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Chapter Text

-
I am holding an axe...
-

Niki couldn't sleep, couldn't close her eyes without seeing Techno's headless body. Each night a constant reminder of his death.

Taking off her covers, she got out of her bed, moving to sit on the edge. Looking at the time, she ran a hand through her hair, taking notice of how oily it was, her fingers catching a knot. Niki just let out a tired sigh. There hasn't been much time to do anything.

Between preparing for Techno's funeral and making sure Philza was still alive, she hardly had a moment to breath, much less take care of herself. Uneven nails, unkempt hair.

Niki let out a bitter laugh. This entire time though, she hasn't cried once. During the L'manburg war, there were time when she would cry herself to sleep. When Wilbur died, she mourned him for days, even after everything he did. But now, when someone who has been nothing but good to her died, not a single tear fell. It scared her.

Ranboo was holding himself together better, but honestly that was probably due to Tubbo being there for him. She almost felt envious of him, for having someone there to support him. Those feelings died soon enough though, after remembering how badly Ranboo took Techno's death.

She turned toward her desk, pushed up against a corner. On it was her Syndicate uniform, freshly ironed, her cape hanging on the chair.

-
Empty towers stand tall in snow, yet still I climb.
-

Niki was trying her best. She really was. Unfortunately she wasn't the best at sewing. She just let out an annoyed groan as her stich kept falling apart.

"How are you so bad at this?" Eret asked amused, looking up from the coat he was making.

She and Eret had volunteered to make the L'manburg uniforms, Niki underestimating how hard sewing actually is.

"How are you so good!?" She exclaimed. "What's your secret, oh great sewing wizard?"

He only laughted, almost bright enough to make her forget why they were making these uniforms in the first place.

"Technique." He answered simply. "Here, come closer. I'll show you."

Niki scooted closer, trying her best to copy Eret. Eventually, with time, she did get better. Good enough to make other uniforms.

-
Each step, like a toy upon a shelf, I am freezing.
-

Letting herself fall back, she reached out for her covers, curling into herself. Niki closed her eyes, hoping for at least a few hours of sleep before tomorrow.

Tomorrow was funeral. Tomorrow, they were finally laying Techno to rest.

It was almost comical how long it took. Out of responsibility or guilt, Philza cremated him immediately after bringing the body back. They had spent a few weeks, non-stop, trying to find a good enough poppy field to bury him in. Ranboo managed to get Foolish to make them a statue, which took 3 months to complete. As terrible as it made her seem, she was relieved to finally get this over with.

The only thing Niki felt anxious about were the guest. Tommy and Wilbur were coming too.

She already moved on from Tommy, had realized that he wasn't to blame for anything. He was just a boy forced to grow up too much too fast, forced to be a child soilder who never received the chance to enjoy his own life.

It was Wilbur who she hasn't forgotten. His very existence embodied her past, her hatred, and her own failures. But unlike like last time, Niki wasn't the foolish girl she used to be, easy to use and then forget about. This time, she was someone who wouldn't hesitate to fight back.

The moment Wilbur made a mistake, she would be the first to strike. One hit was all she needed.

-
When you rip the stuffing out of me,
-

"Wilbur, this is also my home." She said, grabbing tightly onto Wilbur's wrist. "I can fight, so why won't you let me!"

"Niki, war isn't just fighting in the front lines." Wilbur explained, shaking off Niki's grip. "You're better off here with the supplies."

"Then why are Tommy and Tubbo fighting!" Niki pointed out harshly. "They're what, 14 at best?"

"Niki, please listen-"

"I can fight. I can do better if you just give me the chance."

"Nihachu!" Wilbur screamed, shocking her into silence.

"I'm your commander, may I remind you. My decision is final." He said, an expression she was not used to seeing on his face. "You will be in charge of the supplies at the backlines."

"Goodnight Niki."

Like that, Wilbur left her alone, clenched fists at her sides, tears threatening to fall. It wasn't the first time she felt so small and pathetic, it wouldn't be the last time either.

-
And try to sew me shut,
-

Niki woke up to the ringing of her alarm clock. Today was Techno's funeral.

She let her alarm go off for a few minutes, too tired to move. By the time she finally got up to turn it off, 10 minutes had already passed. Dragging herself to the bathroom, she made sure to ignore the mirrors.

A cold shower later, she stood in front of her vanity, gathering the willpower to look up.

In front of her was a withered woman. Dirty blue eyes too old for her rather young face, a scar on her eyebrow and constant bags under her eyes. Her bright pink hair was fading too, going back to the pale blonde it used to be.

Ever since Doomsday, looking at her own reflection was a struggle. It was hard to see herself and not feel out of touch, alien underneath her own skin. Sometimes, she couldn't even recognize herself.

Niki was getting better, was finally making some progress after joining the Syndicate. Till it all came crashing down along with Techno's head.

Letting out a tired sigh, Niki started doing two buns with her hair, braids wrapped around them just like Techno taught her. Soon after, came her uniform, carefully fitted.

Taking one last look at herself, a small box caught her. It was made from simple oak, her name messily carved on the lid. Picking it up, Niki brushed her name with her finger. Inside, there was a pair of pale yellow ribbons. She hasn't worn them in a while.

Deciding to put them on, she tied them around her buns, making them into little bows at the bottom. It almost made her reflection look like her.

-
But the wound is not healing, it never will.
-

"What's this?" She asked, brushing her name carved on the lid of a box with a finger. It was rare for her to receive anything.

"It's something nice I thought you would like!" Tubbo answered, practicality bouncing in excitement.

Carefully removing the lid, inside she saw two simple ribbons, colored a pale yellow.

"When I was patrolling near the walls, I saw a traveling merchant!" He started explaining, his hands waving in the air as he told his little story.

"He had nicer things but this was the most I could buy." Tubbo confessed hesitantly, looking down in slight embarrassment.

Niki placed the lid back on. Once her hand was free, she pulled in Tubbo for a hug, ruffling his hair.

"Thank you Tubbo." Niki whispered as Tubbo hugged her back. "I'll make sure to wear them well."

She ended up wearing them till they finally got their independence. Only to store them away when Schaltt became president.

-
And the walls get stained with nicotine
-

Stepping out of her base, she flinched at how bright the sun was. It was still morning, the sun making its way up in the sky.

As she walked towards the master Nether portal, Niki did her best to avoid the remains of L'manburg. A creater where her home once stood.

Once in the Neather, she made her way to Techno's portal, almost like second nature. The entire trip was spent trying to gather the strength to hold herself back from punching Wilbur the moment she saw him. The trip to the cabin was held in a similar fashion.

Finally going through the small mountain near the cabin, Niki saw that Ranboo was already there, Tubbo with him as well. Tommy and Wilbur were missing.

"Niki, hi!" Tubbo immediately called out, waving at her as she came to stop in front of them. "You came just in time!"

"Hello to you too Tubbo." Niki greeted back with a tired smile, looking away to see Ranboo next to him. "Where's Tommy?"

"He decided not to come." Tubbo explained. "He didn't feel ready."

Niki nodded, feeling a bit of relief. She moved on but that didn't mean she wanted to deal with it.

"What's going on?" She asked, moving on from Tommy, confident that the noises coming from Philza's cabin were people arguing.

"Wilbur and Philza are at it again." Ranboo answered awkwardly, flinching as a crash  came from inside.

"Yeah, it's safe to say that Wilbur isn't coming." Tubbo joked, rubbing Ranboo's back to calm him.

"Good riddance."

"Oh my god, Niki!" Ranboo choked out. "You can't say that."

"Come on, literally nobody wants him here." Niki responded. "Especially with his track record."

"That's true, he is a bit trigger happy." Tubbo agreed, nodding his head thoughtfully with his arms crossed. "Not really the type of person you invite to a funeral."

That made Ranboo laugh a little, almost sounding like Techno.

Ever since Philza took him in, he's been standing straighter, held his head higher. The same could be said about her. It's was funny how much of Techno's mannerism they copied.

-
I miss when they were white.
-

Niki was just swinging her axe mindlessly, letting the motions calm her anxiety.

"What are you worried about?" Ranboo called out to her, sitting on the other side of the training field sharpening his sword.

"I'm not worried." Niki lied, her swings coming to a stop. "Why are you asking?"

"Techno does the same thing when he's anxious." Ranboo admitted. The field became silent for a moment.

"Now that I think about it, you act like him sometimes." Ranboo continued. "Even your fighting styles are similar."

"I'm kinda jealous."

"You, jealous of me!?" She asked, surprised by Ranboo's confession. Out of the two of them, Ranboo was more experienced, was the better fighter.

"Out of the two of us, you have the best chance surpassing Techno." Ranboo admitted, looking at his refection on his sword. "You have yet to reach your limit."

A feeling a warm feeling of pride flowed inside of her. Niki had never been the one with the most potential, never been told that she had any to begin with. Now, she was someone worth being jealous of.

"You haven't reached your limit either." She said walking to Ranboo, patting him on the shoulder. "One day we'll both surpass him."

-
When I come back to, I am lost,
-

After a few more yells from inside, Philza's cabin door opened and slammed shut. Walking down the stairs was Philza himself. While he looked more put together than he had these past few months, his eye bags were still prominent, his face pulled into a tired expression.

In his arms was a plain porcelain urn. White with dark blue rims. Inside it were Techno's ashes.

"Let's go." He said, holding tightly onto the urn.

Following after him, Nikki was the first to move, Ranboo and Tubbo following her lead. As they trekked through the snow they remained quite, a thin layer of melancholy blanketing them.

Looking up to Philza's back, Niki noticed that this was the smallest she has seen him. Not when they had to rip Techno's head from his hands, not when they cremated him in two pieces, but now, when they were going to let him go.

"After we're done, what's next?" Tubbo asked hoping to spark a conversation in their dreary funeral march.

At first nobody answered, Philza marching without looking back, Ranboo too nerveous to break the silence. After a few minutes she chose answered.

"We'll go through the will."

"He left one!?"

Philza ahead of them flinched, everybody else pretending not to have noticed. As silence starred to fill their space again, Philza spoke

"Always liked to be prepared," Philza said, still refusing to stop. "Even in death it seems."

They had found it by accident as they dusted his room, a week after he died. It was under his bed, inside a red box along with a few other papers.

Nobody had expected him to have written one. Not even Philza, who knew him the best.

They all decided to hold back on reading it, deciding to finish his funeral first. They would bury his ashes as they planned and then finally go over it.

-
Scared, because it is dark.
-

Walking towards Carl's table carrying a bundle of hay, Niki glanced at Phil who wasn't worried about Techno's disappearance.

"How long have you known Techno?" Niki asked, petting Carl as she gave him the hay. Turning to look at Phil who was feeding the fish in the pond, she waited for an answer.

"That's hard to say, mate." He said, standing up, stretching his back. "I first met him when he was about 13 decades ago."

"Why?"

"Just wondering," Niki answered. "You aren't very worried about Techno being missing."

"Nah, he does that sometimes." Phil reassured. "Always comes back after a month at most."

Philza dusted some snow from the porch stairs, sitting on the spot he just cleared out. Niki followed his lead, sitting next to him.

"You two are really close." She said, leaning back with her arms behind her for support. "When I first met Technoblade in the Ravine, he was so intimidating!"

"Yeah, most people tend to think so too." Phil laughted. "He's really just a big softy."

"You should of seen him when Wilbur and Tommy were born, nearly had a heart attack when I made him hold them!" Phil recounted excitedly, his arms moving along with his story.

"Oh, I can imagine." Niki snickered, already picturing a flustered Techno holding a baby Tommy.

"At times I think he's more human than I am." Philza admitted, looking up to the sky. "It's just takes getting to know him to see that."

Niki hummed in agreement, looking up to see crows flying above them.

-
I try to howl, gurgle instead,
-

They finally stopped, a poppy field staying in front of them. It was rather small, surrounded by trees at all sides. Yet it was the nicest one they could find, close enough the cabin to visit if they wanted.

Amongst a sea of red poppies, white stood out. It was the marble statue Foolish made for them, placed in the middle of the field, facing where the sun rose each morning.

It depicted Techno, not warrior who held the title of 'Blood God', not 'The Blade' who was just a living weapon. It was Techno, the person. It had it's hair loose, wearing a simple poet's shirt and high-waisted pants rolled to his knees with a book in his hands. Yet what was so striking about the statue was it's face.

It was exactly like Techno's, with a pair of glasses perched on his nose. The only difference was the expression. It was smiling, it's eyes squinted close. The same smile Niki had seen a handful of occasions before. Once when they were in Pogtopia, aimed at Tommy and Tubbo as he ruffled their hair. The other at her and Ranboo when they finally manged to win a duel against him.

Walking through the poppies, She ran her fingers through them, plucking out just one. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ranboo pulling out his shovel from inventory. Deciding to do the same, Niki stuck the poppy in her ear, using her now free hand to pull out her own shovel.

Stopping in front of the statue, Philza moved to the side, letting her and Ranboo pass in front of him.

Niki was the first to stab her shovel into the dirt, pulling out a chunk of poppies with it. Ranboo soon joined her, taking turns in shoveling the dirt out.

Shoveling came easily to her, having spent months digging trenches during the L'manburg war. It was almost sickening how good she was at it, giving her a bitter feeling.

-
And then I start to weep,
-

Her hands were sore, callouses forming in her palms. Stabbing her shovel in the ground, Niki wiped the sweat off her forehead. That's when she heard a loud crash.

Turning to look to where the sound came from, she saw a shovel thrown on the ground.

"Fundy, you shouldn't throw tools like that," She said, moving to face Fundy who was laying on the floor. "They could break faster."

"I don't want to do this any more." Fundy whined "I'm tired and it's not fun!"

"Come on Fundy, just a little bit more and we'll be done." Niki tried to get him back to work.

"I'm not digging!" Fundy exclaimed, crossing his arm over his chest. "Your not my dad!"

"Fundy, I can't just-"

Niki was about to snap. She was tired from digging too, had missed lunch for these damn trenches. Most of all she was sick of this, sick of war, sick of fighting. But all of that disappeared when she realized that Fundy was too.

Fundy who already lost his mother and was in the process of losing his father. Fundy who was just a little boy, much younger than she was, already trying his hardest to survive. Fundy who's entire life was war, had grown up living in it.

Letting out a tired sigh, she walked over to Fundy and laid down next to him, tucking her arms under her head to look at the sky. They laid together in silence for a while.

"If you can find me an apple I'll do your part."

Sitting up, Fundy turned to look at his surprise.

"You mean it?" Fundy asked excited. "You won't take it back?"

"Pinky promise." She answered, siting up to pull out her pink. Wrapping their pinky together, they shook on it.

"Don't worry Niki, I'll find you the biggest apple I can find!"

"I'm sure you will." She said standing up, ruffling his hair.

With that Fundy ran out of the trenches, leaving Niki behind to finish. Some time later, he came back, carrying more than just an apple with him. He had brought her a cookie as well.

-
And my tears all freeze like little pearls.
-

Philza placed the urn carefully, nestled it in the poppies they laid on the floor of the hole they dug. Throwing in a few more poppies, they finally buried it, carefully laying the dirt.

After patting the dirt flat, they stood in silence for a while, whispering their last goodbyes to the small summer breeze. Looking up, Niki noticed the clear blue sky.

It was such a perfect day. Not a single cloud in sight. Not too hot nor too cold. She almost laughted at how nice the day was. How lucky of them.

"Let's go back." Philza decided, his back already turned away from the grave. Taking one last look, she too turned away, following Philza's lead.

The trip back was quiet, nobody daring to say anything as small forest turned back to icy tundra. This time, she ended up in the back with a small feeling of dread setting in her stomach. Almost like she was forgetting something.

Walking it off, she ignored it, focusing on not tripping amongst the snow.

Philza cabin couldn't have appeared sooner, finally giving her a decent distraction from the sense of foreboding slowly crawling out of her.

Climbing up the stairs of the porch, they made their way inside the cabin, Ranboo holding and shutting the door close behind them.

Philza's cabin had always been crowded since the beginning, walls full of chest neatly organized, items on top of items in hazardous stacks. It was what made Philza's home comforting. Now it was a mess.

The low hanging lanterns had been ripped off. Niki remembers trying to stop Philza from pulling on them a week after Techno's death. She didn't succeed. Some chest were missing, broken after Philza used them to let out his frustrations. She was the one who found them thrown in the snow outside. At least it was clean.

"Here's his will." Philza said, getting her attention as he pulled out a box from his enderchest.

Opening it, he pulled the papers out, getting ready to read them. Techno's last words.

-
When I look for them again, those girls,
-

It was late at night when she heard someone crying, sniffling quietly by her side.

Opening her eyes, she turned to her left, locking eyes with Jack who had tears streaking down the side of his face.

"Why are you crying?" She asked making sure to whisper.

"Oh, did I wake you up?" Jack deflected, looking at her in surprise as he rubbed the tears off his eyes with his sleeves quickly. "It's nothing, really."

"I already heard you."

Jack looked away, turning on his back as he laid an arm over his eyes. A moment of silence passed, Jack letting out a tired sigh.

"When I die, will anyone remember me?" He asked, his voice wavering. "If tomorrow I step out into the battlefield and die, would anyone care?"

Jack was crying again.

"I don't have anyone here, even though I left everything behind for this place." He continued, whispering his fears to her in the dark.

"I'm scared Niki."

Reaching out of her thin blanket, she grabbed Jack's hand and held it tightly.

"You won't die." Niki reassured him, her own voice shaking. "We're going to survive this and we'll finally get to sleep on real beds and eat real food."

Niki felt tears pooling in the corner of her eyes. Closing her eyes shut, she squeezed Jack's hand harder.

"And I'll open up my own bakery and you'll come and visit me and-" She was crying now.

"And I'll remember you. I'll always remember you." Niki promised.

"I'll remember you too." Jack whispered, squeezing her hand too.

That night they held each other's hand, their only comfort in the dark.

- 
They have turned into wolves, I remember my axe,
-

"In the event of my untimely death, accidental, planned, or natural, whatever is dictated in my will must be followed, no matter the current circumstance." Philza began, reading the will out loud.

"I, Technoblade, have already planned for the division and distribution of my assets and properties amongst those close to me. All decisions are final."

Niki lost focus, drowning all noice. She glanced at Wilbur's portrait, burning holes into it. It was taken before L'manburg, before coming to Dream SMP.

A younger Wilbur was smiling gently with a kid Tommy laughing next to him. They seemed to be in a beach, ocean behind them as the sun started to set. It made her remember Wilbur from before the war.

"To Nikachu," Phil continued to read, breaking out of her inner monologue when she heard her name.

"I give her custody of Edd the polar bear, Carl the horse, half of my hound army, a set of fully enchanted netherite armor, a sixth of my wealth, a stack of wither skulls, one God apple, and two totems of undying." Phil listed as Niki held her breath, the feeling of dread coming back.

"Most importantly, I would like to pass on my title of Blood God as well as my personal axe if she is willing to accept them."

Niki couldn't breath. He left her an axe. His axe and his title.

"I pray that you may achive your full potential."

As Philza finished, Niki couldn't think, couldn't understand what she just heard. The numbness that had covered her, had stopped her from falling apart, was starting to go away.

"You can start taking the things Techno left for you." Said Philza, putting back the papers carefully back in the box. "In a week I'll give ya'll your inheritance once I find all of Techno's money stashes."

Niki watched as Philza gave Ranboo a sword and an axe for her. Holding it in her hands made her feel worse.

She needed to leave, couldn't breath surrounded by walls.

-
And they look me in my eyes, glimmering.
-

"I'm a big man! I don't need any help." Tommy complained, wiggling around as Niki cleaned his wound.

"Tommy, you have to be more careful next time." Niki warned, Tommy flinching as she used alcohol. "You could of gotten really hurt."

"No I wouldn't!" He denied shaking his head. "The Blade used to train me. Dream is nothing compared to him!"

"Who?"

"You know, Technoblade! Legendary fighter in all of Hypixel."

"The Blade?" She asked carefully, already amused by Tommy's new made up story.

"He's dad's friend." Tommy started to describe excitedly. "He's super strong and very tall. He even his own cool title like 'The Blood God'."

"I'm sure he does." She answered, a small smile forming. No way Tommy knew someone like that.

"You don't belive me!"

"Maybe a little bit?"

"He's real, I'm not making him up!" Tommy declared. "Just you wait, one day I'll defeat him and take his title!"

"I'll be the Blood God!" Tommy cackled as Niki finished bandaging him.

Patting him on the back, she turned to put back everything in its place, thinking about the supposed 'Blade', quietly laughing to herself.

-
So spit on me, again, I say.
-

She ran out the door, not bothering to close it. Once outside she jumped off the porch stairs, nearly tripped as she landed.

Looking at Carl, she got him out of his stable, getting on and ignoring the calls of her name.

As she rode past the mountains, she finally felt able to breath, the cold northern air blowing into her face. She didn't know where they were going as the land around them started to change, Carl running free and Niki letting him.

They were now in a Plains biome in the middle of nowhere, reaching far beyond the horizon. Finally decided to get stop, she pulled Carl's reins.

She waited a while before she got off the saddle. Petting Carl, Niki took a few shaky steps forward. Pulling out the axe, she took one good look at it.

It was made for battle, a single curved netherite blade on one side with a long and thick dark oak handle, shinning brightly with enchantments. Yet what made it Techno's axe was it's elegant design, full of little intricate carvings. Like all of his other weapons, the axe was just as beautifully made.

Niki could tell it was the same axe Ranboo gifted him, redesigned and tailored to fit in better with his aesthetics. In the part of handle where Ranboo had carved Techno's name, all wobbly and in capitals, was left untouched.

She laughted at Techno's sentimental actions, looking at her reflection on the blade.

Suddenly a droplet of water hit the blade. Looking up in confusion, Niki didn't see a single cloud in the sky, still a light blue. Looking back down, more water droplets landed on it. Slowly reaching to touch her cheek with a single hand, she finally realized what it was. She was crying.

Suddenly tears started to flow out as she tried to rub them off. Sobs formed in her throat, falling to her knees as she finally cried for the first time after Techno's death. The cold numbness disappearing completely.

Here, surrounded by tall grass and a single horse, Niki mourned the death of the first person to see potential in her, one of the few people who recognized and acknowledged her strength. She finally cried, clutching onto an axe tightly, the poppy in her hair falling to the ground.

-
I dare you, this time, 
-

Niki fell on the training floor, sore and out of breath. Turning over to her back, she let out a pained groan.

"Tired?" She heard Techno ask amused from the other side of the field.

"Just a little." She wheezed out. "A tiny bit."

She heard Techno walk to her, his shadow now covering her face. Sitting up, she looked at the diamond axe in his arm.

"What's that for?"

"It's going to be your main weapon till you get a netherite one." Techno explained, making it sound like it was common sense.

"Why?" She asked, confused as she looked at it, already gleaming with  enchantments.

"It would take too long for you to learn how to wield a sword properly."

Niki felt something inside of her start to break a little as Techno handed it to her. Clutching tightly onto the axe's handle, she hesitantly looked down.

"What about Ranboo?"

"Ranboo's experienced, used to fight in Hypixel. He just needs help correcting and refining his style." He answered, not noticing Niki's dispirited expression.

"And unlike you, he stands on the weaker side of the spectrum when it comes to physical strength."

Quickly looking up, she gasped in surprise, her disappointed being replaced with shock.

"He's weaker than me!" Niki exclaimed.

"You hit harder than you think." He said, a small smile on his lips.

"An axe is practical, easier to master, easier to use compared to a sword." Techno described, his arms moving as if he held one in his hands. "As long as you have the strength, you can oneshot your opponents right from the beginning."

Niki was mesmerized, a sudden energy busting inside of her. Looking down at the blade, she saw her reflection and hesitated.

"You have the potential."

Lifting her head, she saw Techno looking at her, his eyes holding nothing but understanding. 

"You think so?" She whispered, hope burning inside of her.

"If I say so, nobody can say otherwise."

The rest of that day was spent going over the basics and fundamentals under Techno's careful teachings. That same night, Niki felt the most accomplished she had ever been.

-
I am not afraid to bite.
-

A week had passed after Techno's funeral, Philza sending them a message by crow to finally finish  taking the things Techno left them.

By the time she leashed Carl to the stable Ranboo was already leaving. Nodding towards each other, Niki braced herself as she entered Techno's cabin.

Inside, everything seemed to have frozen in place. Everything exactly how Techno lefted it, not a single speck of dust in sight. It felt timeless. The only thing that stood out were some chest near the doorway. One of them had her name.

Turning to look at the fireplace, Philza rocked back and forth on Techno's chair, the same one they got him as a joke. It had quickly becomed his favorite.

"Philza." She called out, pulling him out of his own head.

"Your part of the inheritance is in the chest." He replied flatly, refusing to turn and look at her.

Turning to the chest, Niki nervously emptied it, placing everything without much thought in her ender chest.

As she was about to leave, her hand hesitated as she gripped the door knob. Taking one last look at Philza, Niki let out a tired sigh.

"You could stay with me if you want." She offered, leaning her head on the door, holding her breath as she waited for his response.

"I thought you hated me." Philza confessed pitifully. "You went back to calling me Philza."

Turning back, she noticed that Philza was finally looking at her. He still looked terrible.

"I don't." She answered simply. "I just miss him too."

They stood in silence for a few minutes, neither moving. The outside getting darker as the sun started to set. Philza was the first to break the stand-off, looking toward the window.

"I'll go." Philza accepted. "Just not yet."

Niki nodded, turning back to the door and leaving. Untying Carl, she got on and rode off. This time refusing to look back.

As they traveled home, she looked at the setting sky, a mixture of pinks and purples. Stretching her hand out to it, she made a fist.

"I am Nihachu Richter!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, nobody around around to bear witness to her declaration.

"The Blood God herself!"

-
They do not come back for me.
-