Phenac City

-A slip of paper floats through the air around the city. Finally, it lands at the feet of a white-haired individual.-

Abel: Hmm...?

-Normally, he might not make any note of it. However , this paper has the odd distinction of having his name on it. He picks it up curiously...-

~blip~

Brecht: You're needed.

~blip~

???

-As Abel is deposited into an unfamiliar forest, he looks around-

Abel: May I ask what all this is about?

???: Does the name "Lucius Cain" mean anything to you?

-A figure with a cloak, a staff with wrenchlike ends, and a mask that is distinctly less broken than its owner might have claimed it was, steps out of the shadows. Abel observes the figure curiously, his expression not faltering.-

Abel: The name is familiar, yes. He was the one who was killed in that rather tragic video that's been circulating, correct?

-Elda scowls-

Elda: I'm sure you know plenty more than that about the incident. Spill.

-Elda holds the staff toward Abel, who gently pushes it away.-

Abel: Now, there's no need for that, I don't think. We don't want to perpetuate the cycle of revenge, do we?

-Unfortunately for Abel, this has the opposite of the intended effect; instead of calming down, Elda slams him against a tree, with the end of the staff around his neck.-

Elda: I don't care if there's a cycle. There's nobody who cares about you enough to avenge you, is there?

-Abel's eyes widen as terror washes over him. He sputters slightly in an attempt to form words, but cannot before Elda kicks him in the stomach.-

Elda: At first, I thought you'd be nothing more than a petty criminal. Now, I can see you're so much worse. You're charismatic. You're manipulative. You're the most disgusting excuse for a Heart of Gold that I've ever met. It doesn't take much to figure out that you're responsible for Lucius's death, simply because you don't care.

-Abel makes a choked sound as the staff begins to drain his Aura-

Elda: I will make you care. I will make you regret what you've done. I will make you feel every inch of your pathetic life slip slowly away, so you know exactly what it's like to suffer to your death. I will make you know revenge.

-As Abel slowly slips out of consciousness, Brecht appears again.-

Brecht: <Are you certain this is really the right thing to do?>

-Elda stays still for a moment, before shakily pulling the staff away. Abel falls to the ground, struggling to return to a grin.-

Elda: ...I… don't… I…

Abel: S-so you… do have doubts after all… what a shame…

-He blacks out.-

Brecht: <Well, it's too late now. He's gone, and he even got the last word in.>

Elda: ...I… left a little bit of his Aura… he'll recover…

Brecht: <I'm afraid not. "A little bit" isn't enough. At this point, he needs an Aura transfer, which nobody is here to give. Now, there's nothing to do but to either let him metaphorically bleed out, or to finish the job.>

-Elda looks at Brecht, then Abel.-

Elda: ...Fuck… I'm such a fucking idiot…

Brecht: <I hate to say it, but it's your problem now.>

-Elda looks at her staff, before sighing bitterly and approaching Abel.-

Elda: Damn you. Damn you most of all for bringing out a part of me I had hoped to never see again in my lifetime.

-She jabs the staff into Abel's neck, then drains the last of his Aura. Afterward, she breaks the staff in two, before turning to Brecht.-

Elda: ...Why didn't you stop me before I started?

Brecht: <To be frank, I have never particularly cared. You're my trainer, so I'll take you wherever you want, but I'm not responsible for whatever trouble you get into. Like I said, it's your problem.>

Elda: ...A problem too late to fix…

-She sighs, takes off the mask, and breaks it as well.-

Elda Sarah: Take me to Goldenrod. I have someone I need to talk to.

~blip~