The four Heroes gathered behind their leader, the Healer Althea. She was the highest level in their group and she had played in the game before. With her help, they had levelled up quickly.

The Healer was dressed in white and pastel green, giving her an air of sweet innocence. She was a good leader, guiding them through their initial quests quickly so that they could move on to the fun stuff.

"Oh my God, isn't that Lazarus the Gatekeeper?" someone said in awe.

"Where?"

"Over there, by the exit of that dungeon."

"Oh! He has just completed that dungeon!"

"He is so handsome." Another in her group sighed dreamily, not knowing Althea's previous identity. The Healer's eyes narrowed, glaring at the Knight before looking for the Gatekeeper.

To be honest, she did miss him and their time together. Maybe she should give him another chance to explain. He had better come up with a better explanation though. No more lame excuses!! She had given him more than enough time to think of one.

Althea inhaled sharply when she spotted him. He was carrying someone ... a girl! A beautiful sexy girl! Sudden hatred and jealousy exploded in her chest. The hot burning anger filled her heart. He who avoided all physical contact, who could barely hold her hand or hug her, was holding another girl tenderly in his arms.

She stepped up boldly to him, "It's been a long time, my Lord Lazarus."

Lazarus turned around, his startled silver eyes widening slightly.

Gotcha, she thought vehemently. Try explaining this one, you liar.

"It seems you have recovered from your affliction," she hissed, her eyes flicking to the beautiful assassin in his arms.

He stiffened at the insinuation but recovered his composure almost immediately. He clenched his jaw and carefully laid the immobilized Nyx on the ground.

"Guard her until she recovers," he muttered to Anya. The white wolf moved closer to Nyx, protectively. She faced the group of strangers, wary and alert.

Only then did Lazarus give his full attention to the affronted Healer.

"Althea," he acknowledge her, inclining his head slightly.

His voice was calm, neutral, giving away nothing. He had clamped down on his feelings, getting a tight control on his emotions during the few seconds when he had settled Nyx. He glanced at Althea's group behind her and returned his gaze back to her. They stepped back involuntarily. He was still very much in battle mode.

Althea was surprised. She had expected him to be embarrassed at being caught red handed with another girl and immediately started apologising to her. She had been ready for more excuses and to blast him for lying to her. Instead, he was regarding her coolly, letting her take the lead in this encounter. How it played out depended on her.

She narrowed her eyes, he owed her an explanation, NOW!!

"Who is she?"

"A friend."

"Are you running dungeons with her?"

"Yeah."

His short curt answers irritated her, making her angrier. He was obviously telling the truth this time but why didn't he give her proper answers. She wanted to know who that girl was and what she was doing hanging around him. Okay, she would give him one last chance. Maybe then they could get back together.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?"

He kept silent but his hand signalled his growling wolf to 'stay'. Anya was ready to attack this rude Hero. She could sense waves of hostility emanating from her to her Chosen.

The Heroes behind Althea shifted uncomfortably. Their leader really did seem to know the Gatekeeper as she had claimed earlier. Why was she being so confrontational with him? Did he really wrong her like she said? Didn't she realise who she was talking to? That was Lazarus the Gatekeeper!

Althea tried again. What was wrong with him? Couldn't he see that she was giving him another chance? He had wanted to talk to her, calling and spamming her chats until she had blocked him. Why wasn't he saying anything? She was talking to him now.

"Aren't you going to apologise to me?"

"No."

"Why not?" she blurted startled.

"Because I have not done anything wrong."

"Like hell you didn't! You killed me! You killed Valentine without reason!!"

He tilted his head. "I had reason and I was on a mission. Valentine would have done the same if our positions were reversed. Ask him if you don't believe me."

She gaped at that revelation. Valentine would have done the same? Valentine kill Lazarus? Impossible! Then she shook her head. Liar! How dare he lie straight to her face! Anger flared within her again. She didn't realise when a translucent globe formed in between her hands.

The Gatekeeper stiffened, then smiled grimly recognising one of the Healer's main weapons. Healers could heal as well as harm. It went both ways. The globe contained a deadly clear liquid which when thrown would burst upon impact splashing the victim. It could cause damage to anything it touched. At level 21, her globe could cause considerable damage, but he was positive he could handle it.

"You can hit me with that if it will make you feel better."

She screamed in rage and hurled the ball of liquid at him. It was Silhouette at the Boss fight in Season One all over again. Lazarus steeled himself, he did not dodge. It was a direct hit. He staggered back wincing on impact but managed to stay up right. He stiffened in pain as the acidic liquid soaked his clothes and started eating into his flesh.

"Arrgghhhh!"

Althea's group of Heroes gasped at the scene. She had deliberately injured Lazarus the Gatekeeper. The famed assassin grimaced, hunching over.

Lazarus, Health 70 per cent.

Another globe had appeared in her hands but this time she was looking behind him, at Nyx.

"No! Keep her out of this. This is between you and me."

She sneered. "I am simply following your example my Lord Gatekeeper. I too can kill for no reason at all." She threw the ball aiming at Nyx. Anya leapt in between, the globe smashed on her furry hide splashing her. The white wolf fell down with a whimper.

"Hurts! Hurts! Hurts!"

"Anya!!"

"Help! It hurts! Chosen?!" she whined piteously. "Hurts."

Althea's eyes widened when Lazarus immediately dropped down to his knees, taking out a Health potion. He poured the precious liquid onto the prone wolf. Immediately, the canine's tensed posture relaxed. He was using his Health potions on the wolf? Didn't he need it for himself?

He wouldn't waste it on another Hero, that she was sure of. She lobbed a larger more concentrated globe at the female assassin. The girl was weak from the dungeon and would die in one splash. Lazarus was busy with the wolf.

Instinct warned the experienced gatekeeper of danger. This time he jumped in front of Nyx shielding her, letting the deadly liquid hit him. He arched his back with a cry, shuddering as the acidic water splashed on him again, soaking his clothes thoroughly. Soft steam rose from his clothes as the lethal liquid started ravaging his body.

Lazarus, Health 55 per cent.

"What are you doing?" Althea cried in frustration. "Don't protect her! She can heal herself! Don't waste your potions!"

"Enough!!" he roared and got up painfully to his feet. Her friends backed further away, unnerved at his unexpected shout. "I allowed you to hit me but how dare you attack my friends. Your fight is with me. ME! Leave them alone!"

"Then apologise to me."

"No. You did not want to listen when I was willing to explain the misunderstanding. You shut me out completely, even when I ... " He paused, controlling his emotions. "It is too late now. I'm afraid it will never be the same between us."

She frowned then glared at him, her eyes blazing. "Then I will kill you, the great Lazarus," she threatened in a desperate bluff to make him back down. He could not afford to die and lose more experience points. He had to level up as soon as possible. He was running out of time. He needed to pass through the portal as soon as possible. She knew his situation.

"So be it. A life for a life," he said grimly. "I admit that I killed you. It's a game, I killed you ingame during a mission for crying out loud but if you want to take it that way ... then, I will allow you kill me this once to satisfy your anger and need for revenge. You and I are done after this. I do not condone bullies."

He flicked a port at Nyx and Anya, teleporting them to a safety. He stood alone facing the enraged Healer.

Lazarus's reasonable tone fuelled her irrational anger. She had seen him with another girl holding her like how she wanted him to hold her. Jealousy was not a kind master. She wanted him to give in and apologise to her, she was in front of her friends for God's sake. She would be humiliated by this turn of events.

His calm and resigned demeanour pushed her off the edge. She threw globe after globe at him, cursing him hysterically after every blow.

"Bully?! You're the bully! Killing low level defenceless players for XP points!"

"You're a liar! A hypocrite! I saw you holding that girl!" she screamed.

Lazarus held his ground taking blow after blow. There was nothing more to say. It was pointless talking to her in her state of mind. Everything and anything he said would be turned against him. It was better to keep quiet. Just let her vent out her frustration and get it out of her system, he thought. Endure it once, just one death and be done with it. He did not try to avoid any globes as they smashed into him spilling its toxic contents on him, staying still as promised. In fact he welcomed the excruciating pain. It was nothing compared to the torture she had inflicted on his heart.

Health, 40 per cent.

Health, 25 per cent

Health, 10 per cent

He bore impact after impact, finally sinking onto his knees with a grunt, eyes closed, head bowed. His clothes were drenched, white misty lethal steam rising from his damaged body. He was in terrible pain, yet he did nothing to save himself.

Bear with it, he told himself. A life for a life. Control yourself and endure it. If this is what it takes for her to get her anger out of her system, just bear it and be done with it once and for all. She will feel better after this, he reasoned with himself. A little longer, you can do it. Hang in there. It's just one more death. No big deal. It will be over soon.

It was not easy to believe the lies he was telling himself when he could feel the corrosive liquid burning away his skin and eating into flesh. She was not stopping. He thought she would stop this punishment before it got too far. He was wrong. She was dragging it out, taking justified actions for his presumed wrongdoings. He didn't think he could take it anymore. If she wasn't going to end it, he would.

He was barely conscious when he saw his chance to end this nightmare. He inhaled shuddering violently at the incredible pain. Focus!! This was it. Don't mess it up or it will drag on.

Althea's group had slowly backed away from her, whispering amongst themselves. They could not believe their eyes. Their calm leader had gone crazy. This was not the cool, dependable and helpful Healer they had followed. Lazarus was obviously letting her get her way with him. He could have easily avoided each and every one of her attacks. He was infamous for his speed and agility. Instead he had kept still, enduring her attacks. Now, the great legend was on his hands and knees, barely holding himself up.

When Althea had drawn her sword, they had seen his hand reflexively stray to his boot, but almost immediately changed his mind. He had clenched his fists and punched the ground instead, supressing his survival instinct. She charged at him, aiming for his shoulder. She would wound him, making him suffer, leaving him at less than 5 per cent health, then they would talk. He would have no choice. The great Gatekeeper would be practically helpless and at her mercy. He would not be able to save himself then unless she allowed it.

"No!" she cried in shock as her sharp blade rammed straight through his heart. Lazarus had timed it, twisting his body upwards and to the front, so that her sword would pierce him exactly where he wanted it to. Her hands started trembling, the shock snapping her out of her jealous rage, bringing her to her senses. "What have I done?" She did not mean to really kill him. She had just wanted to force the circumstances where he had no choice but to beg and grovel at her feet, for his life, for her forgiveness. This is all wrong. He is not supposed to actually die!!

He smiled as blood trickled from his lips. "We are even now," he whispered as he clasped her hands on the hilt and pulled it, making the blade slide further into his body.

"Ughhh."

"A life for a life," he said softly. "We are done."

He blinked several times at the excruciating pain and used the last of his strength to push the Healer protectively away from his burning body. Then he exploded into millions of tiny scorching pixels.

Death Blow Experience Points deducted from :-

Lazarus, Assassin Level 78, minus 250,000 XP

Death Blow Experience Points awarded to :-

Althea, Healer Level 22, plus 250,000 XP (Level up from Level 21)

Lazarus, the legendary Lord Assassin and Gatekeeper died with a resigned smile on his lips.

He had repaid her life with his. She had also regained the level she had lost when he killed her. He had somehow managed to repay his debt to her in full.

Althea was still shaking when she realised she was all alone. Her group had deserted her.

She had lost her friends.

She had lost Lazarus.