Lorenzo held to himself all he held dear; his last remaining love which he would lay down his life to protect. Everything else had been torn from him thusly, taken away from him cruelty by one he had once known as 'Friend'. Who else could he have considered this monster now, this demon who had once shared his feelings, his thoughts, his emotions. One who had tempered his fears and doubts, and whom he had helped to shape in turn. Twelve years they had once known one another, closer than anything, even to the point which one may have called 'imprisoned'. They had been freed from one another's minds at last, each of them forming a new body; new entities of their own... 

 And that was when Lorenzo realized that he had been the only thing making his counterpart Good. It had been Lorenzo who had been the key in the lock, withholding the beast from breaking away from the fragile human shell which had imprisoned the greed inside his friend for so long. For the longest time, Lorenzo had even thought that he had been the villain, the stain upon the whiteness of the other's purity. After all, he had been created from a fragment of the other's soul, a part which was made of anger, fury, hatred, revenge... all of these evils come together to form the ideal host for the penultimate evil which he had once been assigned to bear and use to destroy the worlds and all that would come after. 

But something had gone wrong. Something had been misconstrued. Lorenzo had been created with these evils, yes... but he had also been created with the ability to Love. There had been someone who had saved him from Hell all those years ago, even after his other had been revived and he himself had been reduced to a fleeting personality. Lorenzo had never been accepted by the rest of the world, not even by the brother of his other side, but he has been accepted by one who saw past the coldness and hopeless side of him, someone that Lorenzo too could touch and realize was hurting just as he was.

He had fallen in love. In a body that was not his own and with a mind bruised and confused, he had fallen in love with someone who knew not their own beauty.

Lorenzo had noticed the corruption of his other far too late. He had initially escaped the wrath of his once friend, along with his now wife and child, the same child he now held pressed to his chest as he madly dashed through the forest, tripping upon hateful roots as his face was mercilessly assailed by sharpened branches which seemed to be just in the perfect place to gouge out his eyes. He had lived peacefully with his family for nine years, raising their daughter and giving her the love that he and his wife themselves hadn't had the ability to receive. Lorenzo had a childhood in those nine years; learned the beauty of the world and his place in it. But happiness could not always last, and one day his other finally reaped what it was that he sought. 

Claiming the life of Lorenzo's one love and threatening the daughter he held dear. Even now, Lorenzo could hear the mad howling of his other and the hunting dogs which accompanied the new Tyrant. Lorenzo's heart raced, his lungs burned and his windpipe felt raw and as if it were bleeding. He could not take a breath without pain accompanying it, and his child's hands were wrapped tightly about his neck, her young eyes peering back at the creatures which were chasing in pursuit. Her mouth moved, but Lorenzo could not hear her, swatting aside another overgrown branch which tore at his clothes and caught his foot for a moment before he broke free.

He didn't even know where he was going. Even if they were set loose, he knew not where they were going to escape to. They were trapped, one way or another; to the Tyrant, to the forest... no way to go, nowhere to turn.

With a huff, Lorenzo lost his footing, and— pressing his child to his chest to protect her from the impact— Lorenzo hit the ground shoulder first, skidding on the damp leaves and the thorny undergrowth. These were altered by his maddened fellow, serving as snares to capture the fleeing prey. Lorenzo breath was fast and ragged, his daughter clasping her hands tightly around him and pressing her face into his sweat-soaked collar. There were soft sobs which filled the now silent air. No howls... no sounds of crunching feet.

A hand gently touched the prostrate Lorenzo, who was curled up like a frightened wild animal, holding his daughter protectively inside his embrace. In response, Lorenzo sprung into action with a muffled shout, swiftly uncurling and flipping out a small metal cube. A press of a button, and a metal handle accompanied by a crackle of green lightning became evident; a dagger made of lightning materializing in black-gloved hands. Wide silver eyes tracked madly across the newcomer's face, trying to affirm if this person was friend or foe. His free right hand was held behind him, holding back his terrified daughter.

Soft jade eyes returned the gaze, a hand raised gently, a soft emerald glow emanating from its fingertips. A crown of flowers adorned its head, curly black locks falling to its shoulders. Upon its belt, a Catholic rosary was held by its other hand. It stood over the crouched Lorenzo, whose hand was shaking in preparation to lunge, the lightning dagger poised to strike.

For a moment, they stood off, silver piercing green, before the newcomer spoke softly, his voice no louder than a spring's breeze. "Lorenzo, foretold last of our kind, soul of the First. I have been sent to retrieve you and offer asylum. Do not fear." The jade eyes seemed to sparkle, and it was at that moment that Lorenzo noticed that the faint glow from the newcomer's hands was gently encircling him, his cuts and bruises fading one by one as a wave of calm washed over the tense Lorenzo.

The shaken Lorenzo was about to speak, but could not utter a word. He collapsed to his knees instead, sheathing the dagger and snuffing out the electric light. He would not complain against this newcomer. "Why...?" Was all his hoarse voice could manage, his voice low and cracked. 

"I have been assigned to call you to Us, before They reached you. You know that this Tyrant is no longer your friend. We must make haste, my Magic will not keep us hidden from Their eyes for long. Come, Lorenzo, and take Toriel with us. She cannot stay with us, for fear of creating for her more danger, but there is sanctuary for her north of our safe haven." The stranger with the flower crown extended a hand, which was covered with red and green flowers and vines. 

Lorenzo took the stranger's hands. What had he to lose now?

The newcomer's face brightened slightly, a small smile crossing their face. "Come now. Quickly. We must make haste."

Lorenzo took Toriel's hand and began to follow the stranger. The plants before them seemed to open up, parting for the small group.

When at last his heart had quieted, Lorenzo permitted himself to speak. "Who... what is your name? Why are you helping me?"The man turned back, and for a second Lorenzo saw himself in their face. "My name is Livano, Witch of Memory. You are Lorenzo, our final Iteration. The end has come. The final and greatest war has begun."