Barely able to sleep, Veronica leaves Bellator's side and begins to wander out into the forest, unknowingly leaving a trail of her blood to follow.

Veronica finds a space to sit down, her arms around her knees as she watches the candles floating around her head, seemingly counting down the moments until her final task.

Bellator lays restless, tossing and turning violently. Every time he settles into a pleasant dream, an indescribable face, the face of pure evil appears and burns everything to the ground, killing everything in sight.

As the sun rises, Bellator awakens, dizzy.

As he regains his bearings, he remembers he fell asleep in Veronica's forest home.

Immediately after, he notices the trail of blood, which he promptly gets up and follows.

As he walks farther into the forest, he looks around and sees trees and bushes, decorated with fire-flies. It's almost tranquil if any place can be tranquil after what had just occurred.

Veronica hears the faint footsteps but is so absorbed in the enigma of her emotions that she doesn’t even bother to move.

As the trail ends, he finds Veronica sitting on a log, fallen over a creek, her feet dangling over the calmly flowing water.

“What do you want?”

Bellator says nothing, instead, he walks up and sits on the log, aside Veronica.

“He got out, didn't he?”

“No, I let him out. I was in such a hurry to die that I sent thousands of innocents ahead of me.”

“There’s nothing left for you here, you're just waiting for it to end.”

“I suppose, but there's only one way it can end.” She holds out her palm, and the lit black candle floats down onto it. “If I lose, I die a failure. If I win, I die at peace. Either way, I'll be gone.”

“What vendetta does he have against this world?”

“I honestly don't know. Maybe it's just his role in this world, just like my role is to end him.”

“I wish I knew what mine was.”

“You'll know in time. We've had millennia to figure it out.”

“I'm not sure I'll have even a week. There is nothing left.”

“No, there's nothing left of the past. Look around, if nothing were left then why are we surrounded by this forest? You have something to look forward to, I promise. It may not be perfect, or good, or even fun, but it's there.”

I suppose there are the border encampments, he may not have hit those, the cranes may still live, even through a near extinction event. Though I'm not sure they should, I don't know if I can live with them, with what happened to Magnus.

“I don't know, but I can at least help you in what ways I can.”

She removes one of the unlit candles from her head and gives it to Bellator.

“Whenever you feel lost, simply ask for guidance and Hecate's light will guide your way, even when I'm dead.”

Bellator holds it in one hand and looks at it for a moment.

“You used to hate me.” He says still looking at the candle.

“I used to find you annoying, but I never hated you.”

“What changed?”

“A talk with my goddess. She reminded me of something she told me a long time ago. "Fires kindle in the dampest places. Even when all hope of light is lost, their flames flicker into existence. Sure, that light may waver and sway, any flesh too close to it will burn, but it still can guide the blind all the same." You are that flame.”

“How? I feel like a worthless piece of shit, I pranced around being an arrogant asshole, drinking and hooking up with women, all while the world was crumbling at my feet.”

He begins sobbing, miserable in the realization of what he’s done.

Veronica's eyes turn from their normal shade to a pure black with shimmers of what appears to be purple flame around the edges.

“Do you know how the fires of our hearts are lit? No, because it would cause too much strife. They merely burn for as long as they can, until life blows them out. Your fire has faced the winds of sin, but it has never run, it still burns strong deep in your heart. That is what you must realize if this world will have a chance. Veronica is wise but shortsighted. She sees what she wishes to see, but not what she needs to see. I hope that you can be the opposite of her.”

“Amara?” Bellator asks, looking up.

“No, I am not Veronica's sister. I am the one who set your Wiccan friend on her road, and the one that will put out her light. My name is Hecate.”

“What should I do?”

“Wait until we see if Veronica is successful in removing the demon from this world or if she is killed. Then that dagger you have will handle the rest. Trust in the little bits of Wiccan blood that flow in your veins.”

“I'm the descendant of a Wiccan? I thought Magnus only learned magic, not born with it.”

“He wasn't, but away from Veronica, he spent time with an older Wiccan, a woman named Calliope. She had twins shortly before she was killed, and Magnus was forced to send them into the kingdom because of his work. One of those twins was your father.”

“I never knew, he ran away when I was an infant. Then my mother was killed in Toriaku's first onslaught.”

“You had no way of knowing, but I could sense it when Veronica first met you. I knew you would be my second chance, so I made sure that you were safe when Toriaku was released.

Your blood is so diluted that you share her power, but the demon can't sense it. Your mother gave you the perfect camouflage to hide you from the little bird's rage, while your father provided the tools to defend that fire within you.”

“How do I learn? There's still a chance the ways of the Wiccan can live on. Besides, it would serve me well, rebuilding this world. If I am to do what you say I must.”

“It will come to you naturally. Do not rush yourself when you have only just begun. Let the past die, and create a new way for this world.”

With that, Veronica's eyes return to their normal hue before rolling back as she falls backward, unconscious.

Bellator notices, but not in time to catch her. She falls in the creek, and Bellator goes in after her and pulls her onto the grass.

Nothing happens for a moment, but after a second or two she coughs and jolts up.

“Are you alright?” says, concerned.

“I think so? My head hurts, but I'm fine.”

She looks around, a little dazed.

“I haven't been here in a while. My sister and I used to practice spells here.”

“You have been here! We were just talking!”

“Huh? What are you talking about? I mean, I remember walking out here alone, but not much after that. Maybe I dozed off.”

“Maybe you hit your head on a rock when you fell off the log.”

“I suppose that's possible. I'm sorry, this must seem awfully rude.

I should go and rest before the battle.”

She starts to walk back along the trail towards her home, stopping for a moment to look for something among the tree trunks.

“What is it?” Bellator says as he jogs up behind her.

“Nothing, just look.”

She points at one of the thicker trees, where hundreds of runes have been carved into the bark.

“I remember sitting there for hours perfecting the designs.”

“You must've, there are at least a thousand!”

“Parchment was always scarce, so I had to improvise.”

“Makes sense, though it's always been abundant in the capital. Shall we head back?”

“I suppose we should. She begins to walk back home.”