I close the barn doors behind me, sliding the heavy latch into place. Harwin and.... Joss, still inside. I take one last glance at the barn, my heart heavy, then turn and flee into the night.

  The cold air chills my skin as I sprint through the village, my boots kicking up fresh snow. The longhouse, my destination, looms ahead, its windows flickering with candlelight. My things are there. I need them before I can disappear for good.

  But just as I reach the longhouse, movement catches my eye.

  Emily.

  She leaps out of the window with the grace of a cat, her dark hair flowing behind her. She lands with a slightly awkward stumble and turns, her eyes widen in shock at the sight of me.

  "Seven?!" she whispers furiously. "How the hell did you get out?"

  I hesitate, my mind flashing back to Joss, his body convulsing, the black veins creeping through his skin. An uncomfortable feeling coils in my stomach.

  I killed him.

  "I knocked out Harwin and ran," I say quickly, trying to avoid the conversation.

  She studies me for a second, but then shrugs with a smile, lifting something in her hands.

  My knapsack.

  "Got your stuff back," she says, then pats her own pockets, eliciting the jingle of coin. "And a little something for myself."

  Despite everything, I can’t help but let out a short laugh. "I thought I told you to stop stealing."

  She shrugs, her smirk widening. "Couldn't just let that bastard Yusef keep your stuff. Needed to get it back before I broke you out."

  I raise an eyebrow. "Break me out? And how were you planning to do that?"

  She snickers, flipping her hair over her shoulder with exaggerated flare. "Plan? Why would I need something like that? All I'd have to do is tell them there was something big and scary chasing me and they'd come running. After that I'd just nick the key from Harwin's pocket and double back to get you while they're searching."

  I roll my eyes. "Fool proof. Surely."

  "Surely."

  Another voice cuts in.

  I spin, Joss's knife already drawn. And when I see who it is, my grip tightens.

  Yusef.

  He stands just beyond the flickering torchlight, two armed men at his back. His gaze sweeps over me, then Emily.

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  "A foreign thief and a blaspheming looter. Quite the pair."

  Emily stiffens beside me, but I don’t take my eyes off him. Yusef doesn’t flinch at the sight of the blade in my hand. He just tilts his head, studying me like one might a mangy dog.

  "Step back. Two men won't be enough to stop me, just ask Harwin and Joss." I stand tall, trying to radiate confidence. It was a hard fight with those two, but I have a proper weapon this time and Emily's not half bad in a fight either.

  Yusef chuckles. ignoring my threat. "You always were a stain on this village. You and that woman, mixing your filthy potions, pretending you weren’t just glorified beggars with bottles. An alchemist in my village? What a disgrace. Practicing pagan nonsense like that has never done anyone any good. You, her, that little house of yours, have been nothing but a burden."

  Emily bristles. "Rose saved more people in this village than you ever could, you wrinkly old cunt."

  His eyes flick to her, his sneer deepening. "Watch your tongue, girl. I let you linger in my village out of pity. But you were always just another outsider, just like him. Staying in that cursed house of hers."

  He smirks, stepping forward. "Truth be told, I don’t give a damn what happens to either of you. You’re just problems I don’t want to deal with. If both of you run, I’ll allow it. The village has no men to spare hunting you down."

  Emily and I exchange a look, uncertain.

  Yusef continues, smugly, proudly. "The Chamberlain from Ironcliff will be arriving soon, and Mistvale will finally be under the glorious banner of Lumenon. And I.... well, I will be its judge. A real title, at long last."

  His expression hardens. "And having the two of you removed is a necessity. Now, it can be done with force… or you can leave. The choice is yours."

  I consider it.

  The thought of killing Yusef crosses my mind, sharp and tempting. But the memory of Joss, convulsing on the floor, sours the idea.

  Killing him won’t change anything and fighting through his men would be a risk. Besides… they're just doing their job, should they die just because I want revenge? If I’m going to kill someone it should be because my own life is on the line… Right?

  “Fine. I’ll leave,” I say, lowering my knife. “But we're not finished Yusef. Mark my words, you will see me again.”

  Yusef sneers, stepping closer, his shadow stretching under the torchlight of his two guards. “If I do, you will regret it. Change is coming to Mistvale, for the better. And your kind will not be welcome.”

  Emily grips my hand and we turn to flee, vanishing into the night, our boots crunching roughly against the snow as we run. The cold air stings my lungs, neither of us speak, both to focused on putting as much distance between us and Mistvale as possible. Only when we reach the tree line beyond the village do we stop to catch our breath.

  I glance over and notice Emily carrying another sack, her own. I gesture to it. "What's in the bag?"

  She smirks, shifting the weight over her shoulder. The moonlight catches her features, and for a brief moment, I find myself struck by how beautiful her smile really is. "Hoping I was planning on following you?"

  I hesitate, but before I can answer, she sighs, her expression softening. "No, Seven. As much as I’d like to see you become a full fledged alchemist and meet this Zaenith you've gone on about, I’ve had enough of the looks these people give me. I don’t belong here anymore. I never really did."

  Emily tosses the sack over her shoulder. "I’m heading east," she continues. "See if I can start over. I took plenty from Yusef’s house, enough to get me through the journey. Should be a pleasant trip."

  I nod, likewise lifting my own knapsack over my shoulder.

  For a long moment, we stand in silence, the cold of the night pressing down on us. Then, suddenly, Emily lunges at me, wrapping her arms around my waist. I stiffen for only a second before returning the embrace, holding her close.

  "Goodbye.... again," she whispers. "We’ll see each other at some point. I’m certain."

  I nod against her hair. "Yeah."

  She pulls back and turns away, pausing for a moment before she begins walking…. to the east.

  While I on the other hand look north.

  To the town of Ravencroft.