Rey entered the palace of complete darkness. It wasn't total darkness, more like the absence of light. He couldn't see a single thing, but he could tell where Kassandra was as she was still gripping his arm. Then Filomena entered and lightly bumped into his back.

  "It's just me. Please don't blast me into decorative wall art." Rey said.

  "Okay." She used his back as a wall to move to his left. "I can't see a damn thing in here."

  "Welcome to the world of the Blind," Rey said. "That's not the blind, as in with a lower case b. This is Blind with an uppercase B. This demon's name is Kiogne, the Blind. This demon is an asshole. It didn't like the light, or I think, it might actually be blind, so it made sure that anyone who entered its lair was on the same playing field as it."

  This wasn't the only time that Rey had a run-in with this demon. He had fought some of its kind throughout Hell. However, this was the only time that he had encountered it as the boss of a dungeon. Usually, they dwelled in caves and hollows, but in this dungeon, they had a whole palace.

  Last time they were here, Ajay wasn't kidnapped by the tentacles, which Rey was beginning to think Ajay had a thing for. The four of them had entered the palace and walked around until Rey made the call to enter a room, which was Kiogne's lair. The thing about this demon was that, since it lived in the dark, it had tuned its other senses to near-perfection. The only reason Rey's leg wasn't chomped upon was that Ajay was one step closer to it.

  "We must hurry," Filomena's voice was a little frantic. "Ajay is all by himself."

  "Trust me, he's the safest one amongst us for a little while, at least. The Blind hates fire. As in absolutely abhors it. Actively shirks away from it. Our boy is the safest one of us all, in a way of speaking, but one error and boom, his leg is a tasty drumstick. Having said that, we need some light as well."

  Kassandra's grip on his arm slackened, and she slowly pulled her hand away, but he quickly gripped it, interlocking his fingers in hers. She tried to pull away, but he wasn't going to pass up a chance of holding her hand.

  "Let go," she snapped.

  "Relax, Kassi, it's to make sure that you also don't get yanked away. Filomena, grab hold of my arm, my shirt, or something. Also, Kassi, light up your dagger."

  The girls followed his instructions, and soon they were a wall of human bodies, with Kassi's dagger as their meager torch. Their surroundings lit up with a silvery light. Its light didn't reach far, but it was enough. In any case, it was better than stumbling around in utter darkness, bumping into things, and stubbing their toes every two minutes.

  "Okay, the boss is this way." Rey walked, pulling the girls along.

  Filomena had her sword at the ready, but she didn't need to, as the boss was sitting securely in its chamber, most likely skirting away from Ajay, but still, that was no excuse for taking it easy. After all, it was this demon that ate Ajay's leg, with peri-peri sauce.

  They walked at a brisk pace. Rey didn't remember the place's layout in its entirety, but it was simple enough, and he had a near-perfect memory. However, his memory failed him when they came to a corridor that split in two directions.

  "Now, what?" Kassandra asked. "Right or left?"

  Rey looked in both directions in turn and, for the life of him, couldn't figure out which direction to go in. They both looked identical. He raked his memory to try to find some clue that would point him in the right direction, but it all felt the same.

  "Rey, we don't have much time," Filomena urged.

  "Don't I know that. You think I want to be responsible for Ajay losing his leg"? Again.

  He didn't know which way to go, and for the life of him, he couldn't figure this out. He knew the clock was ticking, and his friend didn't have long. He couldn't help but feel that Fate was playing his game again. He was putting them in a situation where, if Rey picked the wrong direction, they would be too late to reach Ajay, and his friend would lose his leg. And once again, Rey would be responsible for it.

  He gasped. "This is Ajay's canon event."

  This had to be it. He didn't know how he knew it, but he just knew it. This was the one thing that would determine if Ajay survived to the end or if he would die in Purgatory at the hands of the Luthrols, as he sacrificed himself so that the rest would survive.

  There was nothing else important enough, except for his sacrifice. But Fate had said that one's death wasn't necessarily their canon event. So, even if Rey changed that, and if it came to it, he would change that, but this was the thing that changed Ajay on an emotional and physical level. He was no longer the slightly awkward, but nerdy, Ajay, after he lost his leg. He became withdrawn and thought he was a burden on everyone. His relationship with Filomena also changed, as he developed an inferiority complex as to why she would be with someone who was clearly a burden. That she deserved someone better, and she was only with him out of pity.

  "Canon event?" Kassandra said, drawing him out of his thoughts. "What is that?"

  He stared at her as if realizing she was there. "Huh? Oh, what did I say about details? Besides, we don't have the time for it."

  "Rey!" Filomena yanked on his arm. "If something happens to Ajay—"

  "I'm trying." He snapped. "I don't see you doing anything. The moment I'm back, you expect me to have all the answers."

  The mafiosa Filomena was showing in her expression as she stared daggers at him. Rey was sure that if he didn't find the solution soon, she would blast him away with a lightning bolt.

  Would gravity be able to bend lightning?

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  He was sure that gravity could bend light, but lightning was more than just simple light.

  Not the fucking time, dumbass. Demon Rey snapped.

  It was saying something that even his Demon side was telling him to hurry up. He looked down both corridors, and they looked exactly the same in the meager light emanating from Kassandra's dagger. He wanted to scream. He was wasting time, while his friend was probably offering his leg up for a feast.

  He was sweating now, and his hands had become clammy. He was sure, Kassandra could tell. She gave him a concerned look. One that she often gave him when they got into stressful situations like these.

  "Fuck this." Filomena let go of his shirt and moved to the left corridor.

  "No, don't," Kassandra called. "We can't be separated at this time." Then she squeezed Rey's hand. "You've got this, Rey. I trust you."

  He looked into her eyes and nodded. It was a confidence boost so strong he half-expected a "side effects may include badassery" warning label. He knew which direction they needed to head in. Well, the answer came to him, or rather them, in the form of a scream that echoed throughout the palace. A very humanlike scream.

  "This way." Rey moved for the right corridor. "Let's hope that was Kiogne's pleasurable scream and not our boy who decided to conquer another demon."

  Was he sure it was this corridor? Not at all. But his instincts told him this was the direction the scream had come from. He prayed to Fate, God, or any other abstract being who might be listening that he wasn't wrong.

  Rey jogged down the corridor with Kassandra's hand in his. Filomena was right behind them, clutching onto his fur cape. Despite his joke, his heart was hammering in his chest. If he failed his friend, not only would Ajay lose his leg, but death would eventually catch up to him. No matter how many times Rey changed his future, after that, he would eventually fail his friend.

  Kassandra must've noticed his stress, because she squeezed his hand. Just knowing that she was there was enough, but a fear was building in the back of his mind that this was Ajay's turn. He still needed to figure out her canon event, and the less that could be said about Filomena, the better, because there was nothing significant like this that had happened with Filomena, save for her rageful death after Ajay died.

  Then there was the worst-case scenario that her canon event had already happened, meaning her death was already certified. He didn't even want to think about that.

  I have a lot of work to do.

  The corridor opened into a hallway with a massive staircase leading up to the second floor.

  "Yes!" Rey cried, thrusting his scythe in the air. "Up the stairs we go, and then two rights and a left later, we will find Filomena's boyfriend."

  "Are you sure?" Filomena asked.

  "Oh, yes, baby girl. Now, grab hold of my shirt and let's go save your manwhore."

  With that, they ran up the stairs. If he could've used Kassandra's magic, then he would've left them here and run up the stairs three at a time, but he had to bring them along, just in case there was something else lurking in the palace.

  Then, just like last time, when Rey and Ajay were wandering the palace, having been separated from the girls, Rey took them to the same route. Two right turns, then a left, and they arrived at a set of mega doors. That was the only way Rey would describe them.

  They were about twelve feet high and about just as wide. It was like someone had purposely designed it to say, 'This is where the boss should reside.' If this were a palace in the real world, this would be where the king would hold his court.

  "Okay, girls, it's time to see what's behind this ominous door. Anyone want to give it a push?" Rey asked.

  "Just do it," Filomena snapped.

  "Your wish is my command, madam," Rey tilted his head towards Kassi. Then raised the hand holding hers. "Want to use Gravity magic?"

  She frowned. "What?"

  "Just say Repulsion and the door will blast open."

  "Rey, this is not the time." She even tried to pull her hand out of his, but he didn't let go.

  He sighed. "I got to drag you to all the fun bits."

  He activated Repulsion, and the doors slammed open as if they had just remembered they were late for a doctor's appointment. The scene inside made Rey forget all his jokes.

  “Ajay, no!” Filomena cried out.

  Kassandra's hand slipped from his and went straight for her bow, while Rey stood there reliving a nightmare. It was uncanny how this was exactly how it happened last time. Though Rey was in the room last time and was going through Mana Fatigue, as he was trapped under a fallen column.

  Kiogne was a demon in the shape of a demonic walrus. Suppose the walrus were about twice as big and had a mouth that could snap a person in half. Instead of two long fangs, it had teeth like a shark—razor-sharp and ready to make anything into a chew toy. The worst part about it was that it had covered its whole body in shadows, so it was practically impossible to see in this darkness. Ajay's flames had lit many sections of the room, which was why they could see it clearly.

  Actually, that was not the worst part about it, right now. Currently, the worst part about it was that it had Ajay's right leg in its mouth and was about to bite down.

  "Not this time, you fucking walrus!" Rey snapped and activated Repulsion.

  The walrus blasted off of Ajay and smashed against a column. A crack raced up the pillar, and it looked like it would topple at any moment.

  Rey ran at full speed, which to the girls must've looked like he was the Flash. He also used Attraction, which made him even faster.

  "I've got him," Rey said.

  The girls raced for the boss, while Rey assessed the damage. There were puncture wounds on both sides of his thigh, but it didn't look like the demon had penetrated deep enough to rip it off completely. Ajay was mostly unconscious. His eyelids opened and closed as if he were drunk.

  "Why do you always make me do this?" Rey shook his head.

  He slapped him across the face.

  "I don't like slapping you."

  One more slap.

  "I'm not into this."

  Another slap.

  "Please don't make me do this."

  Another slap.

  "I'm awake. You sisterfucking asshole, I'm awake!"

  Rey slapped him again.

  Ajay sat up immediately, hands burning, and ready to roast Rey's hide.

  Rey raised his hands as he leaned away. "Filomena asked me to do it. She said, you like this sort of thing."

  His hands slowly fizzled out. "What happened? Where is the—Ow!" He cried out when he tried to move his leg. Then rubbed his cheek. "Why do you always slap me awake?"

  "Why do you always get kidnapped? It's like you're asking for it. Just sit tight, and let me fix your leg."

  "Where's Fil…" Then Ajay's eyes were drawn by the raging storm of lightning bolts that was Filomena.

  The way she was going, Rey didn't think she would need anyone's help, but this boss was craftier than that. Rey ripped open Ajay's pants, right below the wound.

  "What are you doing?" He cried.

  "Relax, I'm only going to touch your thigh, and not your third leg that can even make a succubus swoon. By the way, did you conqueror Rome yet?"

  "This is not the time for that…" Ajay smiled, despite himself. "But yes."

  "That's my boy. When and how that came about, we will talk later. And especially, how long did it take poor Filomena to recover from your vigorous lovemaking"?

  Ajay was turning red with every word. Rey couldn't help but laugh. He took out a Healing potion from his satchel, poured a little into his hand, and then rubbed it on Ajay's thigh. He cried out and flinched, but overall, stayed still. Rey continued to rub the potion on his leg until he had covered all the puncture wounds. They began to seal up quite fast, once the wounds were properly covered.

  "Wait, you can use them like that?" Ajay asked, eyes wide.

  "Wait, you've been chugging them. Are you serious? That is such a waste. You should've asked the demon that you bought them from, or you could've just asked me."

  "But you weren't even here," he cried.

  "And whose fault is that!"

  Ajay looked at him like he was mad.

  "Looks like your leg is good. Let's kill this thing. The girls say that you're a freeloader. I feel like I should get a free pass on most difficult fights since you know, all this future seeing is quite stressful."

  Ajay snorted and shook his head. "It's good to have you back, man."

  "It's good to be back."