The five of them marched up, towards the Oceanuris Manor. Leiyun felt a rush of familiarity from when she climbed with Laminia. Only, she felt much more confident in reaching the top.

She glanced at the girl they brought along with them, who was quiet the entire time.

"So, what's your name?" she asked. Leiyun tried to keep her voice low as she saw the girl's hollow eyes, and was still shaking like her trembling lips.

And also a quiet lip.

"Okay, that's fine..." Leiyun averted her gaze as she glanced off to the side. On the other hand held a bucket of water–hardly spilling at all. He insisted on bringing it, for he only wanted the fire to be a warning. "So, Bhun Uyi. When we go there, how exactly are we going to burn the Manor?" The girl's eyebrows shot up and her eyes perked up.

"So that's what you're dragging me into?" The girl stared at Leiyun coldly. "You had no time to say where you're headed, but enough time to take me with you?"

Leiyun and Kario glanced at each other and shuffled awkwardly.

"Well..." Leiyun started. She sighed. "That's true." They walked in silence. "But it's for a good reason."

"What kind of good reason could that even be? Your own benefits?" Leiyun gulped as the girl averted her gaze. "Are you going to try and hurt me too?" Leiyun wiped her eyes–sparkling because she felt a tear ready to fall–as she felt a stab from those words. Too...What do you mean by that? Was that place not a safe haven for you? Leiyun had so many questions. And she sighed, keeping it all in.

"We won't hurt you," Heski started. "And we are just trying to save Oceanuris."

The girl scoffed. Heski bit his lip. "If you're not interested in helping out, you can always turn around." Heski pointed down below, gesturing with his head.

"Heski..." Leiyun placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. The girl expected her to grab a knife. She shook her head at the memory of that maiden. But her hand stayed planted. "Maybe it's been rough for all of us. But Bhun Uyi's plan might have a chance of changing our conditions." Leiyun glanced at her with a gentle smile. "Though Heski's right. If you don't want to come, you can always turn around."

"I have nowhere else to go. That was..." The girl trailed off. What was the word she needed to use for that burned place? "That was my entire world."

Leiyun and Heski shared a solemn glance at each other, with a hint of sorrow on each of their faces. Heski assumed it was because of Valencia Qa. She was the Qa, right? Pushing her to believe and say that. She must've been responsible for the girl's jaded mood.

But Leiyun thought something else broke her. Inside those walls she pulled her out of, and what she called her "world." Was it the fire? Or someone that blew hers out?

The girl pressed her lips and finally spoke as she examined their solemn mood.

"296. You can just call me that."

#

Bhun Uyi handed Kario a matcho flower.

"Just rub it and toss it inside." He said as Heski and 296 reached the final steps. Leiyun glanced behind her to 296 as she examined the view, at the top of the hill of the Oceanuris Manor. She had been here once, and was here once again.

"Isn't the view pretty?" Leiyun tapped 296's shoulder. 296 simply looked up before turning towards Bhun Uyi and the others. Leiyun sighed and shook her head slightly and followed behind her.

Heski turned the handle as he heard a creak. The large doors left a crack, as Heski pushed the door open. His eyes widened as he peered inside.

There was no one there.

"I'll find Valencia." He turned to Bhun Uyi. "And you guys make sure this Manor is burned to the ground."

Heski ran inside, as Bhun Uyi handed Leiyun and 296 each a few matcho flowers and he and Kario followed. And Leiyun placed the bucket of water near her and 296–for whenever the fire got too strong and they'd have to run to the river to try and extinguish it.

#

Valencia wiped a tear, her chest in her knees and her arm clung tightly to the sides. She tightened her body and let out a grunt, cooped in the bedroom.

"Goodness," Valencia murmured to herself. She gulped, as she felt a cry coming from her throat. She wiped another falling tear. And another. And she found herself in a pool of her own misery.

"'Sia," Valencia buried her head in her knees. How she loved that girl, full of life and giving life to others. She valued her life so much. She loved it, she treasured it, found meaning in it, and lived everyday. Even with all the struggles that came with existing.

Unlike Valencia.

"Oh, 'Sia." Valencia whispered in the silence. "I love you, too."

#

Katherlynne knocked on Valencia's door.

"Come in," Valencia called with a grumble. Katherlynne slowly opened the door, with a book and a plate of cookies and tea.

"Hey," Katherlynne glanced at Valencia and bit her lip. "I'm really sorry for what happened." Katherlynne sat on the bed with Valencia and patted her shoulder. Valencia jerked her away.

"Don't be." Valencia's words were meant to be sympathetic towards Katherlynne, but there was a touch of anger in her voice. Katherlynne sighed and averted her gaze, in the silence of the room.

Valencia's mind was loud though; could she have done anything to help 'Sia out? She wanted to be a doctor at some point, it was her passion and flame. If she continued on that path, could she have saved 'Sia? She didn't know, and frankly, she couldn't imagine it.

She could hear Dolos' words in her mind, how it told her that her life was worth nothing. She was destined to die, wasn't she? There was no meaning that she could find in her cold heart. It was just to eat and breathe and sleep. Survive. Subsisting by their commands and not by her own fire. No meaning, no value, no glow, no fire.

And as Valencia thought of the word "fire", she glanced up and smelled something smoky in the air. It smelled like it was coming from another room...

She and Katherlynne glanced up at each other with stiff eyebrows. They stood up, and dashed right out of the bedroom.

#

Agate sauntered in the hallways, looking up and down at each room.

"I can't believe how fragile Valencia is," Agate grunted and rolled her eyes. We might need to give her that potion. She thought, and she added on to those wavering words in her mind. I'll get Werner to do that—

She stopped and wrinkled her nose.

"What's that smell?" Agate looked around with pursed lips. Then she heard a cackle and a pop! She took a step back and turned around. She saw a bit of red and orange light spray in front of him.

Then it burned to a blaze.

The Manor's on fire! Agate's mouth gaped open. And she turned around and sped in the hallway. I have to get out of here.

The fire cackled behind her in vibrant colors, burning all the progress they have made. Her feet leaped and touched the floor in fast steps, running away as she never looked back.

#

Valencia ran up to Dolos, with furrowed eyebrows.

"VALENCIA. DID YOU DO THIS?" He jabbed a finger at her.

"No." Valencia bit her lip and glared at him. And they both heard a crackle inside the Manor, a roar from the flame. Katherlynne–who was by Valencia's side–glanced around and gulped. She couldn't get out as long as Dolos and Agate were alive.

"Someone must've broke in..." Dolos glanced down before wiping a nearby bookshelf, filled with books that he and Agate referred to every time they raised a new Valencia in place. He scraped it clean and pushed it all into the fire, panting. If there is someone here, they can not know of the truth of Valencia Qa. He continued to drag and throw it all into the fire, burning all of it and the fire bursted and glowed brighter.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Valencia hollered.

"I'M BURNING ALL THIS STUFF DOWN. THEY CAN NOT KNOW OF THIS." Dolos yelled back without thinking. He continued to haul the items into the fire in a dash. The wooden bookshelf became black and crumbly, and some of the books withered away into ash.

And the fire painted the room in red and orange. Orange and red. Hand in hand, burning it all with smoke that flew everywhere.

Katherlynne coughed and waved her hand.

Valencia stared around and clenched her fists.

Listen to us and you will survive.

Or you must perish.

She can just get replaced...

I love you.

Valencia covered her mouth and let out a tearful gasp before glaring at Dolos. "You're right." She swiped her two fingers on her neck and held her sword. And there, she pulled Dolos by his collar and pinned him down.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Valencia let out a cry and held her sword up high. Then she planted it down to his chest. FSHING. Valencia gasped and cried, then stabbed the sword down again.

Dolos coughed. "Valencia, stop." For the first time, Dolos felt weak. And it showed as some liquid oozed out from his chest.

But Valencia only screamed back.

"NO! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME. MY NAI, MY OWN CHILD!" She wiped her face before stabbing him again. Red tears splashed in all directions. "I SHOULD'VE STOOD BEFORE. I SHOULD'VE DONE AS THE OTHERS HAVE SAID BEFORE! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU, DOLOS"" Katherlynne felt her feet become light. "I CAN'T BELIEVE I LET YOU HAVE YOUR WAY. YOU SOULLESS MONSTER!"

Dolos coughed as he weakly reached out his hand to remove the blade. His bushy eyelashes fluttered. He wanted to order her around and question her stance. But he didn't get the chance. Valencia pulled her blade out once again and held it high in the air.

And she went straight for the heart.

Valencia wiped her face and stood, glaring down at him as tears bursted out. Nai, 'Sia. She felt sick thinking about them. How she loved them so much.

Katherlynne coughed.

"We need to get out of here—"

"STAY AWAY, AGATE!" Valencia pointed her blade at Katherlynne before letting out a sigh and a gasp. She whimpered, and wiped her face. "Oh. I'm so sorry, Katherlynne..." The only person left from the Manor that truly knew her and cared. What am I thinking, to kill her?

Katherlynne took Valencia's hand, a warmth radiating.

"We need to get out of here." She nodded at her as they ran from the eating fire. The smoke flew everywhere. Left and right. And the fire outstretched its hand as it burned all behind them. Dolos was left behind, his clothes quickly heating up and crying out loud in the flames, his sword untouched.

The colors screamed. It all glowed near the ground. Sparks flew. Katherlynne and Valencia raced away.

And Katherlynne felt her feet lighter, away from the chains of Dolos' spell. She just hoped it was enough to set her free from the Manor.

#

Agate paced around in the hallways, as she shoved items in the fire, hoping that anything could take it out. Evidence of the Valencias. A bucket. It didn't have any water, as she had hoped.

And Agate hauled another empty bucket into the flame as it hollered even more.

"No, no. I have to get out of here." She shook her head. "I have to survive." And Agate turned and raced out.

#

"Where's Valencia?" Heski coughed in the ashes. He heard footsteps pattering quickly towards him.

"We used up all the matcho flowers," Kario said to him.

"Okay," Heski glanced around. "Thanks, Kario."

He spotted another pair of footsteps approaching them.

"Where's Valencia Qa?" Bhun Uyi asked.

"And where's 296 and Leiyun?" Heski asked back.

"They're outside, fetching buckets of water. If she changes her mind, they'll take the fire out."

Heski examined the thick smoke and coughed again. Aham, aham. He wiped his eyes and blinked before spotting a figure in the growing ashes. "There's the Qa!"

Heski pointed towards the fog of the fire. And he and Bhun Uyi and Kario sprinted towards them, as the fire settled before raging to an uproar.

#

"STOP IT, PLEASE!" Agate flailed her arms out at Valencia, which she scraped with her blade.

"NO! NOT UNTIL YOU ARE DEAD LIKE DOLOS. I'M SICK OF YOU AND HIM. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH YOU?! HOW LONG WE HAD TO DEAL WITH YOU? AND HIM?!" Valencia screamed as she held her sword up high. She breathed, in and out, as tears bursted and stained her once-perfectly masked face. It was now shining with streaming tears. She glared down at her as she clenched her fists on the handle.

PSHING.

"Stop, please," Agate's breath shuddered. She coughed, as something red came out of her mouth. And her chest. It oozed onto her clothes, staining it and soaking it in. Agate didn't want to die. I don't want to die. Her mouth gaped open in an "EE" shape as she choked coming tears. She felt like throwing up at least 127 times. Her bushy eyelashes tainted with tears.

"NO! NO! NEVER." Valencia kept going. Like a madwoman. She looked mad to everyone else. She wanted so many things in her life. They were all intangible, something that held value on the inside. Her daughter to live. Her Nai to live. For herself to live. Live, live, live.

But it's all worthless now. She can't reach those glowing wishes that dimmed so long ago.

"AND IT'S ALL. YOUR FAULT!" Valencia hollered in the air as her tears all crashed down to the floor.

And so did Agate's own beating heart.

#

Bhun Uyi could smell the air becoming clearer and clearer as he and his friends drew in nearer and nearer. Was 296 and Leiyun taking the fire out already? He compressed his lips before glancing around the place, which was practically charred. Or maybe that's a good thing they did.

And Heski spotted a sword on the ground and picked it up. Kario shuddered at the body near it, unbeating and cold.

Then they heard a voice. Yelling in the distance, echoing in his ears.

"NO. I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! GET OUT!" Heski's heart sank. He knew that voice. He clenched his fist on the sword.

Valencia Qa.

They sprinted once more and found Valencia. And she sat on the floor, with a corpse that had a name Heski, Kario, and Bhun Uyi would have never known. But there was a girl that stood beside Valencia that Heski did know. She was the one who set me free in the dungeon.

Where Valencia would go next.

"Valencia Qa," Heski glared her down. "Your Manor is burning right now. The one your people gave you. Remember? If you just care to survive forever and not live to do anything except sit in a chair, then I don't think you deserve that Throne anymore." He swung the sword and batted it to her head, knocking her out cold. But she was still beating. And the fire nearly consumed her before the other girl picked her up.

She grunted, holding the woman she watched for so long tightly and so gingerly.

She glanced at all of them. Kario. Bhun Uyi. Heski. They were the ones Valencia must've been talking about. They knew they weren't immortal. And still...

She was still scared for her life.

"We need to get out of here," She said to the others.

"But what about Valencia?" Heski asked. The woman sucked in a breath. She couldn't leave Valencia here alone.

"We can just send her to the dungeon. She's immortal anyways, so she'll be fine." The woman glanced at all three of them. "But we need to leave now."

She turned around and raced to the door at the end of the hallway, stepping on small sparks as she bolted. Kario and Bhun Uyi followed, and Heski dropped his sword as they all fled for the door of the Manor.

Their hearts pounded, it beated loudly like the kick of the drum.

And they ran, and they bolted out. For they survived the fire and would march on to live for a better Oceanuris.