The Rogue

The spear continued sliding through the crack in the mirror, revealing a shaft wrapped in tattered bandages. Then a hand gripping the shaft, covered in rust-red armor.

The rumble in the arena sharpened into a crackle, so loud it felt like the static from a radio had invaded Theo's brain. His chest was so tight he could barely breathe.

An arm. A shoulder. A torso. Piece by piece, the figure emerged. In the total blackness, even their dull armor seemed shockingly bright.

Fully freed from the mirror, the figure landed on the floor in front of Theo. This close, he found himself staring directly into her face – not that he could see much beneath her concealing helm.

His blood churned. The rogue nephilim surveyed him in stony silence. It felt as if time had frozen in the arena; even the copies and monsters had fallen still.

'Say something.' What? Beg her not to attack? As if she'd listen.

Stark Levia sparked in Theo's chest. Zenith stood up, his armor battered and breathing hard, but he leveled his sword at the rogue anyway.

"Don't come any closer," he hissed.

The rogue turned her head in his direction, slow and languid as if she couldn't find him less interesting.

"Who the hell are you?" Ghost's shout echoed around the arena, shattering the silence. "I'm kind of in the middle of a show here, so don't interrupt!"

She snapped her fingers, and a monster lunged at the rogue.

Without thinking, Theo cried out. But the rogue jabbed out her spear, not even glancing the monster's direction. The spearpoint, now crackling with flames, pierced the monster's belly so quickly Theo didn't even realize what had happened until the monster fell squealing to the ground, smoke curling from its singed quills.

"What – what – what the fuck?" Ghost's shriek rose so loud Theo almost expected the mirrors to crack. Instead, they flooded black and more copies began to emerge from them.

Theo tensed, but none of the copies headed towards him and Sam – or even Zenith. Instead, every single one rushed at the rogue.

She'd caught their attention, Theo realized with a jolt. Which meant this might be an opening. A chance to counterattack? Get away?

But before he could think about it further, the rogue spun her spear in a circle, surrounding herself with a ring of flames. The instant the copies touched the ring they flew backward, fire eating their bodies and dissolving them into smoke.

Theo's heart pounded from a sickening mix of wonder and dread. He'd never seen anyone as strong as this rogue. And all this without a wizard.

They didn't stand a chance of defeating her.

In a flash, the rogue landed in front of Zenith. Zenith rounded on her, sword raised. "Don't you dare – "

Too late. The rogue jabbed her spear – but not at Zenith. Instead, it buried into the side of the monster creeping up behind Zenith. The monster roared and thrashed, but the rogue wasn't done. She stomped on the end of the shaft, vaulting the monster up into the air, before seizing the spear and driving it in deeper.

Spraying black blood, the monster crashed to the ground. With contemptuous ease, the rogue yanked the spear out of its body.

Zenith stood frozen in place, sword still pointed at the rogue. His disbelief hummed through the air, echoing Theo's own.

"You...did you just…."

"Tch." The rogue gave her spear an idle twirl. "Don't like unfair fights. Even if you are a wizard's lapdog."

Zenith bristled. "What did you say?"

Before the rogue could respond, Ghost clapped her hands. "Change of plans! For the grand finale, I'll bury you too!"

"Just try," the rogue snarled, dropping into a stance with her spear pointed. Zenith glanced back at Theo before readying his weapon as well.

"No way," Sam breathed, ashen-faced. "She's helping us."

Theo didn't understand any of this, but he didn't have to. All he needed was to feel Zenith's Levia inside him, sharp with resolve. It didn't matter who the rogue was – if she'd help them defeat Ghost, he would accept it. Anything to win this battle as soon as possible and find his way back to Darian.

'I'm sure she's fine,' Theo told himself. 'She has Meg and Lodo, after all.' And right now, he needed to focus on the battle in front of him.

The monsters and copies had already rushed upon the two fighters. In the chaos, Theo lost track of Zenith – until a flash of mint green light announced his location. Even now, Sam was casting spells on him.

Theo had to get his shit together too. Even if all that remained of his Levia were a few fizzing sparks.

A blast of fire cleared out a large radius around the rogue. With her help, they were finally making a dent in the enemies' numbers.

But not enough. One monster burst free from the mob, charging straight toward Sam. Theo's heart stopped. He lunged for her, but couldn't get there in time –

Fire seared through the darkness, almost blinding him. Then the rogue landed in front of Sam, her spear extended and the monster lying limp behind her.

"Oh," Sam gasped, hands over her mouth. "Oh...you...."

The rogue straightened. Now she stood less than a yard from Sam, close enough for Theo to see how much shorter she was – but it didn't matter when every inch of her body radiated tautly coiled danger. He remembered what both Ryan and Meg had warned him, that this rogue had no problem with attacking wizards.

"Sam," he began, but that was when Sam spoke.

"Thanks...thanks for the save." Although her voice was shaky, she met the rogue's gaze steadily.

"Tch." The rogue jerked her shoulder.. "Didn't do it for you."

Before Sam could reply, the rogue dove back into the fight. Theo breathed out in relief, but it didn't last long before he felt Zenith's Levia spike in alarm.

A mob of copies had jumped him, pinning him down as a monster prepared to pounce. In a rush of panic, Theo cast a strengthening spell. It gave Zenith just enough power to shake off the copies and roll away from the monster's snapping jaws.

It was the most basic spell, but his legs shook and his head lurched anyway. Dammit! He didn't have much strength left, and judging by her ragged breathing, neither did Sam.

As long as Ghost kept creating copies and summoning monsters, this battle would last forever. Which meant they had to stop the thrall, didn't it? But how?

A clatter of armor made him jump. The rogue had crashed onto the ground in front of him. Snarling, she struggled to her feet, but she was clearly beginning to wear down too.

"It's no use...," she said as she scanned the arena. Then she stiffened, her attention landing on the thrall inside the mirror. "Of course. The wizard."

She tensed, preparing to jump, and an icy prickle ran down Theo's spine.

Only for Sam to rush forward and grab the rogue by the arm. Theo's heart froze.

Equally shocked, the rogue whirled toward Sam with breathtaking speed. "What the hell are you – "

"You can't kill him!" Sam cried.

"Why not? He's the source of the problem," the rogue said harshly.

"He – he's not doing this willingly. He was captured, brainwashed. It's not fair to kill him!"

"Like I give a fuck." The rogue shook Sam's grip off and spun back around, but Sam grabbed her arm again.

The way she stiffened made sick dread pool in Theo's stomach. He could tell in an instant that she wouldn't hesitate to run Sam through.

He stumbled toward them, but Sam had started speaking again. "Come on, there's gotta be another way. Maybe you can just knock him out?"

"Not gonna show any mercy to wizards." As the rogue drew her spear back, Theo opened his mouth to scream a warning.

But a bone-shaking roar swallowed his voice. A monster was charging toward them, jaws wide open.

Theo just had enough time to sense Sam's Levia surge before a circle appeared in front of the rogue. The monster crashed into it with an impact that shattered the shield into sparks, but also knocked it back a couple of yards.

The rogue stared at Sam in naked astonishment. "What was that for?"

"Gee, not even a thank you?" Sam grinned, though Theo didn't miss how her legs were trembling.

"I don't need help from wizards!"

"Watch out!" As the monster lunged again, a new circle flared in front of her.

"I told you I don't need your help!" the rogue shouted. "For fucking - get back!"

The moment the shield spell cracked, the rogue shoved Sam to the ground. Screaming her name, Theo ran to her just as the rogue slid under the monster and stabbed its belly with her flaming spear.

The monster roared and convulsed. Before it collapsed, the rogue hurled herself out from underneath it. She was splattered with its black blood but didn't seem to care.

Breathing hard, she headed back toward Sam. By now, Theo had reached Sam and grabbed her by the shoulders, helping to support her. He fixed the rogue with his fiercest glare, but she didn't stop approaching.

Nor did she spare him any attention. Instead, her gaze fell upon the panting, shivering Sam. Beneath her helm, Theo made out the firm set of her mouth.

"You're a wizard," she said, "but...looks like I owe you. Fine. I won't kill him."

With that, she leaped into the air. Not back into the fray, not toward the thralls, but at Ghost smugly perched atop a mirror.