The door flew off the hinges and toward Andre who split the wood in two with his paper sword. Rylie sent a blast into the doorway that flew off into the distance. No one was standing there.

“What the f-“ Andre said before a woman suddenly appeared in front of him. She reached for his neck, going straight for the band around it, but was grabbed by Mark and thrown into the wall. She hit it with a thud, then disappeared out of existence.

“What a warm welcoming,” Keith’s voice came from the doorway. Mark had seen him walk in, but the others weren’t aware of his prescence until he demanded their attention. A side effect of the one-sided bonding ritual.

Andre all but growled through gritted teeth, “What do you want?”

A small laugh escape through Keith’s lips, “Ironically enough, I got some knowledge that you have an artifact you’re not suppose to have, researcher. I’m being paid handsomely to retrieve it. Getting to snap your crystal and kill two Traitors is just fringe benefits.”

The woman appeared behind Andre, grabbing for his necklace, but Mark had been keeping his head on a swivel, not having to worry about tracking Keith. He threw the glowing coin at her, turning it into a battering ram as it connected, and sending her flying. He reached out with his sense, trying to find the third one.

“That’s enough,” Andre said. “I’m done talking.”

His sword exploded in a flurry of paper that stayed hovering in the air before sending them flying in Keith’s direction. Keith stood still as the several sheets that should have pierced his body stopped and crumpled like they had hit a brick wall. A younger man shimmered into existence. A piece of the paper had cut into his shoulder, but he was otherwise unharmed.

Rylie fired off two balls of light toward Andre as the woman appeared again. They almost connected but she disappeared, sending them into the researcher. The younger man rushed at Mark, who summoned a hammer to combat him. The Blank follower had steel gauntlets with knives protruding from the top, and was deflecting the hammer blows with speed and precision.

Mark kicked out at the man, who doubled over, and started to swing the hammer down over his head. Turning it into a sword, he was ready to kill him but suddenly got kicked in the face.

“Amber,” Keith hissed, “If Jake can’t finish his mission himself, then he will be fine joining the nothingness. Do your own job.”

She glared at him, a look of suspicion cast across her eyes. She disappeared as Mark recovered, reappearing by the downed Andre. Rylie was on her in a flash, sending orb after orb her way, covering as much space as she could as Amber dodged the magic.

Andre slowly started to stir. He held out a hand and the paper littering the floor started swirling into a vortex, wreaking chaos across the room. This distracted a recovering Jake long enough for Mark to grab the guy and throw him toward it.

Paper continuously slashed across him, opening cuts as he tried to block as much as possible with his gauntlets. Cuts opened across his body before the swirling vortex came to and end, dropping him to the ground with a thud.

Amber was held up by Rylie’s onslaught, successfully avoiding the glowing orbs but being kept on the defensive. Andre was up to his legs. After the tornado of paper had disappeared, he held out a hand and grabbed some from the floor with his magic, sending them darting the wall Amber was back and forth on. He managed to pin her to it, and she struggled to break free.

Mark was on Jake, pinning him down to the ground. Even when going invisible, the guy was stuck. Amber went to disappear, but Andre sent a sheet of paper at her face, attaching it to her like a blindfold.

“You think I wouldn’t figure out you need line of sight to teleport?” he asked with a smirk.

“Keith, why have you just been standing around? Help us kill this Knowledge scum.” She screeched across the room.

Keith casually strolled toward the wall where she was pinned. Andre went to fire paper at the bald man, but a blast of Rylie’s powers burned the paper mid-flight. She shook her head at him.

Keith reached his partner and laid his hand on her head.

“It’s funny how simple some things can be,” he said to the room. “It’s time for you to join the nothing.”

She screamed as a bright light burst forth between his palm and her head. She went slack. He then walked toward Jake who was screaming and struggling, calling him every curse he could think of. The bright light flashed, and Jake slumped under Mark’s weight.

“Are they,” Rylie began, “disconnected from Blank?”

“No,” Keith said. “They are now vessels that can be build and used freely without their old personalities getting in the way. Unshaped clay that can now be used however we see fit. I chose them specifically for this mission because of it.”

“Nothing has ever made me more glad to be Knowledge,” Andre said.

Keith snapped his head toward the man, “Your Knowledge makes you weak. You are the only collective that can be fully disconnected from your Patron. Well, until recently.”

“What do you mean?” Mark asked in a gruff voice.

“You changed the game. You asked your Patron to release you and he did. Fully connected and all. Like you were some newcomer. And then what happened to that Modify girl. Your people found a solution.” Keith said.

“Once again, for someone who hates Knowledge, you sure do know a lot.” Mark responded.

Keith grimaced, “Don’t worry. No one is more disgusted that I am. Knowledge is a disease. Everyone thinks they are entitled to it. Everyone thinks what they know is more important than they next person’s experiences. And it has made humanity weak.”

“And being some creepy loner is better?” Rylie asked.

“Insult aside, yes. The only person you can ever truly trust is yourself. I’ve always hated being around people. When I first found true isolation, it was absolute bliss. I didn’t feel that bliss again until I was chosen. It took almost no persuading to get me to commit fully, and Blank did what he could to make sure I was reward for such blind faith.”

Keith walked behind a bookshelf. Dramatic as it had to be for the other two when he disappeared from existence, to Mark it was hilarious. Keith kept pacing, but double checked to make sure he wasn’t entering their line of sight. He looked back at Mark who was watching him with an amused grin.

“Ah, right.” Keith said. “I got caught up in memories, I forgot you could see me. No more full isolation for me anymore when you’re around.”

Mark shrugged, “It is what it is. So, why are you here. Obviously you aren’t leaving with Strategy’s artifact.

“Yeah, that’s pretty obvious. I’m not going to kill the researcher either, so he can stand down. I have information for you.”

“And attacking us was the best way to do it?” Rylie said.

“Like I said,” Keith responded, “I needed a reason to Blank these two.”

Amber began stirring, then fully woke up, still pinned to the wall. She didn’t struggle against the paper holding her in place, but she looked curious.

“Amber,” Keith said. “Once the researcher lets you down, take Jake and teleport back to your base. Tell them I will follow soon.” He came back into view for the others and nodded to Andre.

Andre was hesitant, but he waved his hand and the paper fell away to the floor, letting Amber drop down to her feet. She walked up to a still prone Jake, touched his shoulder, and the two disappeared.

Andre began using his magic to clean his house, straightening out the bookshelves and sending the paper back into a pile on his desk. Keith leaned against the wall Amber had been pinned to.

“Researcher,” he said.

“Andre.”

Keith nodded, “Andre. You need to take your crystal and stash it until this is all over. Keep doing everything else you do. But you being around Mark puts a target on your back.”

“And my Knowledge is in danger?” Andre asked.

“Your crystal is always in danger. Stupidest artifact. Basically allows anyone and everyone to Blank you if they want.”

Rylie interjected, “So you came here to warn Andre?”

Keith rubbed his head, “No. Honestly, I don’t give a shit what happens to him. He’s just another Knowledge piece of scum as far as I can tell. But, I knew you guys were coming here and I was tasked with finding Strategy’s artifact. Thatcher was tasked with getting Longing’s.”

“Why do you need four all of a sudden?” Mark asked.

Keith shook his head, “We don’t. The boss just figured we couldn’t both fail. So, I wanted to warn you. It’s the last piece needed before the ritual can begin minus one who has spoken to a Patron.”

Rylie looked at Mark, who shrugged. “And then what, they plan to kindly ask me to come with them?”

“They’ll do what they have to, as I’m sure you are aware. If I were you, I would figure out where the Longing artifact is instead of asking me all of these questions.”

“One more,” Andre said. “Why are you even helping them?”

Keith had been moving for the doorway, but stopped. Mark could feel Rylie’s magic reaching out to the bald man, who shook his head and left. He turned to his partner, “Well?”

“Aw man. That’s so sad.” Rylie said.

“What is?” Andre asked.

“Since becoming Blank, Keith has always felt guilty about what they do to people. He just wanted isolation. So, he usually wipes other members to keep his Patron happy.”

“So, whoever is giving him orders must be blackmailing him.” Andre said.

“Yeah, that’s what it seemed like.” Rylie whispered.

“Any clue on who that is?” Mark asked to Rylie who shook her head, “Alright then. Andre, what do you know about Longing’s artifact?”

“Um,” he responded. “What it is and who has it is easy. It never strays from the city since it’s always on Jeanette. She’s the local Longing leader. It is a bracelet.”

“Alright, so where is she?” Rylie asked.

“That’s where it isn’t easy. They move a lot. Change hide outs constantly. Unless you had a member helping you out, there’s almost no way to track them unless you go all covert ops.” Andre said.

“Well, then, I guess it’s a good thing that we do have someone to help. Andre, thank you for all of your help. Rylie, we need to go visit Lane.”