Matthew sweated behind the orange and white paper mache fox mask that plastered his face, blinking through the holes that he had cut for the eyes. He pulled the hood of his sweatshirt further over his head and followed the eager tug of Cecilia's hand as they weaved through the crowds of Amberchase civilians.

"The Uber is just around the corner," she called back to him, switching her attention between the area around her, her phone, and then Matthew. "How much time do we have until that idio fades?"

"Uh, it depends. Usually, new idios fade pretty quickly." Matthew panted.

Cecilia cursed and changed her pace, causing Matthew's hand to slip from hers. God, he was exhausted. He still knew how to fight, but his body's performance suffered from malnourishment and the many years spent away from physical conditioning. His lungs burned and he doubled over as Cecilia stopped and turned. For her, a well trained and conditioned hero, this was probably nothing.

"Matthew? You okay?" She was barely even tired.

"I just—" He raised a finger, choking on his words, "need a breather."

Cecilia bit the inside of her cheek and glanced around. A few people passing by glanced at her, eyes-wide, others tried to sneak photos. It was hard not to notice her, which might've been part of the reason they were running. She quite literally stood out, like a white flower in a field of dead grass.

Cecilia's costume had changed many times over her years of fame, but the one she now wore was probably Matthew's favorite of all the designs. It was a white latex suit that covered her arms, legs, and neck. A pair of gloves accompanied it, as well as a mask that covered her whole face, save for her eyes, lower half of her face, and a hole in the back for her to stick her fiery ponytail through. But the centerpiece of the outfit was the grey design of a lotus in the center of her chest.

"Can we continue to walk as you catch your breath?" She asked with eagerness.

"Sure," Matthew breathed, straightening.

The people sneaking pictures frowned with confusion when they saw him, turning to whisper among themselves. He didn't need to hear what they were saying to know what they were saying.

Who's that with the fox mask?

He's a little on the short side, isn't he? Is it a kid?

Does White Lotus have a little sibling?

Matthew turned away from them and fixed his mask, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he followed Cecilia down to the end of the street. By the time they arrived, his breathing had calmed. And, to both of their relief, a black sedan was idling at the curb.

"There's our Uber!" Cecilia exclaimed, grabbing Matthew's arm.

She pulled him over to the sedan and opened the door, slipping into the backseat. The smell of stale cigarettes, plastic, and air freshener clogged his nose. But, one specific smell caught him frozen in his place. Mint. He could feel Pardus's stifling arms closing around him, that smell stinging like embers in his mind.

Cecilia must've seen the look on his face through his mask because she reached out and offered her hand to him. "Matthew? You okay? Come and sit."

Matthew snapped back into reality and joined her in the backseat, but couldn't shake his anxiety about that strong smell. It was like all the other smells in the car had faded, singling out the most prominent one. He looked down at his hand that held tightly onto Cecilia's and let go, just barely hearing fragments of her conversation with the driver.

"We are going to Hampshire," said Cecilia's voice.

"...twenty minute drive," a deep voice replied. "Without traffic."

Then, someone's hand was on his shoulder. Gentle. Welcoming. But Matthew still jumped, his breath hitching.

"Hey, are you okay?" It was Cecilia. Again. The one thing she didn't ask him was what was bothering him. That was too obvious. After all, they were en route to hell. Actual hell.

Matthew pulled off his hood. "Cec—" he started, then realized that he probably shouldn't use her real name, "White Lotus, I don't know if I—I can do this. What if he kills you? What if he kills all of them? Then he kills me? It will be all my fault—"

"No it won't," she interrupted him. "I won't let anything happen to you or any of them, okay? I didn't earn my title as a professional for just being pretty." She paused, trying to shift the conversation to avoid more anxiety. "How's that idio holding up?"

Matthew searched within himself for that familiar warmth. It had only been thirty minutes since they had met up with the pro hero that Cecilia had contacted through an app on her phone. Chances were, he had about two and a half hours left with this idio before it would fade away. Unfamiliar, unpracticed idios that he collected usually faded pretty quickly.

"It's fine," he said. "We have a little more than two hours left with it. I think."

"Good," she breathed. "That should be more than enough."

"I hope so," Matthew muttered, feeling for his iPod in his pocket. He stifled the urge to listen to music. He needed to prepare for this situation. They had already mapped out a pretty well-rounded plan, now he had to prepare mentally. Facing Pardus would be one of the most challenging hardships he would probably ever encounter, second only to losing Micah. He was still trying to recover from the latter.

"Do you remember the plan, or should we go over it?" Cecilia asked.

Matthew thought for a moment before finally bringing himself to look over at her. "I think I've got it. Do you?"

Cecilia forced a smile, either trying to be optimistic or genuine. He didn't know. "I do."

"Okay, great," he said awkwardly, turning his attention out the window as the car pulled away from the curb and onto the busy streets.

Cecilia, too, fell quiet. And Matthew's mind was rocked into deep thought by the gentle start and stop of the car, he looked out the window and reviewed the plan. He would either come out of this a free person, or he would die. Well really, either way, he would be free. Free from Pardus. Free from servitude. Free from whatever hell his life used to be.

~     ~     ~

When the Uber pulled into the familiar neighborhood he called home, Matthew felt completely numb. It was almost as if a veil had fallen over reality, especially when the car pulled to a stop and he brought himself to step out onto the pristine, suburban streets. It didn't feel like he was really standing here, in the same spot he was just a week ago with Red Sun. It was crazy comparing the two circumstances, and even crazier to think that it had just been a week ago.

Cecilia paid the Uber driver and stepped onto the sidewalk with him, releasing a sigh. "Alright, you can lead the way from here, right?"

Matthew, engulfed by his racing mind, didn't hear her.

"Matthew?"

He jolted back into reality, looking over at her. "What?"

"You can lead the way from here, right?"

"Unfortunately," he breathed.

There was a pause before Cecilia added, "Are you ready?"

Matthew took in a long breath and released it. "As I'll ever be."

"Hey." She set a hand on his shoulder. "You're really brave for doing this, you know. In doing this, you're not only putting your life on the line, but you're willing to risk everything to save people. That's the textbook definition of a hero."

"Thanks," he mumbled, brushing off the compliment. He knew she was just saying it to make him feel more confident and optimistic, but he wasn't a hero yet. He had to face his guardian. A guardian who had been torturing him for three years. It wasn't as easy as she made it seem.

Without another word he moved forward, leading the way down the spotless sidewalks. They passed other old estates with long driveways, neatly trimmed hedges, and weedless lawns, but Matthew paid no attention to them. There was only one that mattered to him. There was only one that made him feel sick to his stomach. There was only one that carried that thick scent of fresh mint. And soon, he was standing before it. Or rather, at the sidewalk that overlooked it. But still, a safe enough distance that he wouldn't be noticed by one of the sentries.

Today it looked grey, sad, empty. It always felt that way to him, but today it looked the part. Heavy, grey clouds drifted overhead, swirling as a storm rolled in. There were no lights turned on inside and the windows were vacant of any life. It was almost as if the estate's only inhabitants were ghosts. Which wasn't entirely untrue, unfortunately.

Cecilia's question finally came. "This is it...?"

"Yeah," Matthew said. "This... is it."

She fell silent, taking it all in.

"The heroes are in the cold storage, which has a secret access point in the left-wing's library."

"I remember," Cecilia replied. "How are we getting there without being noticed?"

Matthew looked over at a small cluster of trees that separated Pardus from his neighbor. "There."

Cecilia cracked her knuckles. "Alright, let's go. Lead the way."

"One more thing," Matthew said, fixing his mask. Then, he turned and looked over at her. "Don't call me Matthew while we're in there. Call me Vulpus."

"Vulpus?"

"Yeah," Matthew said. "Vulpus."

"Okay," Cecilia said with a nod. "Vulpus it is."

Then, Matthew pulled his hood over his head and took off for the woods, hunkering down as he ran. Cecilia followed him the whole stretch, stealing glances at the estate as they hopped from hedge to hedge. Soon, it was just one straight sprint into the woods. And together they caught their breath, weaving amongst the wild trees and bushes to the left-wing of the estate.

They stopped and crouched down in a bush when they were just twenty feet from the library's window, which was dark and veiled by silk curtains. As Matthew calmed his breathing, he reached into his core and sifted through the idios he held within, relaxing as he found that the heat idio was still alive and strong. Then, there was Cecilia's, which was heavy and almost earthen.

Perfect.

During his stay at her apartment, she had tried to teach him how to use it, likening it to clay. She could shape and mold anything that had an organic, earthen composition. So, bending bricks definitely became useful in a situation like this. The only things she could not bend, however, were inorganic materials such as plastic and certain glasses.

"Okay," Matthew said, turning to her. "Ready to bend that wall?"

"Yep." Cecilia nodded, her fingertips and eyes illuminating with white light. "Stay away from the glass, too. I remember."

"Yes, be careful. Those windows are rigged with glass-break alarms. I don't think the alarms will be triggered if we just stick to the walls."

"This is old news, Matthew," she said, tapping her temple. "I've got this."

"Right, yeah."

Cecilia emerged from the bush and crept over to the estate, her fingertips and eyes illuminating her path. Thunder boomed overhead and Matthew shuddered, pulling his hood further over his mask to prevent damage to it. Then, he hunkered low to the ground and followed her. Together, they crept away from the window and to the wall on the right just as the sky opened up on them.

Cecilia cursed and raised her hands, focusing on the wall. Her white light stretched from her fingertips like threads, pulling and molding the wall as if it were, indeed, made of clay. Soon, an opening appeared and stretched wide enough for both of them to pass through. Then, Cecilia pulled her light back into herself, panting hard.

Matthew took a heartbeat to realize that this was it. He couldn't back out now. Then he moved, crawling through the opening and into the stuffy library. It was just how he had last seen it, untouched. Ignored. The only thing that was out of place was the rug that lay over the secret hatch, which was pushed to the side. Matthew frowned.

Cecilia stepped in behind him, sealing the wall behind them. Neither of them said a word, but they exchanged a glance. Matthew pointed to the hatch and signed something to her which likely was: That's it.

Thankfully, Cecilia understood and crouched down beside the hatch. Her gloved fingers curled around the handle, then using her idio, bent the metal to the side and pulled the hatch upwards with a soft grunt. Matthew watched the door as she worked, wondering if he should barricade it with something. But, he was distracted as he heard the metal whine when the hatch opened.

Cecilia breathed a sigh and gave him a thumbs-up, her light disappearing. The hum of the machines within the cold storage echoed in the air, and Matthew felt his heartbeat quicken. But now, there was no time for hesitation. He followed Cecilia down the ladder, pulling the sleeves of his sweatshirt over his hands as the temperature plummeted.

Then, before he knew it, he was standing in a room full of sculptures. No, not sculptures. Mummies. Heroes, frozen in ice. Tendrils of frigid steam drifted off their frozen bodies, chords tangled the floor, and the hum of their oxygen machines rang in Matthew's ears. In his dazed trance, he accidentally bumped into Cecilia, who had become a statue herself.

Matthew looked up at her, his breath fogging the air. Her eyes were glassy and wide, staring ahead. He followed her gaze and saw what she was staring at. He knew that face. Red Sun.

His dark skin was unhealthily pale, paler than the last time Matthew had seen him. Paler than the rest of the people in the room around them.

He was dying.

"Jason..." Cecilia choked out, and Matthew could hear the heartbreak in her voice. "Oh God, Jason..."

This time, it was Matthew's turn to place a hand on her shoulder, and he felt her shudder. "I'm sorry, Cecilia, but we can't dawdle."

She nodded but said nothing.

Matthew took his hand off of her shoulder and stepped forwards, digging within his core. He grabbed ahold of the heat within and moved it in front of Cecilia's earthen essence. His palms lit up with flames, singeing the sleeves of his sweatshirt. Then, Matthew brought himself to take a step forward and look up at Red Sun. Jason.

The ice hissed and churned as the flames brushed up against it, dripping into a puddle below. He could tell this would take a lot of strength and endurance, but even when he felt his body weaken, he knit his brow and set his jaw, proceeding with vigor. He could do this. He could be a hero. For Cecilia. For Jason. For Micah. For these heroes. For Amberchase. He would prove to Pardus that he did not belong to him. He would do it. He could.

Cecilia encouraged him the entire time, glancing between her boyfriend and Matthew as he worked. But, her voice was merely a distant echo in the back of his mind. Her words did not register. He could only hear his own thoughts motivating him.

Finally, after about twenty long minutes of burning through the ice, Red Sun was free. He began to fall forwards and Cecilia rushed forwards to catch him, cradling his unconscious body in a puddle of water.

Matthew collapsed beside her, breathing heavily. If one person alone had exhausted him this much, he didn't know how he was supposed to free all of the other heroes. He lifted his heavy head and glanced over at Cecilia, watching as she held his face, pressed hers to his, and muttered soft things to him. Then, she lifted her head and scanned his body. Her eyes caught sight of the IV in his arm and she began to reach for it.

"Wait—" Matthew yelped.

Cecilia froze.

"If you take that out, he will die. We need to wake him up first. That IV—" he took a moment to catch his breath, "—that IV has a chemical in it that keeps his blood warm and pumping to his heart. So it doesn't freeze."

"What about the oxygen mask?" Cecilia asked, pointing to the piece of plastic that cupped his nose and mouth.

"Just wait," Matthew said, crawling over to them. Then, with a soft cringe, switched on the fire idio again, his hands hovering just above Red Sun's body. Slowly, color began to return to his face.

"It's working!" Cecilia gasped.

Matthew just nodded, the muscles in his jaw feathering as he worked.

Soon, miraculously, Red Sun began to move. First his fingers, then his shoulders, then his head, twitching uncomfortably as he moved his stiff muscles. But then, his red eyes snapped open and he sat up, coughing and sputtering.

Cecilia reached forwards and took the mask off his face. "Jason? Jace?"

He looked over at her, wide-eyed, then over at Matthew. "What—?"

"It's okay," Cecilia said. "You're safe now."

"Wh-what happened?" He stammered, still dazed.

"We'll explain later, but now you're going to have to find the strength to stand. We are getting you out of here."

"Out of where—?"

As he came to his senses, Matthew reached forward and took the IV out of his arm. Jason hissed and chafed the place where it had been. "Ow!"

"Sorry," Matthew said. "We had to wait until you were awake in order to take the IV out."

Cecilia climbed to her feet, trying to help Jason stand. And, eventually he did, on wobbling legs. He leaned on her heavily, which probably wasn't comfortable for Cecilia considering that he was almost a whole foot taller than her.

"Cici, where am I—" His breath caught as he looked around the room, his eyes sweeping from sculpture to sculpture. He muttered a nasty curse.

"We're getting you out of here," was all she said. "Matthew, can you start working on the others while I take him outside?"

"What, no, that wasn't the plan! He has to help me, remember?"

"Well, he can't." She suddenly snapped. "Just look at him!"

Matthew frowned and opened his mouth to say something, but a sickening laugh and the sound of two hands, slowly clapping filled the room. No words could truly describe the feeling of horror that spread across his body, pinning his muscles like icy claws.

"Oh, what a show." Pardus chuckled. "Truly, I'm impressed you made it this far."

There he was, Richard Whittle, Pardus, the man who haunted every ounce of Matthew's being, standing right by the ladder that led up to the hatch, leaning against the wall. He was wearing a white suit and white pants, dressed for some kind of occasion it seemed, and his pale hair was combed back and neatly styled with gel. When he looked up and met Mathew's gaze a chill trickled down his spine. Matthew took a step back.

Thankfully, Pardus's attention drifted back to White Lotus and Red Sun. "Ah, White Lotus, what an honor. It's a shame we are meeting under these circumstances. I would've invited you over for brunch or—"

"You can stick it up your ass," Cecilia growled. "You deserve to rot in hell for this."

"Oh, such strong words." He purred. "Words that a lady should never use."

She ignored him. "This doesn't need to end like this, Pardus. Just let us go."

"Oh, but if I let you go, dear White Lotus, then you'll certainly be back. So, tell me, why shouldn't I add you and your little masked companion to my collection?"

Pardus's eyes drifted back to Matthew and he could've sworn he saw a smirk slither up his face. There was no way Pardus didn't know who he was. It was too late. They had failed.

"I'll make you a deal," Cecilia choked out.

"A deal? I'm listening."

"If you let Red Sun and Vulpus go, you can keep me here, forever, I don't care."

NO! Matthew's eyes shot over to her. Is she crazy?!

"But just...let Red Sun and Vulpus go. They'll pretend like this never even happened."

Finally, it became too much for Matthew to keep inside. "No! White Lotus, what are you—?"

But it was too late. Pardus's eyes twinkled with excitement.

"We have a deal."