The three of us started to make our way out of the city. I trailed behind the other two, staring at Piercing Gale’s back. A familiar back, Eun’s back. A back Ves’hil’n saw a lot as it blocked in front of him, protected him. A strong, steady back with broad shoulders that would have held up the sky if it had fallen on Ves’hil’n’s princely head. A back Ves’hil’n left deep scratches on in the middle of the night as panted breaths passed between their lungs.

But in that moment, I wanted nothing more than to be a sword again so I could stab straight through that back just as Ves’hil’n was stabbed. My chest hurt as I remembered the pain of Ves’hil’n’s final moments and I clenched my fists, redirecting the pain to four crescent moon cuts in each of my hands as my fingernails dug into my palms.

It looked as if that back was coming closer and I realized that Piercing Gale had suddenly stopped. I stopped as well, trying to glare at him even harder, and croaked out, “what?”

“A weapon spirit.” Death-Bringer answered, backing up a few steps towards me, her head firmly turned towards the alleyway to the right.

“One of the Demon Lords weapons, “Piercing Gale added, also backing up so that the three of us were closer together. Much like Eun and Tejara did for Ves’hil’n they blocked in front of me. And much like Ves’hil’n and tried to shoulder my way into standing and facing the danger right beside them.

Finally, I sensed it as well. The energy of that thin blade the Demon Lord often kept at his side, “Night Lover,” I hissed out under my breath.

“The three of you don’t have to be so on edge,” A voice drawled. Out of the shadows of the alley stepped a beautiful, androgynous man. He wore the dark, loose, flowing clothes of Kon nobility. His long, black hair was pulled into a high ponytail and he had two dark red beauty marks; one under his left eye and the other by the right corner of his mouth. Unlike us, those beauty marks were the only features he shared with his wielder. He held his hands up in a gesture of non-violence, his long eyelashes fluttering innocently in spite of the smirk on his lips, “Really, it’s three on little ole lonely me. I’m the one who should be on edge.”

I remembered the silver flash of Night Lover buried in a chest, a body crumpling to the red dirt of the Waste. I took a stride forward, ignoring the arm Piercing Gale threw out to stop me. People passing by shot us strange looks as we stood off in the middle of the street. Night Lover took a step back, his cheeks twitching, “The events of 200 years ago have nothing to do with me. I have no intention of impeding you or helping Valeron. So why don’t we continue to have nothing to do with each other.”

Death-Bringer stepped up beside me and out of the corner of my eye, I saw her look at me. Tejara was Ves’hil’n’s most frequent sparring partner and the two had been of one mind in battle almost as much as Ves’hil’n and Eun; in that moment I felt that connection with Death-Bringer.

“Wait.” Piercing Gale hissed but the two of us ignored him, rushing towards Night Lover together.

“Shit!” Night Lover’s knees shook and buckled as he turned. His knees hit the road, kicking up dust, but he was back on his feet in a fraction of a second, sprinting down the road.

But that slip was enough and Death-Bringer - Ves’hil’n was always faster than Tejara but I guess I was still new to legs - caught hold of one of his trailing sleeves, throwing him off balance. He fell to the ground, tucking and rolling, and trying to get back to his feet. Before he could once again get back to his feet, I lowered my center of gravity and leapt forward, tackling him to the ground.

I straddled his waist and as he looked up at me with wide eyes and a sneer, I wrapped my hands around his neck.

I wonder if a sword can suffocate to death.