The strife between his instincts and morality was slowly killing him as he drove into one of LA's worst neighborhoods: Hyde Park. The streets were cracked by the poignant grief of the mothers who lost their children to the shootings, he could still hear the tarrying screams of the witnesses in the wind, and he could feel all the sad memories that happened in this area as the twilight took its first breath.

There was a long and pregnant silence while Yoel scanned the environment around them. He needed to make sure that they were in a safe space before unlocking his car. Nerezza rolled down the window and stuck her head out into the night's cold gale. Her sudden yell burned Yoel's heart with fear and he quickly turned her head to check what was going on. A drunken lout had his hand around her neck, choking her. Immediately, Yoel unlocked his car with the finger-print ID and got out to save her.

"Get your hands off her or I will blow your brains out." Yoel threatened after pulling out his gun.

"How about we blow your brains out, instead?" Three more bandits came from behind the car.

They were all wearing chrome masks that covered their faces entirely, but he could tell that they had sinister looks that hid behind. Their clothes were all black but each one of them had a cloak with a different color.

Éloa stared in disbelief at Nerezza who was struggling to breathe as her nails scratched fruitlessly her attacker's hands. Then her eyes switched back to Yoel who was face to face with four thugs who were eager to engage in a clearly unfair, deadly fight with him. The moment just reminded her of Demetrius' words... Humans did not deserve mercy, because it is a quality that they do not even show to their own kind. So why should she show them any? Eventually, her urge to save Nerezza faded and just sat back and relaxed as the quarrel continued.

"You FA or Anti-Automaton?" The same sarcastic man asked him.

"I have an Automaton that I am screwing in my car right now, that should answer your question."  Yoel replied with an angry tone.

"Oh, a sex bot? Maybe we should bring her back to the Tsar, he has been craving a new robotic demimondaine." The man chuckled, nudging his friend gently in the side with his elbow. "Rocco, let go of that pretty girl's neck."

Rocco finally moved his hand away and Nerezza tried to take a deep breath amidst her wheezing and coughs.

"What the hell is wrong with you people?" She got out of the car and slapped Rocco.

His nostrils flared and his eyes turned red with anger. But before he could hit her, Yoel shot his arm. He began to scream with pain and covered the wound with his other hand. The leader of the group and his friends all pulled their guns on Yoel and Nerezza who regretted not putting her gun on her belt.

"You are all dying tonight, motherfuckers!"

"Trust me, you do not want to do that." Yoel smirked.

"Why the fuck not?" The man approached him.

"Because I have a pack of numbing creams in my trunk. I can let your friend borrow one until you extract the bullet from his arm." Yoel explained, " in exchange, you will lead us to the For Automaton regime's supporters."

"Just fucking do it, Blade!" Rocco begged the leader.

Blade slowly lowered his gun and nodded, "fine. You let Rocco have a numbing cream to numb his pain and we will take you to meet the Tsar."

"The Tsar? There is a Russian emperor living in Hyde Park?" Nerezza snorted.

"He is the leader of the FA group. Why do you guys want to see him for? To join us?!" Blade questioned.

"I have an offer for him," Yoel answered as he grabbed a numbing cream for Rocco who desperately opened it and massaged the gun wound with it, "an offer he will most likely be interested in."

"Well, a deal is a deal and we will take you there. Just follow us in your car." Blade turned around and headed for his truck.

"Are you okay?" Yoel asked Nerezza and took her face in his hands.

Nerezza nodded, "I am fine, don't worry about me. Let's follow this so called Blade before we lose him."

Yoel agreed and they got in the car. He noticed that Éloa has unfurled herself with peace while they were out there fighting to protect her. And he got jealous from it. He wanted to steal the beauty of her tranquility and explore it. On the other hand, he was mad because she did not help them and earthquakes of rage shattered his heart.

"Why did you not rescue Nerezza when she was being choked?" He yelled at her as he followed behind Blade.

"You claimed that she is a strong woman, why would she need my help?" Éloa bitterly replied.

"You are being a cunt, Éloa." Nerezza insulted her.

"Everybody needs everybody's help. Just because she is a strong woman does not mean she did not need your help!" Yoel complained.

"I do not need your help. I am only here because you have tricked me into falling in love with you. Just like Lucifer did to the angel of sorrow..." Her voice trailed off.

"You fucking shot me in the knee, yet I still chose to side with your kind instead of mine!"

"She shot you? Yoel is that why you carry numbing creams?" Nerezza put her hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, and I rub them on my wound every night while trying to forget that it was the love of my life who created that hole." Yoel glared at Éloa.

The heat of anger was throbbing within Nerezza. Although he refused to take revenge, she wanted to allow her heart to enjoy the sweet taste of vengeance and hurt Élla like she hurt him. She imagined ways to torture her, and there is nothing more dangerous than a killer's untold fantasy. She knew Yoel still deeply loved Éloa, but he needed to see that she violated their love the moment she pulled the trigger. You do not hurt the people you love. No, your heart would stop the hands that were about to harm your beloved, your soul would offer its last breath to your lover, your body would rather throw itself in fire than to cause pain for your significant other.

At the same time, she knew that if she did hurt Éloa that would cause him great suffering. No matter how many times she tries to deny it, no matter how many times they share a secretive kiss, his hungry eyes admire her from sunrise until the shadows of the sky swallow the stars and the moon. He looks at her as if she was enwrought with a rare kind of magic that he has never found in a girl before. And that very magic made him too blind to notice the sparkling star who was sitting behind him. For she may not have the same magic that his lover has, but she was not completely void of magic. She had wild dreams that created multitudes of forces within her. Dreams wilder than his love for his lover.

Blade suddenly stopped in front of a secluded prison, and they all shared a confused look. He got out of the car and asked Yoel to follow him inside. Understandably, Yoel hesitated and asked both Éloa and Nerezza to stay inside the car in case this was a trap.

"I am not going to stay here when you might get in trouble with them, I am not Éloa!" Nerezza did not wish to accept his request.

"If I don't come out in ten minutes, you can bring the guns and distract them for me." Yoel begged her.

"No, I came here to help you not to sit in your fancy car." Nerezza refused and got out of the car, "I am coming whether you like it or not."

Yoel sighed in defeat, "Éloa, can you stay here and keep an eye for us? If your siblings do track us down ask them to stay here with you."

Éloa nodded.

"Are you coming or not?" Blade called out.

"Just a second! Éloa, if your siblings do come here before I finish talking to the leader, promise me that you will not leave with them."

Éloa did not respond.

"Éloa, you need to promise me. I am doing all of this for you. I swore an oath that I will revenge the death of your Father and bring peace to all Automatons."

Éloa finally looked at him in the eyes, "you also swore your loyalty to me then shared a kiss with Nerezza. How can I value your broken promises again?"