– S C O R P I O N –

Their was a buoyancy in my step as I descended the main stairs of my keep. Something that was not often witnessed in the Underworld.

The large double doors swept open by two heavily armoured guards and I strode towards my second in command with a wry smirk. He froze when he saw me, those steel eyes seeing far too much as always.

"Scorpion." He dropped a fist to his chest in respect.

I nodded in return. "You have a matter at hand?"

"Indeed." He paused, as if weighing his words against my current mood. "You seem...", words failed him momentarily.

I crossed my arms and lent against one of the large stone pillars instead of taking my place on the throne. The move didn't escape his notice either.

"Lighter." He finished quietly.

I shrugged and averted my gaze. His scrutiny was not something I wanted to entertain. Not after everything this week...

He cleared his throat. "We believe the Silver Sun will be staging an attack under rebel colours soon. They will be using the combined firepower obtained by the emperor and further weaponry from facilities around the city like the warehouses." He stated without further delay. "Scouts suggest we have less than a week, possibly days."

My head snapped up and I stared intently back at my second. Not an inch of him flinched or held an inch of doubt. My fears were confirmed tenfold. The Emperor was conspiring with an enemy of the Underworld to save face whilst also ridding itself of us. What's worse, we were out of time.

It was so hideously Sector 1-esque.

My mood had quite literally evaporated into thin air. If anything breakable was in sight--I didn't even finish the thought as I flicked a hand inside my cloak and launched a throwing knife at the space above my throne.

"That sack of wine." I growled. "That cowardly, useless son of a bitch!" I snarled towards Proximo. He remained wordless as he let me rage. "Of course he cannot sully his own name in a fight, so he must use the witless rebel faction to gain any traction in a fight." I snapped and threw a gloved fist into the stone pillar.

Thankfully my gloves' interior were lined with titanium alloy and the force easily threw a chunk of stone off the impact.

Proximo then acted. He stood before me and dropped his hooded head to my level. "Then we too must not play fair in this fight." I flicked my own eyes up to his to see a familiar darkness cloud them. "You still hold his daughter, Scorpion. Perhaps it's finally time we use that to our advantage."

My blood froze at his words. I debated shattering his jaw like the stone. But such action was not what the Underworld's queen would do. The Underworld's queen would agree with her second and use every advantage she had. Cruelness and darkness were the partners in which she--I won fights such as these.

I stayed silent for moments more trying to contain my raging emotions. Betraying Makayla was out of the question entirely. But maintaining this relationship with her... giving her--a Sector 1 born, an emperor's daughter such favourable treatment would just end up getting one of us killed.

"I know what she means to you." He murmured to me quietly. My head once again snapped up to him but for once, it was fear in my eyes when I faced him. "But I say this to you for your own good, Scorpion. You are both on borrowed time and it will not be long before the debt is collected. If you truly care for her, you will not be the reason for her demise and you will not keep her in our world—she does not belong in our world—you knew this from the beginning." He whispered the last part so quietly I thought I had imagined it.

But I had never imagined I would hear it from him. My most trusted advisor and friend.

"You talk of using her and then you talk of keeping her safe. Which is it?" I said with lethal quiet as I glared up at him.

"They are one and the same." He said softly. "There is more than one method to ensure she stays safe and ensures that she does not return here."

Something twisted painfully inside me because I think I knew exactly what he was suggesting. And it would hurt her badly. As for me... well I'm not sure there would be much left of me emotionally.

I didn't feel much else apart from emptiness now. Because the worst truth of all was that he was right. That this had been something I knew from the start, it had only taken me this long to face the facts because I was lying to myself to buy more time. To stay in a world where Makayla and I lived a life together. But who the hell were either of us kidding. This wasn't how the fates went.

Darkness and light do not coexist, they contrast. They stand apart and hold balance because they are not together.

I sighed deeply and dragged a hand through my hair. For once it roamed in dark brown tangles down my cloaked back. Proximo almost looked pained at my resignation.

"I can take care of this." He offered.

I shook my head with a sad smile. "Who would I be if I couldn't do this for myself."

He gave me a small smile. "Not the leader I chose to follow." He agreed.

"Have a fusion craft ready on the roof. I won't be long." I said in an empty voice.

He nodded slowly, then pressed a fist to his chest once more. "You are truly one of the strongest people I have witnessed, Scorpion. I am always honoured that it is you I serve." He told me seriously.

I couldn't even respond. Because the task at hand was all that filled my mind now.

I had to shatter all ties to Makayla, and both of our lives in the process. There would be nothing left to give this city after that. Maybe my own life would suffice.