teasing him—

"Why'd you take so long?" she was laughing, but when Ethan collapsed into her, her face fell.

"Blank?" she said. "Blank, what's wrong?"

"A—Antinstine—"

Ethan gasped for breath, pushing them further into the shadows. His eyes were wild, hands shaking over Konray's shoulders.

"He's going to do something bad—really bad, Kon—"

Her eyes widened, and she searched his face.

"You saw him? You heard him?"

Ethan furiously nodded. "We have to show T.S—" he spluttered. "Now."

"What—now—?"

"Now!" Ethan cried.

Konray sharply inhaled, examining her friend. After a moment—trying to calm him down—she nodded.

"Okay... okay," she said. "We'll go to him. But—first you need to chill, Blank."

Ethan panted, shaking his head. "A-after what I've heard, Kon—" He threw his hands about. "Maybe T.S. knows something! Maybe he—"

"Ethan," said Konray, and that seemed to shut him up. "Please... calm down."

She held him at arm's length, squeezing his shoulders. "Look at me... focus."

Ethan took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. His breaths were still quick, and his heart still pounded, but his head was clearer.

"O-okay... okay, I'm calm," said Ethan.

Konray waited for a moment before speaking again. "We can't just barge into the Tear Stealer's place without more information," she said. "We've gone over this."

Ethan opened his mouth to protest, but she spoke over him.

"They don't trust me!" she whisper-yelled. "Remember? I gave T.S's information to your friend. If anything, they see me as an enemy."

Ethan frowned, and she continued.

"Look... I believe that whatever you heard is terrible. In fact, I'm not surprised... But if we don't have enough intel, it won't look good."

She gripped Ethan's shoulders tighter.

"I want to save our world just as much as you do... from that fucking—monster." She motioned towards Antinstine's mansion. "But I also want to save your friend, Mark, and we can't do that without getting on T.S's good side."

Ethan nodded, bowing his head. The mention of his friend sent him into a quiet, and when he glanced over his shoulder at the mansion, his gut sank.

Whoever that Evolved was... that Viper... he thought. He was in trouble.

"Now..." said Konray carefully. "Let's go to my house, and you can tell me what you heard. We'll record everything, too—all night, okay? The hard part's over."

Ethan took a deep breath and sighed, nodding. "Okay..." he muttered. He gave one glance at the mansion, the bright lights glittering against his black eyes.

And as Ethan stared at the mansion, Cibil stared back, gazing out the window of her room.

She couldn't see them, nor did she look directly at them, but she knew they were there. A dread gnawed at her stomach, and she turned away from the window as Ethan and Konray walked off, shaking her head.

"He will be blinded by rage..." she muttered under her breath, recalling a vision. Her brows furrowed beneath her blindfold, and she clutched her hands at her heart.

"They'll only make things worse..."

She swallowed, gazing out the window through her blindfold. The moon was gone, leaving her highlighted only by weak candlelight. Her chest ached.

"I only hope you don't come unprepared, Dark..." she whispered. "Antinstine will return stronger than ever..."

Thank you so much for reading!

Have a wonderful day, and stay safe out there <3

-Kass xoxo