As she dissolves the old bonds of House of Devils, Eramis is haunted by shadowed dreams. In one, she relives Twilight Gap.

She lunges, driving a sword into the belly of a Guardian-soldier, grunting as they yell and crumple forward. Another Guardian rushes at her head-on before she has time to yank the Sword free. But she hears the sound of a Shock Rifle firing behind her… and leans abruptly to the right as the shot flies by and hits the Guardian before her with full force.

She looks back to see Kridis, shimmering with the purple glow of the Void as her Servitor shields her. Kridis tips her head in acknowledgement of Eramis and turns to fire the rifle into another cluster of Guardians.

Eramis rips her Sword free and forges ahead. They are closing in on the city now. Guardians are falling all around her.

They are so close.

Fast, heavy footfalls come up behind her—Phylaks, ferocious and bloodthirsty, shouts to Eramis as she attacks a towering, broad-shouldered Guardian. Eramis ducks and slides out of the way. As Phylaks makes contact with the Guardian's head, Eramis slashes the beast across his side with her Sword. He loses his balance, and she kicks his hip, tipping him toward Phylaks.

In these days, Phylaks almost always fights with her bare hands. She breaks his neck.

Eramis pushes forward.

They are so close…

A ferocious laugh erupts to her right, and then the thundering blast of a Scorch Cannon. Taniks, a blur of whirring machinery, creates explosions of earth and flesh and blood all around them. He keeps laughing.

So close.

But then… before her, a blinding flash of gold. She sees Eliksni burst into flame and ash around her as a gun fires one shot after another. Pools of shining light are the only trace of the victims. The Guardian wielding the gun is like a tiny sun.

Another shot. Kridis's Servitor. Another—Kridis herself. Eramis remembers losing, but she does not remember this. Doesn't remember seeing Phylaks evaporate into blowing ash. Doesn't remember the shot that hits her in the chest, or the burning fire that explodes through her limbs, or her own scream…

She wakes with a jolt, breathless.