"IT WAS ALL A NIGHTMARE," Naoki soothed, stroking Kasper's hair. "When you wake up, you'll be safe in bed, with nothing but the memories of a bad dream. All right?" 

Kasper nodded, clinging to her, shivering. 

"There you go," Naoki gestured for Xandra. 

She passed her one of those smokey yellow bottles, Damia gas. It had been diluted in the lab, distilled down to a very slight essence. A memory-wiping potion, crafted meticulously in the science classrooms of King's High. Naoki uncapped it carefully, then handed it to Kasper. 

"Drink this, it'll help," she reassured. 

He drank it without question, too shell-shocked to protest. As soon as the faint liquid touched his lips, his eyes fluttered, his gaze going soft. He relaxed into her arms. 

"There you go," Naoki murmured. "Safe and sound. Now go. Wake up." 

Kasper's eyes shut. And then he was gone.

All four of them relaxed, heaving sighs. Naoki sat back on her haunches, shutting her eyes, taking deep breaths.

"You okay?" Paris asked, touching her shoulder. 

She stiffened for a moment under his grasp, and he wondered if it had been a mistake to comfort her. Then she softened, and looked up at him with such a soft smile, Paris felt like he'd been hit with a pile of bricks. 

"Yeah. Just emotionally drained. You guys never had to see that part before, because usually a clean up crew handles it," Naoki explained, standing up. "You guys did great, though." 

"So did you," Xandra nodded. 

"You weren't exaggerating when you said you were top of your class," Paris grinned. "I was a little scared of you in there, Mae." 

Naoki smiled back. "I never joke about being first place, Monet." 

Dexter laughed. "I'm glad we're done." 

"Me too," Xandra offered him her hand. He took it, and she pulled him up from the floor. "Let's get going. I wanna visit Theo." 

Paris straightened. "I forgot about that. And Illias. I hope they're okay." 

"Illias is fine, but Theo wasn't awake when I was there," Naoki stooped to pick up her sword from the floor. "But good idea, let's go back. I want some hot chocolate, too." 

"Ooh, hot chocolate," Dexter sighed. "Sounds heavenly." 

Paris looped his arm around Dexter's shoulders. "You know what else sounds heavenly?" 

"What?" 

"A nice fireplace. And presents. And a good movie." 

Dexter closed his eyes, visualising it. "Christmas time. The holidays. They do sound nice." 

"Almost better now that we've got something like this to counter it," Xandra gestured around at the burning cinder beams, crumbling walls and scratches on their bodies as they went down the stairs. "Makes the sweet taste sweeter." 

Dexter linked his arm with hers. "I'm excited for the holidays. No school!" 

"What? I thought you liked school," Paris' eyes widened. "Have I pinned you wrong? Are you a delinquent in disguise?" 

"Was that supposed to be a Transformers reference?" Xandra raised an eyebrow. 

Paris grinned, pushing open the door. "You got it. You're a nerd too, aren't you." 

"I am not!" 

"Are too!" 

"Not!" 

"Too!" 

Dexter laughed. "Both of you are nerds." 

"You're the one who likes school!" Paris protested. 

"I don't like school," Dexter shook his head. "The work is just a good distraction. Plus, we all have to go, right?" 

Xandra scratched her head. "Well..." 

Dexter groaned, laughing. "Don't answer that." 

"I feel like we're missing something," Paris announced, stopping just outside of the building. 

They thought about it for a moment. 

"Shit. Naoki," Xandra jolted. "Where's Naoki?" 

Dexter spun around. "She's probably coming down soon, right?" 

Paris' heart kicked up. "She's fine. She's totally fine." 

"I'm going back," Xandra dropped Dexter's arm. "I can run. I'll get her--" 

"No need," Naoki pushed through the door. "I'm fine. Just a little slow." 

The three of them sighed, relief coursing through their veins. 

"Oh thank God," Paris heaved. "I thought you were dead." 

"Or worse, stuck in a pit," Xandra added. 

"You're hurt!" Dexter exclaimed, rushing to her. 

Naoki let him wrap an arm under her, leaning on him. "Old wound. From... Theo's Damia. It reopened during the fight, but I didn't think it was that bad." 

Dexter settled her on a bench outside. "Does this suit have detachable legs?" 

Naoki turned her leg with a grimace, revealing a zippered slit along the side. "Yeah." 

She unzipped it, and peeled away the black layers that clung to her skin. Clumps of half-dried blood stuck to it, and she hissed through her teeth as scabs ripped away. Small slivers of wood still sprouted from her wound, soaked in blood, and the sides of her thighs were layered with flakes of dried blood. 

Paris gagged in the background. 

"Shit, that's bad," Dexter said, hushed. His stomach twinged, heart sinking as he looked at the oozing flesh. He pinned it all on the gore. 

"I can carry you back to the Keepers' base," Xandra offered. "We'll be no more than a minute getting there." 

Naoki grimaced, biting her lip as she touched the raw flesh. "I don't want to leave Dexter and Paris..." 

"It's fine," they said simultaneously. 

"I have my lightsabers," Paris held up his rod. 

"And my grenades," Dexter reminded. "We'll be okay, Naoki." 

She looked at them, pained. "If something happens to you..." 

"Nothing will happen," Xandra reassured. "And once I drop you off to Rox, I'll come right back for them. I promise." 

Naoki hesitated. "I..." 

"Okay, done, deal," Paris cut over her, smiling reassuringly. "See you later, get some good rest, maybe you can be roommates with Theo and Illias!" 

Naoki laughed. "Okay, okay. We're going. See you guys later." 

Dexter squeezed her hand. "We'll see you in a few." 

"À plus tard, chat fou," Paris winked. 

Xandra picked Naoki up, bridal-style. "Hold on to my shoulders. If I drop you, I'll never hear the end of it." 

"Oh don't worry, sweet thing. Dropping her will be the least of your problems," a echoing, black-velvet voice purred. 

And suddenly everything went black. 

BLACK. BLACK AS NIGHT THAT HAD BEEN CONSUMED BY EVIL. 

The horrible sinking feeling in Xandra's stomach as she clung to Naoki. 

Paris' hand clenching around Dexter's arm. 

A lightsaber igniting. 

Then more black, swarming it. 

Screams. Shouts. 

Someone laughing, so dark and velvety, like the richest chocolate with an arsenic filling. 

The horrible, horrible feeling of weightlessness in Xandra's arms. 

Naoki's screams, ripping at their eardrums. 

Xandra crying out, reaching into the dark. Hands touching furred, matted flesh. 

Not Naoki. 

The laughter was cackling now, so shrill. 

Light pierced through the darkness. 

They whirled, desperate, ready to fight. 

Only they couldn't fight nothing. 

Xandra fell, arms empty. 

"I lost her." 

"We lost her," Paris corrected. Shocked. 

They stared at each other in horror. 

Unspoken question. Thick in the air. 

Paris choked on it, guilt for something he hadn't done crowding his throat. 

Xandra couldn't speak with the nothing in her arms. 

Dexter, innocent. Scared. Shaking. 

"What will Illias say?" 

He was the only one brave enough to ask.

THEY RETURNED, DEFEATED. Xandra could hardly walk, let alone run, so Paris had jumpstarted another car and drove them back. They rode in silence, letting the whir of the engine fill the space. 

Paris couldn't help but imagine what would've happened if he'd done something right. If he hadn't gone after the Damia in the first place. If he'd been faster with the sword. If he'd made Naoki shut up and get home sooner. 

Xandra could only feel rage. She'd done everything wrong before. Mirage was supposed to be a new start. Something she hadn't fucked up yet. And here she was, fucking up in the worst way possible. She ruined everything she touched. She couldn't be trusted with anything. And she would never let somebody get close to her again. 

Dexter could hear them storming, he could see the whirlwind of emotions. He wanted to reach out, to comfort them, but he could feel his own panic encroaching, sneaking up on him with bared teeth and long claws. 

Instead he did what he always did, and buried himself inside. 

He didn't want to lose someone else. None of them did. 

But lost they already had. 

They walked through the doors of King's, shellshocked and empty. The Keepers who stood post let them through, and Dexter wondered why they didn't ask where Naoki was. Maybe it was all a bad dream. Maybe she was here, safe, sparring with Rox in the training room. 

But when they entered the med bay, scraped and bloody, Dexter had his answer. 

Illias beamed up at them, eager like a puppy. "You're back! How'd everything go?" 

They couldn't meet his eyes. 

"Where's Noki?" 

Theo knew. He could read their unspoken words, even without his powers. Illias just didn't want to see it. 

He touched his arm. "Mate, I think you're going to need to take a breath." 

Illias faltered. 

ROX COULD HEAR ILLIAS CRYING FROM DOWN THE HALL, raging sobs that ripped straight through his heart. He knew how it felt, because he'd spent the past thirty minutes crying with just as much despair. 

But he was a general. He needed to pull it together. Never mind that Naoki had been a daughter to him, everything he had ever wanted in a family. He needed to lead his people, his bigger family. It was the cost of leadership. 

But it was a cost that would rip whatever was left of his heart out. 

He sank into his chair, head buried in his arms. He'd never lost someone so close. 

She wasn't dead. Rox had told that to Illias again and again, shouting over his screams. But Illias didn't care. Dead or alive, his Noki was gone. 

They would find her. They would get her back. That was what Rox had told him. 

But truthfully? In the safety of his solitude? Rox could finally admit that Naoki wasn't a priority. There was a war to be won, lives in the balance. Rox couldn't let his own emotions get in the way of victory. 

If the Queen of Shadows had abducted Naoki in an attempt to cripple him, she would fail. He would not let this derail him from his purpose. 

He couldn't. 

author's note! 

a shorter chapter this time, but there's... a lot. 

<3 

can't wait for the next one!