Walter watched his HP continuously dive. After several [Teleports], he stumbled into the building where Elin's body hid and broke their connection. When she glimmered back to consciousness, he fell on top of her.

"Walter!"

The Duke of the Rotting Garden stood in the doorway, having followed him, and looked in. With one hand, Elin held the fading Walter, and with the other, she leveled her sword at the monster.

"I'm not so uncouth to attack during your goodbyes," The Duke said. He backed up, matched her stare, and motioned he'd be outside to wait on her.

When the nosferatu backed away, her sword clattered on the ground, and she hugged Walter close.

"Hold on. Just hold on, can you do that for me? Walter! Keep your eyes open!" Elin said, "Lay on Hands. Lay on Hands! Why isn't it working?! Lay on Hands!"

After a labored breath, Walter said, "You know, I always thought this would be scarier."

"Don't talk like that!" A tightness in her throat squeezed her words as they left her lips. "There's nothing to be scared of, you're going to be fine! Keep your eyes open, please. Lay on Hands! Mother Gaia, please, for once, give me a blessing I didn't suffer for! Lay on Hands!"

Walter's fingers brushed her cheek, and Elin quieted. "I thought I was going to die alone."

"Walter, shut up. Don't give up so easily. Fight it."

Walter smiled, "I know you know it's bad. The scales aren't tipping, so you know you can't command it."

She started shaking her head and couldn't stop. "I'm sorry, Walter. I messed up."

His lips moved, but no sound issued. Walter trembled, and she could feel it through her armor. He lost so much blood that his body temperature plummeted, and his skin colored ash.

Elin pinned him against her chest and nodded. "I know you do."

The curse [Scales of Love and Lust] unraveled, and Elin knew, at that moment, Walter's HP zeroed. She missed the curse's overbearing presence as soon as it fled.

The scales were gone. He was gone.

"[Lay on Hands]," Elin screamed until her lungs emptied of air, and she felt her chest continue to squeeze until she nearly passed out. When she could breathe, she looked up and said, "Oh, you fucking bitch, I hate you so much. The one time I ask for help, and you abandon me, like everyone else!"

Apathy seeped into her skin like worms under the earth. The tears stopped, and her cheeks dried.

I don't want to be a paladin anymore.

Enough is enough.

Elin stroked Walter's face and pretended he was sleeping. His blood smeared on her polished armor.

I'll dye my armor red. My name will be synonymous with terror, and monsters will flee at my arrival. Any human siding with Ouroboros will be cut down. I'm sick of it. The aberrants will be crushed, and I'll carve apart every dungeon heart I wander across. I don't care about the consequences anymore. Mercy onto anyone in my path; I'll trample everyone.

When I find the one that kidnapped Walter, I'm skinning them alive, then I'm burning them at the stake if they survive. I swear by Gaia, no by any deity that will patron me, or even if none will, that I will see it through. Nothing can protect you from me, I promise you that.

I'm so sorry, Walter.

For all your overthinking, you didn't even notice it was my anger that got you killed. Please don't look down on me, because I've chosen to have a very violent and short life.

I'll be there soon.

She kissed his corpse.

After a long exhale, she lowered his head to the ground and folded his hands on his chest. He closed his eyes when he passed, and she was grateful since she didn't have to look upon a hollow gaze. One last time, she stroked his hair, then stood up.

Now to deal with that piece of shit outside.

Each one of Elin's footsteps tapped slowly and deliberately, like rainfall adding up to a flood.

"That's a motivated look you have," the Duke of the Rotting Garden said.

With an exaggerated flourish, he bowed to show his intent to resume their battle.

Obviously, he expects a paladin to properly return the salute.

The nosferatu's ear detached the moment he realized Elin cut him. She flew in so quickly her hair whipped from the air pressure.

When the monster snapped to standing position, he raised a hand to defend the next attack. Three of his fingers separated.

Elin's attacks were brutal, inaccurate, and savage. Pieces of the monster carved off. Sometimes, during a combination, she growled and bared her teeth like an animal, or she screamed when she launched a stout attack. The Duke of the Rotting Garden counterattacked when he could, and sometimes connected.

She didn't care. If it hurt, she shouted away the pain and maintained the slashing rush. Sweat poured freely from her forehead. Never before had Elin pushed herself.

"Your father," the Duke said, "fought with a similar--"

Elin's sword lashed out, and the vampire's mandible was missing. She grabbed the remainder of his ruined jaw and crushed it with sheer force. After kicking him away, she opened her hand to see she ripped his fangs out, and, sneering, she tossed the dislodged teeth at him.

"I've had enough of your civility," she spat.

They ran at each other like badgers. At some point during the exchange, Elin had the nosferatu backed against a door. The monster's body could handle the blows, but the door behind him could not, and each one of Elin's attacks buckled it. When it separated, the planks opened like a torn curtain, the nosferatu tumbled backward.

Elin chased blindly into the darkness. At Walter's death, she lost access to his magical sight, but she didn't need it. She tracked him by sword strike. Her fury was enough to keep her fighting.

The Duke of the Rotting Garden dived at Elin, wrapped its arms around her waist, and crashed through the wall. Both rolled onto the street, at the last of their HP.

He wobbled to his feet before she could. She tried to stand and slipped in her own blood. The Duke's HP pool held out, and he won by the narrowest margin.

I can't even keep my promise of revenge. How utterly disgraceful. At least I'll rejoin Walter quickly.

"[Magic Missile]!"

A spell whizzed by Elin.

It was enough to slay the nosferatu. Upon impact, the monster's skin cracked, as if desiccated from drying in a tomb, and then crumpled into a pile of dust. The long moments of brutality ended with a peaceful collapse of ashes. Elin thought it unfair the Duke died calmly.

"Elin?"

When she finally let herself turn around, she latched onto Walter.

They limped out of the Necropolis and stumbled across the empty plains between the city and Camp Wolf, and they did not slow until the lights were visible. And when they got close, they finally passed out.