Aegis went after the Lord of Thorns. A piercing strike aimed at the shoulder, a simple deflection by the Lord of Thorn's right hand. It was enough to push it aside, following it up with a headbutt. Then swinging the blade to cut through Aegis's right arm off.

"How dare you! You do know that you can't kill me with that damn blade!"

"I don't know, but every time I look at you. I just get this urge to just keep cutting you open."

"Joshua Gates!" The Lord of Thorns cut Aegis's other arm, which prompted her body to reattach her limbs back.

"I said Joshua Gates! You must obey me! I will control your mind!" Aegis kept on shouting at him, but there was no effect. The Lord of Thorns vanished from Aegis's senses.

"How!? How can a mere mortal escape my senses?! In my domain no less!" A blade pierced through Aegis's chest. A pained groan, a kick to the wall. Where Aegis watched the glass wall shatter.

"I don't even know who you are." The Lord of Thorns spoke as he appeared behind Aegis, grabbing her by the head and smashing it to the wall repeatedly.

"Why am I angry at you? Why am I angry at you?" The Lord of Thorns repeated while Aegis struggled to speak. Face slowly swelling up when The Lord of Thorns stopped in his act, he then decapitated Aegis. Kicking the head aside. She began to regenerate her body parts again.

"Joshua Gates!"

"Who's that?" A blunt answer from the Lord of Thorns that went after Aegis, driving the blade to pierce through the head. Then wriggling his wrist to snap the neck. Kicking the body back, leaving the head and spine intact. Aegis continued to scream.

"I'll make you pay for this humiliation!" The glass environment shattered, then went to pierce the Lord of Thorns. Standing still, the glass stopped within an inch of reaching the Lord of Thorns.

"Dragons! Forget the invasion! Return here! This human is far too dangerous to be left alive!" The dragons came from everywhere. Above, below, left, right and behind. They unleashed their elements at the Lord of Thorns who stood still. Unscathed from the attacks. The dragons returned back to Aegis's side.

"Kill him!" Clawing and biting the Lord of Thorns who did not seem bothered by it. The glare within the Lord of Thorns' eyes was enough to cause a few dragons to have their heads explode upon making eye contact. A glance to Aegis, it was enough to cause the head to explode. Aegis regenerated again.

"Don't you care about what happens to your people!? Or even your allies!? I can de-" Aegis's jaw was sent flying, seeing the Lord of Thorns sheathing his blade.

"I missed. I was hoping that would have cut your head off cleanly. I need to brush up my skills." The Lord of Thorns chuckled, then going after the dragon. The look in the eyes was different. When Aegis faced Joshua, the eyes were tired but this particular expression? It was something akin to that of a beast enjoying his meal. A smile at every kill. Ripping off a dragon's head from its body with minimal effort. This was something different entirely.

The atmosphere, the way he fought. This was no amateur. It was like a beast that had awaken from its slumbering dream, the dragons were fighting with desperation. Yet they were backing away from the Lord of Thorns.

Aegis roared at the Lord of Thorns, trying to break through the facade. To instill fear into him, forcing him to relive many things. Yet the Lord of Thorns did not seem fazed. Nor did he seemed bothered by anything that was done. Watching the memories of a teenager who ascended to a Lord of Thorns. Yet the Lord of Thorns could not recognize anything. The sights, the sounds and the screams of everything that he had seen. Even the face, though it was the same. The Lord of Thorns did not recognize this person named Joshua Gates.

The black blade began to glow, forming into a white blade instead. Dispelling the illusion that was present, where he could see Aegis's true form. A woman whose hair had snakes moving around. A legendary Gorgon that began to hiss at the Lord of Thorns. Attempting to break the Lord of Thorn's stride.

Hissing and attempting to petrify the Lord of Thorns.

"Now you will turn to stone!" Lord of Thorns kept walking as his body slowly turned to stone, a simple flick of his wrist and all of the effects of the petrification rolled off. Then putting on a pair of fingerless gloves.

"Awaken. My Garden." The entire floor started to turn into a beautiful garden of white roses that began to appear all around them.

"How!? How did you know about this power!? How did you unlock it! Only those who have completed the trials can do so!" The Lord of Thorns let go of Grieving Thorns as a broadsword appeared behind him, grabbing it as he slashed the Gorgon in half. The regeneration kicked in as the broadsword vanished. The gloves turned into gauntlets with razor sharp claws.

Clawing Aegis's eyes, pushing the Gorgon back.

"Then I'll send you to hell!" Lumps of bloody masses made their appearance, skeletons began to appear. Combining together to form a large mass that began to spit out blood and ate the Lord of Thorns whole. Aegis laughed, believing that the Lord of Thorns was vanquished.

"Were it so easy." The voice came from within the mass of black and ivory, exploding to reveal the Lord of Thorns who was still unfazed. More bizarre creatures took their place. Attempting to strike at the Lord of Thorns.

This was far different. A level of confidence that lacked the desperation or any form of weakness. It was something different entirely. Like this particular Lord of Thorns had changed to a different person. The creatures began their attacks, one by one they were taken down. Be it by guns or by blade. Magic was not even used, it was as if the Lord of Thorns was toying with them.

Raising his left hand as the Grieving Thorn reached his side. The Coat of Crimson appeared once more on the Lord of Thorns, along with his mask. The floral patterns of white began to emerge, completely the changing the mask's base colour of black into white. Standing still as the Familiars and Servants returned to the Lord of Thorns side.

"Lord!" Iacus called, not to hear an answer. Seeing the Lord of Thorns stand still like a statue.

"Damn! We'll have to deal with it! Iacus, check what's wrong!" Donovan cursed as he pushed one of the odd creatures back.

Meanwhile, Joshua was sitting in a chair amidst the garden. A table for two, where he turned to see the 13th Lord of Thorns making his appearance.

"Joshua Gates?"

"Yes. That's me. So you're the 13th Lord of Thorns. It's a bit odd meeting myself like this."

"You do understand what your choice has done don't you? You're going to cease existing. As a person and your whole identity... It's gone."

"I know, but it was my only option. Besides, you're giving me a greater show than ever. I was the weaker one among us. So it's fair if I go. There can only be one dominant personality. You can't have me interrupting you now can I?" Joshua said with a smile.

"I'm the innocent one who turned dangerous. It made sense to why I should go. A merciful Lord of Thorns won't work well."

"But you're kindness is what gave me life. To be the stronger one, to bear everything that you could not handle. That was what I was supposed to be."

"And you are. It's just. I... I don't think I can go on. And having my identity gone. Means you get to start over. Do the things I wanted to do, enjoy life. Do whatever you want. Experience what it means to be normal for me."Joshua said, pouring a cup of tea for the 13th Lord of Thorns.

"I am you and you are me. You're the part of me that I needed in this fight, but I know that it means that Mulligan will be nothing but a memory for me. A memory that can never be unsealed and you won't remember anything or even have a name. So how about I give you a name?"

"A name?" The 13th Lord asked, raising his eyebrows.

"To live a normal life, you can't just be going around calling yourself the 13th Lord of Thorns. How about Silas?"

"I'd prefer Sylvanus. It's original name, sounds a bit more fitting but perhaps I'll call myself Silas in your stead." Joshua chuckled as they both sipped their cup of tea.

"You knew I existed?"The 13th Lord's question was to confirm something.

"You've always been there. I'm the Joshua that died and slowly became you. I died the day I lost my family and at least. In a way, I get to rest. Maybe I'll be able to reunite with them after this. The innocence, the naivety and the feeling of being lost. You're not like me. You see the world in gray, you understand that naivety gets you killed and you're not lost. You're a Lord of Thorns." Joshua smiled.

"I just do." the 13th Lord of Thorns smiled as he stood up. Hugging Joshua.

"I'll miss you. Even though this is the first time that we talked."

"I'm still apart of you. The kindness that you have. You're still kind but you're better at being merciless. After all, you were the one that took the brunt of all the emotional trauma in my stead. You were the part of me that wears the mask. I've been feeling empty for a long time and I'm sorry for putting this burden on you, Silas." Joshua spoke, patting Sila's back.

"It's fine. You go rest, Joshua. I'll handle things from here. But what about my familiars?"

"When this is over, give them this. It's a rose of goodbye. The black rose that signifies new hope. I hope that they'll forgive me and continue serving you to the best of their abilities." Joshua passed the black rose to Silas's hands, where Joshua turned into glass. Shattering before Silas's eyes. Silas opened his eyes, watching the Familiars fight.

"Lord!" They see Silas standing still, placing his hands over his chest. Taking a moment to think about Joshua Gates who has passed, where Silas then drew his blade. Cleaving the entire horde of bizarre creatures with a single strike. The abominations fell, only leaving the Aegis behind. A metal bat appeared by his hand where Grieving Thorn vanished.

The Gorgon was unable to move as the 13th Lord of Thorns made his walk over to Aegis.

"What are you doing?"

"This is for Joshua Gates." Silas swung the bat until the Gorgon's face was flatter than a pancake. Waiting for it to regenerate and he continued doing so. Beating the Gorgon again. The Familiars that watched were horrified at the smile that Silas had, it was unfamiliar.

"Sheesh. You're brutal. Wait a sec." Kael's voice broke through the silence.

"You're not Joshua are you?" Kael's question was met with surprise by the ones who were present.

"Joshua Gates... He... He chose to rest and gave it to me instead. I'm.."

"His dominant personality that took on the brunt of it. Your existence was there but Joshua Gates was still strong over you but with everything, it seemed that he understood what it meant to cease his experience." Ashen Phoenix appeared, speaking to Silas.

"Joshua Gates was the personality of the innocent person who slowly lost everything. Grieving in silence and despair. The mask was a conduit for him to fuel it and at the end of it, the two must fight over who keeps the body. However it seems that Joshua Gates has decided to leave in favour of you. So what will you do, oh 13th Lord of Thorns?" Ashen Phoenix explained to them clearly.

"Payback for Joshua with interest. I'm going to be staying here for a while." Silas looked at Aegis, then continued to beat the Aegis again.

"Also, Joshua gave me this." Silas held the black rose that appeared in the hands of his Familiars. Aegis was crawling away, only to have her leg pulled back to in front of Silas. Breaking her legs, then pulling out a knife. Cutting the snakes out of the Gorgon's head. Her screams were not heard as the Familiars who held the roses, even Fitz and Kael were able to receive it.

It was Joshua's goodbye to them, a final parting gift. Silas was going to make Aegis pay and as he said with interest. He was going to let Aegis keep regenerating over and over again.

"Just kill me! I'd rather die than suffer this misery!" Aegis pleaded, where Silas was scratching his head. Smirking at Aegis.

"I said payback was going to be with interest. You still haven't taken the debt yet and I am only getting started, my dear Gorgon. Killing you is already a chore. So yeah." Silas said as he continued the beating. Subjecting Aegis to every kind of torture imaginable, tearing off her arm and then beating her until she regenerated another arm.

"Lord." Iacus called, kneeling before Silas where the other Familiars did the same.

"We will serve you, and thank you... For not opposing the Lord's rest."

"It's better this way, according to him. He's lost. Even if he looks like he has direction. Some things just don't change and at least this way. He'll be alright." Silas left a remark, while he was beating Aegis with her other heads. Then strangling her, then cutting her open. Skinning her alive while beating her again.

Silas followed his word, continuing to beat Aegis for a couple more months. At the very least, the Malevolent God's attempt at destroying the world was stopped but, the sacrifice? Even for Silas the sacrifice was far too great. Losing Joshua Gates in the process was just something else. A huge part of what made Joshua Gates who he was had vanished. The Grieving Thorn had sealed his memories within it. It was going to be Joshua Gate's weapon when Silas is done with it.

This body was not his to begin with but, perhaps the sin of bearing Joshua's body in his stead. As the 13th Lord of Thorns. Was that a bad thing? Or was it just a curse? Everything about Joshua Gates was no longer here. Silas made sure that when he dragged Aegis back to Etana for the Supreme God's judgement, he was going to visit Mulligan. The Mulligan that was damaged had remained but everything else was different.

The act of letting go, perhaps that was the toughest thing one could do. Joshua Gates, a young man who had so much potential. Seemed to have decided that he should rest. Yet, Silas could not help but smile at the thought.

The next day came, as the world had calmed down. Spataro had not gone forgotten, the world knew what they had done but they don't know who started the movement. Maya Lee decided that having it be the Venerator Union of Aloris would be better, for the name Joshua Gates was remembered by the Servants and the Familiars. Silas walked through the streets, seeing the Familiars, Sovereigns and the Seraphs helping with repairs all over the world. Even the ones in the Spires that Joshua had tamed were present. The Frames and Vanguard Units were helpful in all the clean up and rebuilding of the damage. Some civilian casualties had occurred but it was not Joshua's fault.

It was just something that Silas has to bear, for who knows how long. The God's had given Silas an opportunity. To begin anew elsewhere but he will have his connections to this world. A choice which Silas had already accepted, because beginning anew elsewhere would be fine. Bringing a bouquet of black roses, Silas strolled along the streets. Enjoying the nice wind that was serene, seeing the bustling crowd in Mulligan was a sight to behold.

A sight that perhaps Joshua had never seen because of what it would remind him. Silas continued to move along, searching for the house that belonged to the Gates family. The housing lots that were destroyed had been turned into a graveyard. Not the kind that brings fear, but the kind that brings remorse. Silas made his way to the plot allocated to the Gates family. Where he could see another tombstone that had yet to be etched. Using fire magic to carve a name.

'Gone but not forgotten. The young man whose kindness changed the world.' Silas wrote. If he tried to write Joshua Gates, it would vanish. At the very least, this was all that Silas could do. The spires in the world have changed, their danger levels were not as bad as before. Now it kicks out the ones who are not Venerators. Only Venerators or would be Venerators would be present inside.

Now, there was a leveling system for all of the Venerators. Giving them a chance to gain more levels and change their classes as they would go along. The Servant of Thorns would never forget Joshua, even the Death Dancer herself would not forget. Klaudia became the new head of Midnight Wind, Joshua's former guild. Now everything was all set. Silas already told them that he'd be leaving, and that he will be heading elsewhere. Another world, something different and maybe something better.