Outrun

The icicle pierced the monster's body, lodging itself right in the middle of its torso and coming out the back of the creature. A small groaning, almost like the bending of steel, leaked out from the monster's body as the mysterious black liquid began to lose its shape and began to dissolve. Cheers erupted among the group as Roko just let himself fall to the ground, utterly exhausted by everything that had happened to him in the past few days.

"Oh my god, is it finally over?!" Roland cried.

"I don't think I can drink coffee anymore." Roswell laughed.

"I did it! Roko, I did it!" Helena grinned.

Roko just held up a thumbs up as he did his best not to just go to sleep on the floor right there.

As Roko and his friends celebrated as the monster disintegrated slowly, a small sphere bulged out from the back of the monster, near the icicle. The lump burst and Bedlam emerged from inside the monster, his body fully reformed but completely naked. In his hands was the intact grimoire. Bedlam grunted as he pulled his arms and legs free from the filthy dark waters and fell to the ground, unnoticed by the princess and her posse.

"This is ridiculous." Bedlam grunted and grimaced as he tried to push his new body up, "I can't believe I lost to the princess and those friends of hers. Especially that one brat. What kind of magic is that bastard using? I can't stay here. I have to escape. I can get my revenge on them another day. I-"

Bedlam began limping off to the side, eyes trained to the small patch of woods not far from the edge of the warehouse district. Moving as stealthily as he could for a giant naked muscular man, Bedlam kept his eyes on the edge of the woods until Daniel suddenly stepped in front of him, arms raised and blocking his path forward.

"Daniel." Bedlam said, unsure of how to react to this final obstacle.

"Please give yourself up, brother." Daniel announced, drawing the attention of Helena's group, "You can still redeem yourself. Give yourself up to the police. Give up on all this cult business. This kind of magic can't be good for you. Leave it all behind and live a normal life. I can help you."

Bedlam glanced towards Helena's group. Though they are now aware of his escape, they had not moved. Having heard Daniel's heartfelt plea, they had decided to watch and give him the opportunity to give himself up. There was no way he could escape to the woods in time with his new body, unaccustomed body. And fighting them would be foolhardy at this point. Bedlam thought for a moment but with no alternative, he just sighed and gave Daniel a smile, "Thank you. For giving me this opportunity."

Bedlam walked up and hugged his brother, gently wrapping his arms around his extended family. And then he sneered as he pushed Daniel away from him, towards Helena.

"Wha-" Daniel tried to say something but his body was already convulsing, something inside struggling to break out of his body until his stomach ruptured and a small monster, dripping in blood with bits of bone and organs sticking out of it landed on the ground and began growing.

"No..." Helena yelped, "Daniel!"

Helena tried to run to the poor man but the monster roared as it spawned arms and legs, lifting itself on its claws as it forced a head out from its body. Eyes floated up to the surface, unanchored by anything and a jaw split off from the bottom of its mouth, growing rows of uneven but sharp teeth. This wolf like creature barked sharp but watery cries as it glared its unfocused eyes at Helena.

"Daniel!" Helena tried to run at the monster but Roswell quickly grabbed her and held her back, "You can't rush in there!"

Roko grabbed his sword and with every bone in his body crying out, he pulled himself up and tried to throw himself at the monster but the wolf suddenly grew bigger, standing upright on two legs and swiping with its muscular arm at Roko, knocking the sword from his hand and sending him rolling back.

"Roko!" Helena yelped as she propped Roko's exhausted body up, "Roko, are you okay?!"

"He's...escaping?" Roko glared past the monster at the fleeing figure of Bedlam.

"Forget about him, we need to stop this monster and save Daniel!"

The wolf, now werewolf monster stomped towards them with its loosely constructed body. Roswell tried to run up to intercept it but the sheer power of this monster kept pushing him back.

"I can't...hold it back for long!" Roswell grimaced.

Roland stood off to the side, head bowed, shoulders slumped. He took deep breath after deep breath as his body began to shudder.

"Will you..." Roland's hands clenched themselves hard, "WILL YOU JUST STOP ALREADY?!" Roland roared in unrestrained rage as he grabbed the shield off his arm and threw it at the werewolf monster. It smashed against the monster's face with perfect accuracy, knocking it off Roswell and forcing it back as few steps. Before Roswell could do anything, Roland was already crying out in rage as he rushed past Roswell and slashed the monster down its body, forcing it back a few more steps. Roland didn't stop, charging again at the monster and landing another attack. As the monster stumbled back once again, Roland scooped up the sword that Roko had dropped from the ground with his other hand began unleashing a flurry of attacks into the body of this wolf monster, unrelenting and with a fury of a man at his patience's end. The wolf tried to attack Roland but he simply blocked any attempt it made with one sword while deftly landing another attack, not stopping until its body was riddled with slashes. With one final roar, Roland raised both his swords and beheaded the monster, finally killing it and letting its body drop to the ground.

Roland stood there, gasping heavily as his friends just stared at him in mild shock.

"Roland?" Helena spoke up.

"Huh?" Roland looked up and turned around, snapping out of his frenzy, "Oh, wait uh...what?"

"That was amazing!" Helena grinned, "I didn't know you were that good at two sword style!"

"Huh?! Oh uh..." Roland looked down at his two swords, "You think so?"

"Yeah!" That was super cool!"

"That was certainly not an amateur showing." Roswell smiled, "To think you'd have such a surprising hidden talent."

"I mean..." Roland rubbed his head bashfully, "I was pretty cool wasn't I?"

"Definitely!"Helena grinned, "Forget shields, we're getting you another sword after this!"

"For real?! Aw sweet! Man, I am pretty amazing aren't I?"

"I would like to point out." Roko interrupted them, "Bedlam's escaped."

"Yeah." Helena sighed as she looked towards the woods where Bedlam had disappeared into, "We let him escape today but we'll be sure to find him eventually. For now..." Helena smiled as she gently patted Roko's head, "It's all over."

Roko, Roland and Roswell looked down at Daniel's body on the ground. There was no doubt in any of their mind that he was dead. Even if he was, there was no feasible way to save him. His stomach had ruptured and much of his organs and bones had been torn out. His face was frozen in a mix of surprise and pain, his eyes left dully staring up at the sky. Helena walked up to them as she got off the phone.

"The police are coming." Helena reported, "They already had reports of our activities here but they're finally mobilizing now."

"I see." Roswell said.

Everyone kept staring at the dead body of Daniel. Helena knelt down and closed his dead eyes.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you." Helena said mournfully, "I don't know what I'll tell my sister but...you did the right thing, Daniel. Let your spirit rest in peace with that knowledge."

Helena stood back up where Roland gave her a comforting hug.

"This shouldn't have happened to him." Roswell nodded.

"Yeah." Roko agreed absentmindedly, "This night has gone on long enough."

Roko looked up as the sun peeked out from the horizon of the city, "Let's all sleep on this."

"After grabbing a quick meal." Helena giggled, "I'm sure we can all use one."

Roko woke up late the following afternoon. His mind felt well enough to get out but his body still felt like it was dragging behind. A good brunch alleviated this a little so Roko went about looking for Helena or Roland. He found Helena on the second floor balcony overlooking an indoor garden but her face showed no sign of fatigue or joy but was twisted in a deep, dark contempt.

"Something wrong?" Roko asked as he walked up to her.

"Oh. Roko." Helena responded dully, "Yeah, everything's fine."

"Everything doesn't look fine." Roko frowned, "Did something happen?"

Helena looked down for a moment before she handed something that she had been playing with in her hands. Looking at it, Roko could see a fancy ornate ring, adorned with a red gem and engraved with some sort of seal.

"Do you recognize it?" Helena asked.

"No."

"It's a ring from the Dioslapaura family." Helena scowled, "They're a crime family that operates within Aporia. They're pretty a big mafia all over the world really."

"I see. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Did you know? Aporia has one of the lowest crime rate in the world."

"I...see?"

"Do you know why?"

"No?"

"It's because the monarchy actually allies itself with criminal organizations."

"Say what?" Roko frowned.

"We have certain sway over crime families in Aporia. They work in part for us and in return a portion of their small crimes and gang wars are basically unofficially sanctioned."

"Wait, so when you said you pulled all the strings-"

"Yeah." Helena looked down, "I reached out to those criminal organizations for information to find Melia and Bedlam."

"I see..." Roko gulped, "Wait, so this ring...it didn't...it wasn't..."

"It was found in the clothes Bedlam was wearing." Helena answered, her body shuddering in distress, "We were being tricked. The Dioslapaura fed us the information about the cult while giving the same information about us to the cult as well."

"...They were buttering you up. As the next Queen of Aporia."

"...Of course I can't prove anything." Helena slammed her fist on the banister, "They just claim it was stolen."

"You don't have any proof that it wasn't?"

"That ring is a stamp, given to associates of the family." Helena growled, "The higher ups have diamond rings. Ruby are for the lowest associates. Of course, it could have been stolen but that's hard to believe with what happened."

"...They did know about us." Roko nodded, "Every time we appeared, they were ready for us."

"It's not just that." Helena bit her lip, "That warehouse district we fought in? That belonged to the Dioslapaura family. It's in the middle of the city, yet Bedlam and his cult managed to escape. That's impossible without the Dioslapaura family helping them."

"But they deny everything."

"Of course they do!" Helena cried, "We can't prove a thing! Bedlam escaped, Daniel is dead and all I managed to do was get myself in debt to the mafia! I can't believe this!"

Helena hunched down, hiding her face as soft, quiet sobs could be heard from her shivering body. Roko sat down next to her, unsure of what to do or say. After a while, Helena stopped sobbing but she didn't look up. Roko stayed there, staring at the ring, wondering what he could do.

"I hate this city." Helena spoke up, "I hate being trapped here, where I have to make deals with criminals to keep things running. I thought I could do it. This was my first time trying but I just failed. I failed you, I failed myself and I failed my parents."

"...If you don't like working with criminals, you can stop associating with them." Roko replied, "You're the future queen. You can change everything."

"It's not nearly that simple." Helena chuckled a little and finally looked up, "But I've thought about it. I've thought about changing everything. It'd be one hell of an uphill battle though."

"If you don't want to think about it, you can just run away." Roko said as he got up and held out a hand to Helena, "There's no reason you have to be unhappy with where you are."

Helena smiled as she grabbed Roko's hand and he helped her back up on her feet, "Are you suggesting I run away with you? That might not be a bad idea."

"If you have enough spirit to make a joke like that, you must be feeling fine now." A familiar voice spoke out from behind her.

"Sis!" Helena turned around, surprised, "Umm...about Daniel..."

"I know." Diana sighed, "It's a real shame."

"Oh..." Helena said, quizzically.

"You don't sound all that broken up about it." Roko noted.

"Roko, no, don't antagoni-"

"You were probably right."

"Huh?" Helena looked up, surprised at the solemn look and tone from Diana.

"You were probably right." Diana repeated, "I probably never truly loved Daniel. This...underwhelming reaction I'm having is the last bit of proof. To be clear, I'm not saying I feel absolutely nothing from his death. He was a good person and from how he died, I now understand the depths of his kindness. I mourn him as I would a close brother...but not as a lover. I'm sure he'd be disappointed to hear this, as I am to discover this."

Helena gulped, surprised to hear her sister confess so readily and sincerely.

"Well from what I could gather," Roko spoke up, "He was being tasked to capture you for the sake of the cult."

"There is no doubt in my mind that he had no intention of doing so." Diana shook her head, "There was no sign of any sort of trap nor did he ever spoke to me about it. If anything, I'm sure he stuck to my side so that no one else could target me while he tried to get his brother to leave the organization."

"You think?"

"Who knows?" Diana shrugged, "I have no right to pretend I know what he was thinking. But I know I was safe around him."

"Hm."

"All that aside, I will get my feelings together in time for his funeral. For now though, I must apologize to you, Helena, for the way I treated you."

"Oh!" Helena yelped, "I-It's fine! I uh...I kinda deserved it, didn't I? After all that's happened, I feel especially bad about what I said now."

"I see."

"Just uhh..."

"Yes?"

Helena put up a playful smile, "Just make sure that you have a proper loving relationship next time. No half measures like with Daniel."

"After loving a man like Daniel, I can't say I will ever be able to love a man like that again." Diana chuckled.

Bedlam gasped as he forced his body to move forward. The emergency body he had given himself was starting to fail and he needed time for his regeneration to properly fix it. But he could hear the sound of the police coming after him. Even now as he has escaped to the woods outside of Aporia, Bedlam could swear he could hear people coming after him. Terror and panic gripped his heart as he pushed past tree after tree until someone appeared in front of him.

"Head Priest!" One of his cultists suddenly appeared from the foliage before him, startling Bedlam.

"Ah! You scared me, you fool!"

"My apologies. But it's safe now, sir. Please, feel free to take a break."

"That...that sounds pretty good right now." Bedlam smiled weakly as he let himself collapse against a tree to catch his breath.

"I can hold the book for you if you want, sir."

"Huh? Yeah. Sure." Bedlam absentmindedly handed the grimoire over to the young cultist.

"So this is the tome of Gnasci." The cultist breathed as he stared, transfixed at the cover.

"That's right. It's more valuable than your life so make sure not to damage or lose it." Bedlam scoffed.

"Can you hear me, great god? I am speaking to you." The cultist raised the book up to the sky, speaking to thin air with a crazed reverence.

"Don't bother." Bedlam sneered, "It would take years for someone like you to hear the voice of the God Gnasci. He won't even notice a speck such as y-"

"Great God, I humbly beseech you now. The Head Priest Bedlam has failed in his mission to give you the princess as a tribute. Not only that, he suffered defeat after humiliating defeat at the hands of the princess and her allies."

"What did you just say?" Bedlam growled.

"Not only that, but he squandered every child you had left in our hands, sending them to their deaths only to achieve nothing."

"Now hold on there, I-"

"I would not treat your creations with such disrespect, my God. I would not squander your gifts and I would not allow such fruitless defeats to befall your great name. Please, it is I who deserve your power, my Lord!"

"Give that back! Give that back!"

Bedlam reached out to grab the book from the cultist but black blood suddenly burst out of his arm. Bedlam looked in terror as the black liquid began to break out from his body, flowing out and taking away his muscular frame at first. But more and more blood began to seep out of him as his body began to lose all the liquid in its body. Bedlam screamed in horror but his voice quickly began to grow weak and his skin began to shrivel up until he collapsed against the tree, a dried husk with all his blood lying in a black pool around him. The cultist sneered as he turned and walked away, into the darkness of the trees.