Now that he had them split up, he began his search for Lani. The Pyromancer had to be nearby somewhere. However, only a minute into his little game of cat and mouse, he was surprised with a sharp, searing pain through his upper torso accompanied by a sickening crunch of armor and bone.

She had found him instead.

He looked down at the construct blade that had impaled him. He wouldn't have much longer now... he had hoped to be able to speak with the girl before it came to this.

"Are you really so afraid of dying that you had to run away from us?" Lani hissed angrily. He turned and glared down at her.

"Didn't run." He wheezed, and coughed up blood. She must have punctured a lung... "Wanted to be killed... only by you... No one else." She scowled, hardly believing him, and ripped the blade back out. Shiro fell to his knees; the pain was agonizing. Had it always hurt so much?

"I will never forgive you for what you have done to Master Togo." Lani sent up a flare to show her location. "I ought to finish you the same way you murdered him." The Assassin raised his head and gave her an unreadable look. So close now...

Just as the rest of her group finally came, accompanied by Suun and four Adepts, Lani struck out at him one last time and sliced his throat open. The four Adepts sealed Shiro's body in jade just as he died. Lani looked down at the blade she still held. It was soaked in his blood... She wiped some of it off with a finger and stared at it in morbid curiosity. Shiro's blood... She closed her eyes and clenched her fist.

--

"You love her." Togo accused. Shiro whipped around to face him, sharp blue eyes glaring down at the wounded old man. Was it really so obvious? "Or at least you are starting to." Togo met Shiro's glare with his own even gaze. "She was willing to help you, but now she will hate you forever if you go through with this."

Shiro lashed out with one of his blades, striking the Ritualist across the throat. Togo collapsed with a gurgle. His tired old eyes followed the Assassin as he stepped closer and knelt down beside him.

"I am sorry Togo..." Shiro spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "But this is part of something much larger than you or I could ever hope to be." The old man expired with a rasping gasp. "You will understand soon enough." The man in red rose back to his feet and turned to watch as Mhenlo and Lani and their friends ran across the bridge in pursuit of him.

It was now his turn to die.