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Bloodlust coursed through the wolf hybrid’s veins as he raced toward the enemy with his sword drawn. A hulking shadow loomed behind him, the blade of an enormous axe glinting in the sun. The two of them shared a grin.
Wham! Echo threw up his shield just in time to block Jin’s axe from skewering him like a kebab. Chris flew past them and launched into battle with their soulmate. Jin grimaced, fresh blood trickling from a cut under his cheek. He gripped the axe with both hands and yanked, thrusting Echo’s shield to the side. Echo closed the distance between them and struck Jin with his sword.
But not before CJ shot an arrow through his exposed chest. Echo gasped as pain erupted from the wound. CJ glared at him from across the field, her bow still raised. Echo snarled.
Flames leapt from the blade as her sword sliced through Jin’s shoulder. The vampire winced and stepped back to douse the fire. Out of the corner of her eye, Echo noticed CJ trying to break away from Chris. She held her shield up, blocking blow after blow and eating as often as she could.
Jin straightened, a smirk creeping onto their face. They hefted their axe with renewed strength. “You’re going to pay for what you did to my soulmate.”
“I’m going to win,” Echo replied. “In case you haven’t noticed.”
“Oh, I disagree.” Jin’s crimson side cape fluttered in the wind like a muleta. Echo’s gaze snapped to it.
Jin lunged, cutting upward with his axe. Another arrow whizzed past and Echo barely managed to duck out of the way. The vampire took advantage of their distraction and swung. Echo bit back a howl when the axe cleaved deep into their arm. Chris screamed.
“What, can’t handle a little bite?” Jin’s red eyes flashed.
Echo risked a glance at their soulmate. Chris had disengaged from CJ and was biting into a golden apple. Relief washed over them as their wounds healed. They ducked to avoid another blow from Jin and slashed at the vampire’s exposed back.
Clang! The sword connected with the edge of Jin’s axe. Echo’s ears drew back in shock. How did he—
Jin spun around, forcing Echo to back away. She stumbled, struggling to block as the vampire advanced with swing after swing. Each hit broke a new hole through her shield. Echo’s heart raced with panic as she tried to find a weak point in the vampire’s defenses.
Suddenly Jin froze and his eyes widened. A phantom cut tore through his abdomen. “CJ—”
Echo plunged Fenrir’s Blessing through their chest without hesitation. Jin stumbled, clutching their stomach.
“Jin!” CJ shrieked, reaching out for her soulmate. Chris stood over her, his axe raised high.
Jin’s head whipped around. “CJ, RU—”
Thunk.
Echo held Jin’s gaze as the light faded from his eyes. Then they tugged their sword free and let the body fall to the ground.
Lightning burst through the sky above with a thundering crack. Seconds later another followed. CJ lay still, her arm still outstretched toward Jin.
Echo leaned on his sword, hands slipping along the bloodstained hilt. For a moment the world became very small. The wolf hybrid closed his eyes, drinking in the smell of death like perfume.
Finally.
Rejuvenation electrified his body as the thrill of the kill set in. The red monster inside him preened at his success. After countless battles, this victory felt the most fulfilling. Echo stared at Jin’s body as blood dripped from his sword onto the grass.
Jin and CJ had always been a thorn in her side. She should be glad they were dead, that she had finally earned peace from all the bloodshed. Yet hatred still clung to her like a shadow. Warren and Emo had trusted these two over Echo. They’d chosen the enemy over their Day One allies.
Echo shook their head and turned away. Gradually their strength returned as nourishment re-energized their aching muscles. Chris waved at them from across the field, finishing a bite of steak.
“Nice one, Chris,” Echo called.
Chris smiled. He kept a steady hold on his axe and stepped over CJ’s body. “Well, you know what happens now.”
“Hang on Chris, wait.” Echo’s tail twitched nervously. “It’s over, we won.”
Her soulmate strode up to her, still grinning. Echo’s grip tightened on the pommel of her sword. “Chris—”
Chris twisted his arm back and swung. Echo yelped and scrambled backward. “ Chris! ”
The second time she dodged too slow. Echo cried out as their soulmate’s axe sliced through their skin, drawing fresh blood. They fumbled for their shield.
Clang!
Echo deflected clumsily with her sword. Chris attacked with precision, each strike hitting with more force than the last. Echo’s mind raced as she danced around her soulmate. One misstep and she could lose a limb.
“Fight back,” Chris snarled.
Echo swung. He gritted his teeth as he felt the sword pierce his soulmate’s flesh. Blood soaked through his jacket.
In an instant Chris’s axe was barreling down toward her. Oh shit.
Shing! The blade plunged through the space where Echo had stood moments before. They lunged and aimed high.
Thunk.
Chris grinned at them from behind his shield. “Now that’s more like it.”
Echo’s chest heaved with frantic breaths. Chris had a crazed look in his eye, blood painted on him like a mosaic. Echo was pretty sure she looked the same.
Winner, singular. There’s only one. Chris’s words echoed in their mind. Echo wanted to scream.
The shield disappeared and Echo fumbled with his sword. He looked up and raised the blade just in time to block Chris from shattering his skull. His sword met Chris’s axe with a shuddering clang . Echo heard the screech of metal as the blade slipped.
“Chris, we’re soulmates!” Echo cried. Did he not care that each strike against them brought harm to him as well?
Chris frowned and pressed down harder. Echo grunted and dropped to one knee, struggling under the weight. His arms shook, muscles aching from the cuts layered all over his body. The blade inched closer.
Fear sparked Echo like a cannon. He ducked and rolled, scrambling to his feet with his tail held out frantically for balance. Chris huffed and strode after him.
She wrenched out her crossbow and bolted for Spawn. Panic took hold, and she found herself sprinting as fast as her legs would take her. Echo twisted and fired over her shoulder back at Chris.
Thunk, thunk. The bolts slammed harmlessly into the wood of Chris’s shield. He was advancing fast, long strides swiftly closing the distance between them.
Echo’s body quivered as their instincts screamed at them to run. They forced themself to pause and face Chris. Memories of a smiling face with almond-colored eyes and raccoon features flashed in their mind. They hefted their sword.
Home, he thought. Focus on home .
“You know Chris, we could just not do this,” Echo offered him a toothy grin.
Chris stopped a few feet in front of them, axe swinging restlessly at his side. “This has been fun and all, but I’d like to go home now.” His voice was like sandpaper, grating and raw. Echo didn’t miss the way his tone remained level, detached. He could see the glazed look in his soulmate’s eye.
“We can go home,” Echo pleaded. She hesitated for the barest moment, holding onto the hope that Chris would call it off. That he would finally see her as his equal—his soulmate —and they could both leave this place together.
“There is no we.” Chris seized his opportunity and brought the axe down.
Echo’s shield shattered. Bits of wood went flying as Chris slammed into him. Echo fell backward and they both tumbled to the ground in a mess of armor and bloodied weapons. Long scratches appeared on Echo’s arm as she fought to get the upper hand. Chris caught her arm and pinned her down, bleeding from cuts of his own.
“So is that it? After everything we’ve been through, you’re just going to kill me. Am I just another red to you?” Echo glared up at her soulmate, baring her fangs. “Just another wool to put on your monument?”
“I never understood why people put up with soulmates in this world,” Chris growled. “You’re a liability.”
“What?” Echo’s mouth hung open in shock. “All I’ve ever done was try to keep us safe—”
“I don’t need to be kept safe!” Chris snapped. “I need to win, and you’re in my way.” His free arm reached for the axe.
Echo wrenched their leg free and jabbed it into Chris’s abdomen. They took advantage of his distraction and surged upward, knocking Chris aside and scrambling for a weapon. Echo spotted Fenrir’s Blessing and crawled toward it.
A hand yanked him from behind. Echo yelped as Chris dragged him backward.
“Chris, stop. There can be two winners. There can be two winners!” Echo’s voice cracked with terror as they clawed at fist clenched around the back of their hood, desperately trying to loosen Chris’s grip. “Come on, let’s stop and talk about this. We can fight aft—”
Wham!
Chris punched him square in the jaw. He paused for a moment, mouth working as he bore the pain of the blow. Then he grabbed Echo and slammed him into the ground.
Echo wheezed as the wind was knocked out of him. His chest worked furiously, coughing as he tried to draw in air. Chris hit him again and he choked on blood. He lifted Echo up and pinned him against one of the wooden poles at Spawn, fists closing around the wolf hybrid’s throat.
Echo struggled, claws digging into the flesh of Chris’s arm. They couldn’t breathe. Their legs kicked at the air uselessly, feet unable to touch the ground. Black spots crowded their vision and they fought to stay conscious as the world around them blurred. No, no, no, no- I can’t die like this . Their terrified gaze found the eyes of their soulmate.
Chris stared back at him, his expression hardened with cruel indifference.
“Chris, please,” Echo pleaded. She knew deep down there had to be something left of who he was before. Chris was her fellow Ascender, her closest ally. Their shared life forged a bond beyond flesh and blood.
Please don’t kill me.
A beat passed, then suddenly the grip around Echo’s windpipe loosened. Echo summoned what little strength he had and kicked Chris in the face.
Chris released him and Echo crashed to the ground, coughing and gasping for air. A moment later Chris’s fist came hurtling toward them. Echo threw themselves to the side and stumbled to their feet, one hand reaching for the ender pearl they kept in their satchel. Their eyes darted around wildly. There has to be a way out.
“Where are you going, little wolf?” Chris taunted. Echo heard the hum of an enchanted blade and dread poured through him like ice.
Thinking quickly, Echo grabbed a fistful of dirt and flung it into Chris’s eye.
Chris stumbled backward in surprise. “Agh, what the hell? You are so annoying !”
In one smooth motion, Echo snatched his sword from the ground and threw the ender pearl with his other arm. It flew past the valley of Spawn and sailed toward the snowy mountains in the distance. Echo turned around as Chris finished wiping the dust from his eye and did a little wave.
“What are y—”
Fwhoom.
Echo collapsed into snow. She stumbled and fell to her knees, blood staining the ice around her red. Pins and needles prickled all over her body. Echo sat there for a long moment, shivering as violet ender particles dissipated around her.
Finally he took out a bowl of mushroom soup and downed it all in one go. He cautiously relaxed as his wounds healed, but fear kept him alert. He didn’t know if Chris had followed him.
Echo struggled to his feet, wobbling slightly. Darkness had fallen and soon the area would be swarming with monsters. There would be no need for Chris to hunt him down if a zombie got to him first.
A quick once-over of the mountain told her there were no mobs nearby, and thankfully there was no sign of Chris either. Cherri and Doody’s base was higher up the mountain, all the grand hotel splendor that it was. There would be resources there: warm shelter, food, and hopefully a spare shield. She would be safe there, for now.
Echo blew out a shivering breath and began his long trek through the snow. The ender pearl had only gotten him to the base of the mountain, so he still had a ways to go before he reached the top. As he ascended up the sheer terrain, each step became more and more perilous. Pitfalls of powdered snow threatened to drag him under, suffocating him in sheets of cold. Echo ended up clawing his way out of more than a few holes and coughing up bits of ice. Though they provided little protection, he had never wanted a pair of leather boots more in his life. He continued on, dodging around monsters that lingered in the shadows.
The Neapolitan Hotel erupted from the mountain’s peak like a winter palace. It boasted three stories of stunning architecture, furnished and crafted with care. Each detail in the building had been accounted for, down to the sturdy spruce logs and textured bricks. Horses waited in the stables out front. They eyed Echo eagerly as he passed; Echo ignored them.
“I can’t believe Cherri wasted her time on this,” he muttered.
Snowflakes dusted Echo’s shoulders as she clambered onto the front porch. She staggered up the steps and threw open the heavy doors, practically collapsing into the warmth of the well-mannered home. The doors swung shut behind her with a loud bang .
Echo sheathed their sword and leaned against the wall to catch their breath. Exhaustion overwhelmed them and they retreated to a corner with a good view of the door. They sat down and hugged their knees, trying to ignore the stench of blood encasing them like rot.
A wolf snuffled nearby and wagged its tail. It looked a lot like Laelaps with its sharp eyes and fluffed up fur. Echo tried to smile at it.
“Come here, boy! Or girl,” she said, patting her knee. The wolf yawned and tilted its head to the side. “Come on!”
At last the wolf got up and padded to Echo’s side. Echo ran her hands through its coarse fur, leaving streaks of red in its gray pelt. She pulled away with a sigh and wiped the blood on the side of her jacket. The wolf barked, its eyes trained on Echo expectantly.
“You’re waiting for Cherri, aren’t you? Or Doody. Or Maruu or Lew.” Echo glanced at the other wolves lounging in the hall. There were quite a few of them, all boasting different color collars. Their ears perked up at the Polycule’s names.
The wolf beside her whined and nudged her hand. “They’re not coming back,” he told it. Because I killed them.
The wolf huffed and settled down. Echo sat back and nibbled on a piece of steak. More wolves approached, staring intently at the food. Echo sighed and broke off chunks to feed to each one. He found himself laughing as they gobbled up the meat from his hands. Laelaps used to eat his food just like this: all teeth and no manners.
Once all the steak was gone, they yawned and laid their heads down to rest. Soon Echo found himself surrounded by half a dozen sleeping wolves, their chests rising and falling in a steady rhythm. He closed his eyes and pretended Laelaps was cuddled up beside him.
He missed Warren and Emo. On nights like these they’d nestled together for comfort, shielding themselves from the looming dread of death. Echo had thought of Warren as a sibling—he still did in a lot of ways. Back before things went wrong, he used to lie awake listening to it and its soulmate giggling in the dark. Chris would turn over and glare at them until they shut up. He always complained about the lack of peace and quiet, but Echo had enjoyed listening to the silly things they talked about. There had been a heated debate about flying once—of wings and rivers and what it meant to be free.
Then the yellow hunt came and Echo’s sibling was gone. It pained them more than anything that Warren didn’t feel safe around them and Chris. In the end, the kingdom they’d built came crashing down and the Ascenders’ base went up in flames.
Part of her wished she could wake up in her own bed at home and pretend this was just another nightmare. She could chalk up the senseless murders to her own wild imagination and forget about the people who’d put a knife in her back. Java would be there for her.
Who was he kidding? Chris would come and finish him off eventually. He’d hunt Echo down without mercy and slay him like cattle. There was no way out of this place that didn’t end in bloodshed.
Tears welled under her eyes and she buried her face deeper into the wolves’ fur. Java was waiting for her at home—she couldn’t give up on that.
* * *
A loud scraping sound jolted Echo awake. They dove out of the corner and took up a defensive position in the doorway, already drawing their sword. Several wolves whined in protest. Echo waited with bated breath, half-expecting to see the doors to slam open and Chris’s axe hurtling toward their neck.
With a shiver, they recalled how Chris described killing Rusty in this very hall. Rusty and Marbles had been kind and amicable, but they were too trusting. Rusty had fallen to Chris’s blade after an informant betrayed them. She’d died here under the false pretense of safety.
Had Chris found them already? Echo drew their sword and inched toward the door.
One wolf did a luxurious stretch and blinked in Echo’s direction. It huffed and gave her a look that said, What the hell are you doing? It’s too early to fight to the death. I haven’t even had breakfast. Echo’s ear twitched, but she paid the wolf no mind.
As they got closer, they noticed the scratching noise was coming from below. They cracked open the door with one hand and cautiously poked their head outside. Instantly a tiny gray ball of fur darted past them into the foyer. Startled, Echo turned and saw a little wolf pup scamper over to the other wolves. It bounced about and shook the snow off of its downy fur, tail wagging. A well-groomed female wearing a pink collar rushed to greet it.
Just a kid, Echo realized. They glanced back outside before sheathing their sword and shutting the door with a groan. Of course . All was well—the front porch of the Neapolitan Hotel was as quiet and snowed-in as ever. There was no sign of their soulmate and his murderous agenda, at least not yet.
Chris would find him eventually. Echo had seen him hunt down other reds for sport and knew how good he was at tracking down his target. All they could do now was prepare.
There can only be one winner. Chris had stated it so simply. Echo hadn’t believed him at first—she hadn’t wanted to believe him. Her soulmate grounded her to this world. He was her anchor, the other half of her life force. Chris thought he had to be the only winner, but his life was still tied to hers.
When he kills you—
But he won’t , Echo thought angrily. He can’t.
Items flung across the room into a jumbled heap as Echo sifted through the Polycule’s chests. Their storage was full of building blocks and stacks upon stacks of stone. No weapons, no armor, not even an extra shield. Echo growled in frustration. “How can these people hoard so much junk?”
A loud bark drew her attention back to the wolves, one of whom was staring at her looking affronted. Echo arched an eyebrow.
“I’m sorry, are these important to you?” They tossed a stack of coarse dirt aside, digging down to the bottom of another chest.
More wolves barked and growled in response. Obviously , they seemed to say. Cherri loves those blocks. You can’t throw them out. Echo frowned at the pile of discarded items.
“Fine, keep your precious building blocks,” she muttered. She gave up on salvaging anything useful from the Polycule’s storage and busied herself with farming instead.
The thought of fighting Chris again made her stomach turn. She didn’t want to kill her soulmate, not after everything they’d been through together. But at this rate, it didn’t look like she had a choice.
Echo finished gathering bundles of food and pocketed a few extra crossbow bolts she’d found stashed behind a planter. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. She took one last look around the base as she prepared to leave. The wolves got up and followed her to the doorway.
Where are you going? Won’t you come back? Insistent barks turned to howls. Where are Cherri and Doody?
What about Maruu?
And Lew!
Echo dashed out into the snow, slamming the door shut behind him. He flattened his ears to drown them out.
Come back!
Please come back!
Her heart longed to set them free to roam the mountains, but she couldn’t risk them following her. Chris would show them no mercy, and Echo would not condemn them to the fate that had met Laelaps.
Gradually their howls faded as Echo traveled further across the snowy landscape. She didn’t know where she was going, only that she had to put some distance between her and Chris.
You’re only delaying the inevitable. He’ll find you soon enough , taunted a small voice in her head.
And then what, they’d try to kill each other again? They’d seen the look in his eye as Chris tried to choke the life out of them. This was no ordinary fight.
Perhaps a duel of souls never was.
Echo had built herself a kingdom when she’d first arrived here. She’d placed her trust in a select few, built the walls high to keep enemies at bay. It had kept her safe for a while. As a red life with certain death looming around every corner, she’d been careful with who she allied with. But with each loss the fortifications crumbled: Warren’s betrayal, Jekyll and Local’s death, Chris’s declaration. Her castle wasn’t built for one person.
Warren had been one of Echo’s closest friends. He’d protected it till the end, even though it still hurt. He longed to have the chance to pull Jin and CJ aside, to ask them questions that had been burning a hole in Echo’s heart since he found out.
Did it die loved?
Did it suffer?
Echo’s feet steered them toward Canada, where Warren and Emo had lived their last days. Silence stretched in their wake. There were no friends for them to stumble across, no more meetings to arrange or strategies to uphold. This was the endgame.
They were left stranded in an empty world, grappling with guilt and feeling entirely, utterly alone.
“We’re Day Oners!”
Warren held up a handful of poppies. There was one for each of them—Chris, Warren, and Echo—a symbol for a friendship more sacred than allies. Echo had beamed as she accepted the flower, vowing to keep it with her at all times. Back then she’d still had green eyes and innocence; Chris’s jacket had yet to be stained red.
“Somebody help!” Warren’s voice had cried out from somewhere deep within the cavern it was exploring. With food scarce and darkness closing in, it quickly found itself overwhelmed by mobs.
Echo had dropped his pickaxe and rushed to its aid. After they’d sliced through the last monster together, Warren had smiled and thanked him. They had grinned at each other, relishing their shared victory.
“What are you guys doing up there? Come on, I’m trying to find iron.” Chris’s voice had emanated from somewhere further down.
“Coming, Chris!”
Darkness gathered in long shadows cast by the surrounding forest. Echo paused at the edge of the stone walls surrounding Canada, listening for signs of life.
No one here . That was no surprise. Still, he moved cautiously and checked the gated entrance for traps before going inside.
The base was deserted. A fresh layer of snow had blown in, leaving much of the area blanketed in white. Like a little winter wonderland , Echo mused. She nudged aside a pile of scattered ashes with her foot.
Dozens of gravestones stood tall on the hillside, each of them labeled with a name and a description. Though the signs themselves varied, many of the messages they carried were the same.
You always knew how to make us smile.
I trust you.
I will avenge you.
I’m sorry.
Echo recognized their names—she recognized them all.
I’m sorry.
She brushed bits of snow off two of the signs. “Rest in peace Local,” one read. Her voice came out barely more than a whisper. “And Jekyll…” she turned to its neighbor. Echo stared at the graves and the graves stared back.
I’m sorry.
Jekyll and Local had been the only other reds who understood them. Even now, the memory of their murder filled Echo with guilt. Chris had been especially close with Local, but when the deer prince had fallen? Echo had gone after Vinca alone. In the end they hadn’t been strong enough.
Later Jas fell to Echo’s blade and Vinca died all the same, but it hadn’t been planned. It wasn’t earned. Echo had seen an opportunity and taken it—for Jekyll and Local.
“If it’s just you and Chris, I need you to take the upper hand, ok?” Jekyll’s voice filled their thoughts. It had been his final wish before he died.
“I need you to win, because I don’t stand a chance.” Raz. The goat hybrid had gone to such lengths to befriend Echo even after they’d struck her down.
Maybe there is a way.
He looked around at the abandoned base that had been the home of both his trusted friends and sworn enemies. There was a cottage tucked away near the back, its door left unlocked. Echo ventured inside and his eyes lit up at the sight of chests stacked against the wall. Bingo.
Within minutes the place was ransacked. There were no wolves here to lecture him about the sanctity of Canada’s buildings. Echo overturned the chests, tore up the floorboards, and scoured every nook and cranny for valuables. If he was going to make this work, he’d need all the resources he could get.
When he found Jin and CJ’s stash of explosives, Echo paused. He pulled out one bundle of TNT, then another, and another. For Java , he thought as he searched for a mechanism to light the fuse. For Jekyll and Local. For Raz. If he had to beat Chris to win, then so be it. All that mattered was getting home.
Someone wants blood.
The question is, who’s going to die first?
* * *
Echo didn’t bother going out to search for their soulmate. They busied themself with preparations around Canada instead, passing the time with chores. They sparred with piles of snow, chopped wood for more signs, replanted. There wasn’t enough room for more graves on the hillside, so they resorted to putting headstones down around the perimeter of the base. On each sign, Echo wrote a message to the fallen. Six names joined the growing sea of graves.
Rest in peace.
Fenrir's Blessing felt heavy at her side. It had slain so many of Echo’s enemies. She shivered as she imagined the wound opening in her abdomen, the phantom cut of her own sword. Jin’s horrified expression lingered in her mind. Echo wondered if, when it came down to it, she’d be able to withstand the killing blow.
She needed to know if Chris could take it.
He’d just returned from gathering wood for Jin and CJ’s graves when he realized the area was eerily silent. Echo paused, ears twitching. Something moved in the snow behind him.
Chris stepped out from behind the cottage, blocking Echo’s path to the entrance. Echo whipped around, dropping the wood planks she’d been holding. Her fingers drifted to where her sword hung at her belt.
“I see you’ve made yourself at home,” Chris said.
“I would rather die.”
“That can be arranged.”
“Like hell,” Echo seethed.
Chris laughed. “There’ll be no escaping this time, little wolf.”
“Oh, yeah? I could just use another pearl. You’d never catch me.”
“You don’t have another pearl.” Chris’s eye glinted knowingly. Echo frowned as he continued. “But me? I have plenty. You only got away the other night because I let you.”
“That’s bullshit,” Echo snarled.
“Is it?”
Chris stepped forward, snow crunching loudly under the weight of his steel-toed boots. Echo’s ears flattened and she backed away, baring their fangs.
His soulmate grinned. “I do love it when they run.”
Chris swung the axe off his belt. Cascade, he called it—the blade that carved rivers of blood. Echo unsheathed Fenrir’s Blessing. The edge of the sword gleamed purple in the light. Both soulbounds circled the clearing, eyeing each other warily.
“Why go to all this trouble to kill me, huh? We could’ve talked about it, worked something out,” Echo said.
“I thought you’d already figured it out.”
Echo’s eyes narrowed. They lunged forward, words biting out in a growl. “Enlighten me.”
Chris sidestepped the blade and whipped out his crossbow. Bursts of color exploded in Echo’s face, blasting him backward. He tumbled into a roll, bracing himself as he skidded through the snow.
By the time he got to his feet, the clearing was empty.
Echo paused and looked around. There was no sign of Chris. Their ears swiveled, listening for any hint of movement.
There. A rustling sound came from somewhere above them. Echo whirled around and Chris burst out of the snow, his axe swinging toward them. They saw the blade a second too late.
Cascade cleaved through Echo’s chest, ripping an ugly gash across their torso. A stricken howl tore itself from their throat. Blood stained the snow beneath them red.
“You’re the last objective!” Chris cried, one arm clutching at an identical wound. His eye glowed with triumph. “The monument isn’t complete without you gone.” He raised the axe over Echo’s prone figure.
“To hell with your stupid monument!” Echo snarled. He ducked and lunged, slicing through Chris’s legs.
Chris grunted in surprise and fell to his knees. Echo lifted their sword, blade poised above Chris’s heart.
Before they could strike, Chris snatched their arm and tackled them to the ground. Echo cried out and lost their grip on the sword. The edge of Chris’s axe hovered above their throat.
“No more pretending,” he seethed, his breath hot against Echo’s ear. “No more being tied down by your mistakes. Once you’re dead, I can finally go home.”
“I have a home too!” Echo shrieked. “You think you’re the only one with people to fight for? I didn’t ask to be brought here like a lamb to slaughter!”
Chris frowned. “That’s impossible. You belong here with the rest of your kind.”
“I belong with Java.” Echo didn’t bother to conceal his anger now. His body shook, tears threatening to spill over. “I belong with the people I care about. I belong with my friends .”
“You mean Jekyll and Local.”
“Did you not hear me? I’m going back home to Java.” Echo locked eyes with their soulmate. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Echo fished the detonator out of his pocket. He watched Chris’s eye widen as he held it out, thumb poised over the button.
Boom.
The cottage beside them exploded into flames, blasting both of them backward. Pieces of stone roof went flying and clouds of smoke swarmed into the sky as fire erupted from the wreckage.
Echo landed hard and crumpled to the ground, ears ringing. Chunks of burning wood rained down around her. Her hair was singed, and she could feel her clothes melting against her skin. Ash clogged her lungs and she coughed, squinting through the smoke.
A silhouette lingered beside the blazing ruin. Chris. Echo got up and scarfed down a golden apple, wiping the juice off on his bloody sleeve. The pain of the burns eased as the fruit worked its magic. Echo sighed with relief and straightened, his ears thrust forward with newfound confidence. All that mattered was getting back home.
“Who’s Java?” Chris asked. His face was turned away from her.
“Why do you care? When has anything I’ve ever said about my friends mattered to you?” Echo retrieved Fenrir’s Blessing and stalked toward Chris. “You would’ve killed Warren and Emo without a second thought. When Vinca slew Jekyll and Local, you didn’t bat an eye.”
“No, no, they’re different. They’re from here.” Chris looked up and caught Echo’s eye.
Echo stopped short. For a moment she was looking at the old Chris, the one who laughed at her jokes and promised they’d be safe. They’d promised to look out for each other.
“You’re not coded.”
Echo threw up their hands in exasperation. He’s got to be joking. “Do I look like an NPC to you?”
“I—no. No, you’re wrong.” Chris shook his head. He looked distracted, unfocused.
“What do you mean, I’m wrong? Do you think I’m not a real person? Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?”
“Because you’re not! You’re part of the game, just like everyone else.”
A beat of silence passed between them.
“Part of the game,” Echo repeated.
Chris blew out a sigh and took out his crossbow. “You’re good, I’ll give you that—you almost had me for a minute there. The fun’s over now, though. Let’s get this over with.”
Shit. “Chris, you don’t understand. None of us are ‘from’ here—”
“No, you don’t understand,” he snapped. “You have no idea what it’s like to be ripped from your home and dragged into this cruel excuse of a game. You’re just an asset written into existence by whatever code this server runs on. You will never understand how I feel and I’m tired of listening to all of your lies!” Chris’s arms shook as he aimed the loaded crossbow at his soulmate, finger hovering over the trigger.
Fire raged around them in a wild inferno. It spread across the hillside, smoke and heat drawing the soulmates closer together.
“I know exactly what it’s like,” Echo cried, raising her voice in order to be heard over the din of the flames. She searched Chris’s face, her eyes pleading. “Something brought me here against my will, too. I went to bed at home and woke up in a different world. Chris, I am not a machine.”
“Liar!” Chris roared. He stepped back and fired.
“So you’re a traitor,” Echo whispered, choking on a sob. She launched forward, blocking the onslaught of explosive rockets with her free arm. Angry burns blossomed over the flesh of her skin like roses.
They remembered their excitement when they found out that Chris was their soulmate. He shared their love for chaos and best of all, he was a fellow Day Oner. For a long time the both of them had traveled together, struggled and died together, their lives woven together like threads of tapestry. She’d thought that meant something to him.
“I trusted you!” Echo howled. She closed the distance between them in an instant, sword slicing through the air.
“Because we’re linked?” Chris brought up his shield and chuckled. “That was foolish.”
“I thought you were my friend.” Echo slammed into the shield, blade piercing through the wood. Chunks of red paint cracked and fell away. “I trusted you as my soulbound. We were going to win this together.”
Chris shoved her back and dislodged the sword from his shield. He tossed his crossbow aside, drawing Cascade instead.
No.
Echo moved without thinking. They grabbed Chris before he could pull away and sliced his face with their claws.
Chris reeled back, clutching his eye. “I can’t see!”
Red flooded Echo’s vision. He winced and fought the urge to vomit as he struggled to adjust his failing eyesight. The whole right side was useless. It reminded him of a saying: “an eye for an eye and the world goes blind.”
Good thing Echo had one extra.
Echo slashed with his sword and cut open Chris’s torso. Chris stumbled backward, swinging blindly as he tried to block Echo’s blows. The fire climbed higher behind him.
“Now who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?” Tears ran down Echo’s cheeks. Hit after hit sent waves of agony through her body, but each fresh wound only made her fight harder. Let me go home.
Please let me go home.
Chris fumbled with the pouch on his belt. He barely had the chance to raise the ender pearl before Echo knocked it out of his hand. He took another step back and his foot dropped through a layer of powdered snow. He swore and dropped his shield, arms flailing as he tried to regain his balance.
Echo lifted Fenrir’s Blessing and plunged it through Chris’s heart.
Both soulmates gasped. Echo felt her chest rupture and blood begin to pour from the wound. Chris opened his mouth as if to say something, his ruined eye struggling to focus on her.
Then his body collapsed and he slumped to the ground.
Somewhere off in the distance, lightning struck. Echo remembered thinking it was odd that Chris’s body remained. He looked silly there, lying like that in the snow.
“...Chris?” Echo fell to their knees beside him. For a moment the conflict was forgotten; their soulmate was hurt. “Hey, we’ve got to keep going. Just a few more days, remember?”
They reached into their bag and pulled out an old withered flower. It was the poppy Warren had given to them on their first day in this world. All the red had bled away, leaving the petals drooping and gray.
“Please Chris, I can’t do this alone. Please wake up.” Echo gave her soulmate’s shoulders a gentle shake. Her hands left bloodstains on his skin.
You’re part of the game.
Echo threw their head back and let out a mournful howl. It tore up and out of their throat, a ragged crescendo of broken promises.
Canada burned around him, dozens of signs crumbling to ash. Countless memories erased.
Another kingdom gone.
Numbly, Echo reached out and grabbed the hilt of Chris’s axe. Cascade felt heavier in his grip. He laid it to rest beside Chris’s body, glowing golden in the light as the fire closed in.
He’s dead , Echo thought, and he let himself cry. It didn’t feel worth it. None of this felt worth it.
Whispers descended upon her, a mass of incoherent sounds coming from all directions. Echo blinked and she was standing somewhere else. There was no sun, no snow, not even a ground to stand on. The air felt suffocating and sticky. She didn’t know how to move, or even if she could.
There were people there with them, figures they didn’t recognize. All of them wore masks and had wings that stretched from their backs—Echo could’ve sworn they were covered in eyes. Their disjointed voices slowly cobbled together into coherence, and as the world swept away, Echo realized what they were saying.
Winner.
* * *
Darkness unfolded around her like a blindfold. Echo stumbled through the forest, head fuzzy. One arm clutched at the wound on her chest, the wilted poppy still fisted in her palm. A trail of blood followed in her wake.
Just focus on breathing —that’s what Cricket would say. The self-appointed therapist had always given them good advice. Slow down, be careful. But Echo couldn’t slow down. There was something up ahead and they couldn’t remember what it was, but they knew it was important.
She limped toward a tall house nestled at the foot of a mountain. It felt comforting somehow, like an old memory. Echo kept glancing at trees for any signs of danger.
Watch out. Her ears pricked up—someone was moving up ahead. Instinctively she raised her sword, arms shaking as she struggled to hold the blade up.
“Echo?”
That voice.
He recognized that voice.
Fenrir’s Blessing clattered to the ground. Just beyond the treeline a lone figure stood frozen, round raccoon ears pinned back in shock.
Echo paused, trying to process what she was seeing. “Java?”
Java sprinted toward her with a cry of joy. Echo’s tail wagged and fresh tears blurred her vision. She collapsed into Java’s embrace, wrapping her arms around her partner tight as Java pulled her into a hug. I’m home .
Java planted a kiss onto Echo’s forehead and drew him close. “I’ve missed you so much,” they murmured. “Where on earth have you been?”
“I—” Echo shook her head. What was she supposed to say? “I’m sorry . Java, I’m so sorry- I had to do it. I didn’t have a choice.”
Java pulled back, their eyes rounding with worry. “What’s wrong, love? What happened?” Their thumb traced the area under Echo’s wounded eye.
Echo could imagine how it looked. Angry scratches clawed across their face, their eye bloodied and swollen. They still couldn’t see properly out of it.
Suddenly Java looked down and gasped in horror. “You’re hurt!”
Echo looked away. “Yeah.” Part of her wondered if Java would back away, shake their head and tell her she wasn’t their Echo. If it would be like the game, where reds weren’t meant to mingle with greens. If her partner would turn away the moment they found out Echo was a murderer. “Java, I—”
“Shh, let’s get you inside. I’ll get you all patched up and then you can tell me everything when you’re ready.”
Echo blew out a breath and nodded. Java wrapped their arm around him and gently guided him toward the house.
Home.
He let the ruined poppy fall.
* * *
Fenrir’s Blessing lay abandoned among the trees, blood rusted along its diamond blade. One day endless fields of poppies would surround it, stamped into the earth like a message of love. Sometimes Java would find Echo standing there looking at them. Wondering about how they’d gotten there. Wondering why they stayed.
Echo hoped that, wherever he was, Chris had found home too.