"That's right, eat it up. That's so good!"

Alexandra's voice was filled with empty joy and excitement. After a year of this, it was hard for it to be real anymore, but she still kept it up. Although whether it was to keep up Cynthia's morale, or her own, had completely blurred at this point.

The slime in the bowl wasn't completely lifeless, at least. But it was a far cry from what it used to be.

It couldn't hold the form of a hand, never mind reform itself into her adorable girlfriend. The most it was able to do was lift a few trembling tendrils that pawed mindlessly at the meat cubes Alexandra held above it.

It was almost as if it was licking them, before they were dropped into the slimy mass and quickly dissolved in its acidic embrace.

"You're doing it wrong."

Alexandra dropped the meat cube in her hand and quickly whirled around, a colossal sword appearing in her hand as she pointed it towards the voice that had come from behind her. She narrowed her eyes at the owner of the voice, a strange figure that stood in the shadows of the room.

"Who the hell do you think you are, and how the hell did you get in here? Actually... Don't bother answering that. You have five seconds to leave, before I rip you in half and feed you to her. Who knows, Maybe creep meat is the cure she has been waiting for."

The creep in the corner let out a soft chuckle, stepping forwards and letting the shadows retreat to reveal his appearance. Although not much was revealed.

A long black cloak was draped over his shoulders, flowing all the way down to the floor and dragging along it slightly. The ends were torn and ripped in places, most likely from catching stones on the ground, while the rest of it looked beaten and worn.

It looked like he had freshly scavenged it from a dumpster and wrapped it around himself, although it lacked the smell for that to be true.

Underneath the hood of this cloak, the creep wore a carved wooden mask, made of a wood that was grey like it had been covered in ash. It was completely featureless, with only a set of eye holes carved into it.

Above the right eye hole, that was her right and therefore his left, was a large crack in the wood. Although thanks to the shadows cast by the hood, it was impossible to see the figures skin through that crack.

All that could be seen of the man underneath, was the pair of pure black eyes with ethereal silver iris' staring her down without a shred of fear. There was only one person she had ever met with those creepy, otherworldly eyes, and he definitely was the type to wear this kind of outfit.

Yet her knowledge of who this was didn't make her lower her sword, instead it made her tighten her grip around the blade. She stood to her full height, towering over him as she growled lowly.

"What do you want?"

"Am I not allowed to visit my friend?"

He stepped forwards, casually strolling over to the table, only to stop as Alexandra's blade rose to meet his throat. The feeling over his flesh compressing under the pressure of the sword at least told her this was the real thing, not some shitty puppet.

"Why now. This is the first time you've set foot in this house for over a year. Do you really deserve to call yourself a friend?!

I wasn't expecting a reward for fighting for you... and she definitely wasn't. But not even a visit after nearly dying? Some friend you are."

He stared at her with intense eyes. She could feel the anger pouring off of them as he glared at her from the end of her blade, but she wasn't so sure that she was the target of that rage.

He pulled his gaze away, letting out a deep sigh as he stepped away. Walking around the room, he casually inspected different things that were laying about, not facing her as he spoke.

"You're right. I was an ass. I could say to you that I was busy... That I had things to do. That I had to focus on growing stronger or dealing with this or that. But you know that's bullshit. I know that's bullshit.

I didn't come because I was guilty. I saw how she looked after the battle, how you both looked and... I just couldn't face you. I gave you the house, the land, hoping that everything would turn out fine.

But it didn't. The longer things went on, the worse it got, and the more I pulled away and focused on my work. Lots of work. I tried to ignore it, to keep on going like it never happened like that would solve anything.

But it kept nagging at the back of my mind, and it tore me apart. In more ways that you can realise. I... I was an absolute asshole."

Alexandra scoffed derisively, slamming her sword into the ground and leaving it standing next to her as she finally dug into her own meal.

"Boo hoo for you, you felt guilty. But you are right, You are a complete and utter asshole Seth. One that still hasn't said why he is here."

As she spoke, he strolled over to the table once more. In the middle of the table, a feeble tendril of slime had emerged from the bowl and was feeling around for the meat cube Alexandra dropped like a confused child.

He reached out to grab it for her, but seemed to pause half way when she said his name. His fingers curled and another wave of anger emanated from his body, but quickly subsided as he picked up the meat and fed it to Cynthia.

"I am here with a purpose. I am going to set out to become stronger, to fight the ravenous beasts and horrific monsters of this world one after the other, until I can either grow no stronger... or can no fight no longer.

I thought to repay you for being such an ass, that you could join me. Not just that, but our first target would be the one of the men who made this happen. After all... one of them got away, didn't they?"

Alexandra's fist clenched, causing the stone potato she was holding to explode into hail of granite and crystaline chunks. Her eyes overflowed with rage as she slowly looked up at the intruder in her home, who had forced her to remember her weakest moment.

She opened her hand, letting a shower of dazzling, stone dust drift to the floor.

"Don't. Don't you dare bring that up to try and give me hope. I don't care about revenge, not if I can't have her back.

I have dreamed enough about pulverising that man but it won't change the fact I was too weak to stop him in the first place."

Her eyes grew distant as she remembered that man, the one they called the Weapon and who referred to himself as Cratos. He was one of the strongest people she had ever fought. No... he was easily the strongest she had ever fought to this day.

Thankfully it came at a price, every movement drained his strength more and more, tapping a finite reserve of strength he could only increase through inactivity.

'Let's see who breaks first', she had said at the time. But she had hoped the answer wouldn't turn out to be her, yet unfortunately it was.

Her diamond form had given way under his assault and under her own exhaustion, leaving her at the point where she could barely stand never mind fight. That man was left in no better state.

Their fight had drawn the attention of others, who rushed over to help when the main battle had been won by Seth's appearance. All the 'Weapon's remaining energy went to running away, fleeing from the encroaching army to save his own hide.

And all Alexandra could do was watch, as a broken woman on the ground, still desperately clutching Cynthia's core.

"Perhaps, but there are other ways of bringing her back."

Seth's words snapped her out of her dark memories, her eyes lighting up with hope and desperation as she looked up at him before her expression sank the next second. Depression and morbid reality setting in and snuffing out her joy like a candle in a storm.

"More hope... More worthless hope. I don't want any more of it. But... Let's say I believe you. How can you fix her? What's changed after all this time?"

"More than you can imagine. I'm a completely new man, so please... I insist that you don't call me Seth. Call me Scar."

"Scar? Fine... Whatever. Is this why you are here? To extort me into helping you? To hold her hostage, so I do what you want and fight your battles again?"

"No. Absolutely not. I am here to finally put things right. Whether you come with me or not, I will heal her. I swear to you. I will finally make this right, no matter what you choose.

I simply wanted to give you the offer, to become even more powerful than before. To no longer feel weak and useless.

Whatever your decision, she will be healed. All I ask is one thing. Come with me or stay, whichever you choose. All I ask is that you keep this a secret."

Alexandra frowned softly, contemplating Seth's... No, Scar's offer. But before she could come to a decision, a girl fell in through the window.

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