Desmond's and Olivia's ragged breathing interrupted the still silence of the forest. Snow silently washed away the world in front of them and high above the sky had begun to grey with the beginnings of dawn. Desmond collapsed onto the snow-covered ground and shivered, his thick clothing the only thing keeping him warm. Olivia slid to her knees next to him and looked over at Desmond's quivering body.

     "How did they find us?" she kept saying to herself, shaking her head.

     Desmond closed his eyes, tears freezing to his face, "It was my fault...it was my fault..."

     "What?" asked Olivia. "W-What do you mean?"

     He turned away, "I-I couldn't sleep. The night was clear so I took a walk...and a surveillance helicopter spotted me," he slammed his hand on the ground. "I don't understand! They must've sent a second round of them or something."

     Olivia stared at the ground, "Oh Desmond..."

     "Why can't I do anything right?" Desmond cried out into the wilderness. "My whole life's been spent hurting people and I...I just can't take it anymore! This all just...it just...it all just bull shit!" Desmond leaned on a tree, gasping for air and feeling like his heart had been stabbed.

     They were silent for a moment. The sky began to brighten as the sun rose, casting light into the darkest shadows. A few feet away lay Desmond's swords, the only weapons he had against the Shadow.

     "He was there," Desmond whispered with a bitter tone. "I had my chance, and I failed. This fear inside me," Desmond choked, "it's like a disease! It hinders me...it holds me back..."

     "You're beating yourself up," Olivia consoled.

     "Am I really?" Desmond countered. "Do you think I deserve an exception? Look at the man I am! When we first met you were disgusted with me. Now, even when I try, I can't even protect the people I care about most."

     "Desmond," Olivia said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "It's not your fault."

     "I wouldn't even be in the mess if I could pull my act together!" Desmond choked under his breath, desperation in his voice.

     The wind gently wafted against the trees and Desmond stared at a particular patch of bark. He felt terrible and his soul ached with the burden of having Sensei's death on his hands. Tears began to fill Desmond's eyes; he was overwhelmed with emotion. As he began to sob Olivia wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She was there for him; he was no longer alone.

     They sat there, amidst all the snow and trees, together.

     "The only person," Desmond whispered, "who, besides my father, ever believed in me was Sensei and now he's gone. What am I supposed to do now? How am I supposed to go on?"

     Desmond could feel his morale slipping as morning grew older. He was, just like his vision had told him, a failure.

     "Desmond...." Olivia said uneasily, "do you remember the choice you had when your parents died?"

     Desmond slowly pulled back.

     "You could've stood strong and moved on," explained Olivia. "But, instead, you could never let go. It was what ruined your life..."

     "Is this supposed to cheer me up?" asked Desmond, wiping his face.

     Olivia shook her head, "Now, you have another choice. Yes, Sensei is gone. But it's important that you don't make the same mistakes. You have to let go, and you have to give yourself a new purpose."

     Desmond looked away, "You sound just like him..."

     "Purpose gives you meaning," Olivia counseled. "It's what Sensei had been trying to teach you all along. Only when you have purpose can you let go."

     Desmond looked at her, beginning to think.

     "Your promise will give you purpose, and purpose will give you meaning," Olivia said. "So, the question is: what is your meaning? What is your promise?"

     Desmond looked into her eyes, "To never let the Shadow harm anyone again. I will never let them turn another person into the monster I am...and I will protect anyone who stands in their way with my dying breath."

     Desmond thought about the name Sensei had chosen for himself, the name he had chosen as a promise; the promise to pass on knowledge. Like Sensei Desmond had to make his promise. 

     It would be in Sensei's memory.

     "Midnight...the color of my aura, my very essence," Desmond whispered. "I am Midnight."

     Olivia smiled weakly.

     Desmond hugged Olivia again. He knew that they would get through it all together and that everything was going to be alright. She and he were going to be together until the end of the line.

     "What would I ever do without you?" Desmond whispered. "Olivia..."

     "Not now," Olivia responded. "Let's just finish this, before anything else, once and for all."

     Desmond nodded and looked behind him before he grabbed his swords, "There's one thing we have to do first; something I know I have to do."

     They had to go back to the temple.

**

The Temple...

     The Shadow and his soldiers had long since left the temple, and when Desmond arrived there he saw nothing but the battered landscape littered with those who died in battle. Olivia gingerly stepped over the bodies, knowing that they had died at her hand. Desmond struggled with having Sensei's death on his hands, so he could only imagine how Olivia felt.

     "Are you holding up okay?" he asked.

     Olivia nodded her head, "Yeah, I'm fine."

     He knew she wasn't.

     Desmond walked over to Sensei's body, untouched since he had been killed, and gazed at his former teacher's face. Somehow, the expression he bore looked peaceful; he had been released from the realm of the Black Dragon.

     "What are you thinking on doing?" Olivia asked.

     Desmond simply looked at her.

     He dragged Sensei's body over to a sheltered section of the temple where the winds could barely touch. Using several rocks that had broken off from the decaying building, Desmond began to pile them on top of Sensei in a makeshift burial. He knew that the ground would be too hard to dig a hole in, so Desmond figured that the rocks would be the best solution. The building of the grave took about an hour but when he was finished Desmond felt confident that the body would not be disturbed.

     "It's what he would've wanted," said Olivia as the two had a moment of silence outside of the grave site.

     Desmond closed his eyes, "Goodbye, my teacher."

     Then, the two went inside and began to gather supplies. Most of it had been ransacked by the Black Dragon soldiers, probably before they left, but Desmond was able to find a few scraps in some corners that they missed.

     On the way to the temple, Desmond and Olivia had come up with a plan. They both agreed that it was time to return home but the only way to do so was to hijack a Black Dragon plane. It seemed the only logical way to leave their isolated region in the mountains. Hiking would be too dangerous, and they didn't have enough food to last. Then, they would be able to fly the aircraft to an airport and get a lift back to America. However, the idea still involved a dangerous infiltration of the Black Dragon headquarters. 

     Lastly, Desmond went to his room and desperately searched around for one final item.

     "Where are you?" he whispered, feeling under the bed. When his hands touched the fabric he let out a sigh of relief.

     Desmond pulled out the hooded soldier garment and slipped it on over his current clothing. It was a little tight, because it was forced to stretch over several layers, but the outfit was intact. Desmond sheathed his swords and clipped them on his back in an x-fashion. Finally, he pulled up the hood.

     He went outside the temple, with a razor, and stood in front of a reflective surface. Gingerly, he shaved the face of the man who had lived in the temple for three months. When he was finished the man that looked back eerily reminded Desmond of what he had once been.

     Olivia walked up behind him, "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

     Desmond flicked the razor away, "I'm sure."

     The stood together, side by side, outside the temple that had been their home. They were a team, bonded together by a something growing deeper than friendship. 

     It was show time.

**

The Black Dragon Complex...

     The Black Dragon facility sat nestled against a mountain. It was a fortress of pure concrete that blended into the rock-face itself. The entire facility was separated into several, cube-like, complexes with a small helipad situated on one of the towers. Around the perimeter of the facility was a barbed-wire fence, about ten feet high, with a single gate allowing entrance into the fortress. Olivia had said that she'd seen helicopters when she was first brought there which was how she had come up with the idea of it being a great way to escape the mountains. Desmond was still reluctant about the plan though; it seemed way too dangerous.

     Their plan, albeit, was simple: seamlessly break into the facility and make their way to whatever helicopter or plane they could find. Then, they would use the vehicle to escape. Somehow, someway, they would find a way to get back to America and let the world know about the secret dealings of the Black Dragon.

     "Are you ready?" Olivia asked as they observed the facility from an over-looking cliff.

     Desmond nodded his head, "I'm ready."

     "I'm going to go in and take out the overlooking guards in the watchtowers as quickly, and quietly, as I can," Olivia explained. "Then, Desmond you take the ground and infiltrate the compound when I unlock the doors. Take every guard you see out without a sound, just remember everything Sensei has taught you about hand-to-hand combat."

     Desmond nodded, closing his eyes and remembering back to his long days of training at the temple. As long as he didn't have a panic attack, Desmond knew he would be fine.

     "And Desmond?" Olivia asked.

     "What?" asked Desmond.

     "If, at any, point you have anxiety that jeopardizes the integrity of the mission, I want you to pull out," Olivia instructed.

     Desmond nodded his head, "I'll keep my fingers crossed I don't."

     "Let's go before we freeze to death," Olivia muttered before she and Desmond began to move towards the compound.

     Desmond took a deep breath and swallowed. He had been tested before, but infiltrating the Black Dragon facility was the first real test he'd found himself in. There was no margin for error. Any small mistake could not only destroy their chances of escaping to safety, but also get them killed in the process. He looked up to the dimming sky and prayed that somehow, someway, they would actually pull of the escape.

     His redemption was only just beginning.

**

     There were three watchtowers situated around the perimeter of the facility. Olivia stated that, before she had a bag thrown over her head, she'd seen one of the guards unlock the perimeter gates from the tower. All she had to do was take out the guards and open up the facility for Desmond.

     The guards were armed with guns and battle gear. They scoped out the area with precision, yet they were not able to see Olivia quickly run around the perimeter gate while night fell. Perhaps it was the dimming light that sheltered her, or maybe it was her extreme speed. Nevertheless, Olivia sent a jet of green that hit one of the guards directly in the head. He slumped over, nobody noticing as a second guard was easily taken out. Everything happened without sound, and Olivia took out a third guard with another green flash. One of the guards noticed the shots of color and began to shout but, before he could say anything audible Olivia had taken him out with a blast of her aura. Then, within a few seconds, it was done.

     Olivia climbed one of the watchtowers and searched for the mechanism to open the gate, Desmond watching from below. She found one and opened it, allowing him free passage through the barbed-wire fence. He unsheathed both his swords, Sensei's swords, and quickly ran into the shadows. His dark clothing made him nearly invisible as the night settled in, and he made his way to the bulk of the facility. Desmond turned and saw Olivia hot on his heels, breathing with exhaustion.

     "Are you holding up okay?" asked Desmond.

     Olivia nodded, "Yeah...just a little winded."

     "Do you need a break?" asked Desmond.

     Olivia gave him an are-you-stupid-look, "Of course not, just keep going."

     Desmond, the hooded samurai, cleared his head as he came to a group of scattered soldiers. He remembered what Sensei had told him about stealth:

     "Use the shadows to your advantage. You are the darkness, and you can kill without even being seen."

     Desmond cleared his thoughts, ethical problems about killing entering his mind. He never liked killing, but at that present moment it was the only way he could get out alive; like hunting. Desmond remembered his promise...and he moved forward.

     There was a soldier patrolling the perimeter, that didn't even see Desmond, as he slid out of the shadows and grabbed him. He muffled his scream while he ended his life and quickly moved to another one that he punched so hard the soldier's neck cracked. Another grunt burst out of nowhere but Desmond quickly grabbed one of his swords. The final soldier crumpled to the ground, Desmond sheathed the bloody blade, and he sprinted forward.

     "Your enhanced abilities give you strength beyond compare," Sensei had said. "It is your most valuable resource, so you must use it well."

     Desmond pounced on another soldier and hit him so hard he flew into the wall. Another affiliate, startled by the attack, noticed but Desmond smacked him in the face. The attack was done in one, flawless, motion that sent both victims sprawling on the ground. All Desmond needed to do was remember his months of training and push his fear out of his mind.

     "You have fear, I can feel it. But your enemy has fear too. Use it against them!" Sensei had once said.

     Desmond stuck to the shadows and unsheathed his blades. He was noiseless when coming upon a man of great muscular appearance and height. When the man turned, and saw Desmond in the shadows with both swords raised, his face contorted with utter terror. With two quick swipes the man was down and Desmond was sprinting. As he took down foe after foe his fear began to deteriorate. His mind cleared, his objective coming closer.

     Finally, he arrived at the entrance to the facility. He sheathed his swords and looked around for Olivia. There was a brief flash of green behind him and Desmond quickly glanced backwards in surprise.

     "You missed one," Olivia muttered, walking toward Desmond; a soldier lying at her feet.

     Desmond was at a loss of words while opening the door and noiselessly slipping inside. He found himself in a concrete hallway that stretched into the darkness. Desmond pulled back his hood for better visibility in the dim light and cautiously he stepped forward.

     "Which way to the aircraft facility?" he whispered.

     Olivia closed her eyes, remembering the exterior layout, "Okay, follow me."

     She took the lead and the two bustled through the hallway. Desmond heard a movement to his left and turned around as several soldiers came flying at him. He lashed out with his limbs and easily deflected their blows. Desmond knocked out one and quickly turned toward the other, kicking out with his foot to stop the third. Seconds later, they were alone in the hallway.

     "Impressive," Olivia whispered, leading Desmond deeper into the complex.

     Desmond followed behind, but something caught his attention.

     "I think it should be this way," she turned. "Desmond?"

     A room off to his left had caught Desmond's eye. He opened up the door and slipped inside; absorbing all the objects he was seeing. There were maps and schematics hung all over the wall in a haphazard fashion. Desmond looked close to a map lying on a table and saw the blueprints for what looked like a bomb. The map next to the blueprints was of New York City; several things circled and checked.

     "Desmond-" Olivia started, but was cut off as a soldier attacked her. He screamed before being cut down with a green light.

     The soldier's cry seemed to cause a stir in the facility. Desmond's arm was grabbed as Olivia pulled him through the doorway and back into the hallway. They both sprinted through the corridors until they came to another door that led to an outdoor balcony.

     "Over there," Olivia urgently pointed, pulling her body over the railing.

     Desmond followed and expertly threw himself over the balcony, landing next to Olivia silently. They were in an open courtyard built into the middle of the complex. There were cries as soldiers noticed their presence and began to pull out their weapons. Olivia stood back to back with Desmond while he pulled up his hood and unsheathed his swords.

     "So much for making this subtle," he whispered.

     Desmond launched himself at a soldier while Olivia unleashed a stream of aura attacks. The green light illuminated the darkened courtyard like claps of thunder and Desmond utilized the swords as best as he could. He slashed them effortlessly twirling them in a way that was nearly impossible for others to do. His increased strength came in handy, though, when he threw the sword and stabbed a soldier against the wall. It took a moment, but Desmond was able to release the sword from the wall just as another man with a machine gun attacked him. With two swift motions, Desmond sliced the gun in half and twisted around with a stab to the heart. More men appeared on his right, but he quickly deflected them with punches and kicks that sent them sprawling several feet backwards.

     "Come on!" he heard Olivia say.

     He sheathed his swords and sprinted across the courtyard towards Olivia. She was unleashing blasts of her aura in every direction, sending men flying backwards and colliding with the wall. Somewhere, far off, an alarm sounded and more men began to pour into the courtyard.

     "There's too many," Desmond muttered, smashing another soldier's face in.

     "Get down!" Olivia screamed.

     Desmond threw himself to the ground as Olivia sent a burst of aura energy in every direction. It took down at least thirty men, but afterwords Olivia crumpled to the ground with exhaustion.

     "Olivia!" Desmond yelled, worriedly flying to her side.

     Her eyes weakly fluttered open and she whispered, "Go..."

     He carried her through a door and down a hallway towards the general direction of the aircraft helipads. Desmond knew he couldn't fight with someone in his arms so he avoided every soldier he possibly could. Soon, he broke through the doorway to the outdoor helipad. Desmond breathed a sigh of relief as he looked down at several, stationary helicopters below. Soldiers yelled and pointed at Desmond running down the steps with Olivia in his arms. He sprinted to the nearest helicopter and threw her inside.

     "Hey!" a soldier shouted. "Get the hooded man!"

     "Actually," Desmond yelled back, unsheathing his swords, "I prefer the name Midnight."

     The next several minutes were full of sword-slashing and gunfire. Desmond could hear his swords whistle through the air as he took down man after man. Someone punched him in the shoulder and he dropped his sword, so in response he punched him in the face and sent him colliding with a nearby helicopter. He picked up his sword, threw it like a boomerang, and watched it stab two people. Desmond ran toward his other sword, meanwhile deflecting others. More men flooded onto the helipad, surrounding him and the helicopter, as the alarm sounded louder. Riddled with exhaustion, Desmond darted back to his helicopter and threw himself inside.

     He crazily flipped switches and dials, the blades beginning to spin. The machine buzzed to life and miraculously lifted itself off of the ground. Desmond laughed like a maniac as he whirled around in the machine.

     "Desmond?" Olivia mumbled, slumping in her seat and opening her eyes. "What?"

     "I know right?" Desmond laughed. "Who knew I could fly a helicopter?"

     "You're flying it straight into one of the watchtowers!" Olivia screamed, yanking Desmond's arms back from the controls.

     The helicopter barely missed the tower and soared away. Desmond collapsed, handing the controllers over to Olivia. He wiped sweat from his face and stared down at the facility as it faded away, far below. It hadn't been easy, but Desmond and Olivia had done it.

     They had escaped.

**

In the Heart of the Facility...

     "I-I'm sorry, my master..." a soldier stammered, laying before the Shadow.

     The Shadow cocked a silver gun, but then he stopped.

     "You are forgiven," he whispered. "But if you fail me again, I will do much more than kill you. You will beg for death."

     "T-Thank you!" the soldier cried his hysterically. "T-Thank you! My master! My savior! My-"

     There was a loud gunshot and the man slumped over on the ground. The Shadow placed the gun to his side and sat back in his throne-like chair.

     "I do not accept praise from a disciple who has failed to uphold their promise to the Black Dragon," the Shadow whispered.

     The body was dragged away and the Shadow got up from his chair. Immediately, soldiers began saluting their leader as he passed by them.

    "So, it is true that Mr. Pierce and his associate escaped?" the Shadow asked.

     "Yes..." a soldier whispered with fear.

      The Shadow cocked his head, seeming to be deep in thought, "Evacuate the facility. Everyone head to Site B."

     "Site B?" the soldier asked. "So we're going to move forward with the plan?"

     The Shadow nodded, continuing to stroll out of the room, "As Mr. Pierce has proved a much bigger threat than previously anticipated, it is vital that, in order to preserve our operations, we move forward with our schedule. Tell the soldiers to gather everything and leave the facility. If they question my orders, you are ordered to kill."

     "Yes," the soldier answered before he bowed.

     "Also," the Shadow added, "prepare the set. I need to make a public declaration."

     "Yes, my master."