"Saris is...different.." Reah answered back as she continued to drive.

"How so?"

"Well... she's not what would you call a mature general."

"Oh, so temper tantrums and a bit on the weird side?"

"Weird? Yes. Hot tempered? No. Last time I visited her, Aurensirn was all done up like a kindergarten teacher's classroom. She gives everyone, even servants massive birthday parties with cake, balloons...pin the tail on the screaming P.O.W... I think this might actually be a party, or it could be a dinner."

"D-did you have a party?" Cana chuckled.

"You could say that. Even got a present from Saris herself."

"What was it?"

A dark blush quickly spread across Reah's cheeks along with a suggestive smirk. "Let's just say I reeaally know her well." She giggled, rather unusual for her given her usually nervous attitude.

"Oh...ohhh~" Another wider smirk grew on her face at the collective realization

"Oh, we're here already." Reah put the car in park and got out with the others. Contrarily to what Reah said, and much to Cana's dismay, it was in fact a simple dinner with higher ranking Captain's and officers, rather than a birthday party for a servant.

Reah led them up to the dinner room where they found their seats. Walking around and greeting everyone was General Vasult herself.

Saris was fairly tall, supernaturally like all Condemned and even Slenderman pale, and rather voluptuous, yet still gave off a youthful or even childish aura. She was dressed in very much the same uniform as any other female officer.

Several pendants decorated her chest, along with a rainbow colored aiguillette on her right shoulder. On the other breast was a bright pink gem, and under it her name: "Saris Vasult." Her short black hair was too short to be tied up, and instead spiked outward, two strands framing a face full of life and two sharp, narrow, orange eyes.

Saris caught sight of Reah, and much like a high schooler seeing a lost friend, ran towards her. "Red!" She seemed to jump into the slightly shorter girls arms, pulling her into a tight bear hug. "It's been sooooo long!"

"M-missed you too Sary.." Reah strained through the intense force of her lover's arms. "Y-you're crushing.."

"O-oh sorry." Saris let out a little giggle as she loosened up. June and the others could only snicker at the display, drawing her attention.

"Ooo~ you've brought friends." She smiled and pulled two chairs over for her and Reah to join the three.

"Y-yeah. This is...Nora Striam." Reah gestured to June then to Cana. "Zo Baltri." And finally to Misiré. "And Priva Eravisia."

"Eravisia? What a royal name~." Saris said with what seemed like admiration.

"Thank you." Misiré, or Priva rather, smiled meekly.

"Cute." Saris commented to herself as she stood up to announce. "Now, if everyone can take their seats, we can get dinner started. Feel free to sit wherever you like. Try to make friends while you're here!" She clapped her hands and female servants came with trays of well prepared food and desserts. Each woman arranged their tray nicely on the table where it would be of little hassle for one to take a portion of anything to put on their own plate whenever they pleased.

Once everything was in place, Sarin smiled and sat back down, legs crossed. "Sooo?" She caught their attention.

"Tell me about yourselves. Nora?"

"What would you like to know? My rank?"

"No! Not that boring military stuff. Although, I do have to ask: why'd you join our army? You don't look like a Condemned. You're quite beautiful to be one if you were."

June appeared flattered but smiled. "Well...it looked like it could be a fun thing to do."

"Eh, it has it's perks. You get to have fun with local girls unopposed and whenever you want." She sighed, revelling in memories of taking random girls into her barracks at night. "Other than that.. it's boring. How about you, Baltri?"

It wasn't until June nudged Cana under the table that she remembered her codename. "O-oh! I'm here with her." She leaned against June, smiling and nuzzling her cheek. "We've been together forever~" Cana swooned much to Saris's amusement.

"Well aren't you two cute together~." She flashed a smile up at Reah before turning her attention back to them. "And you...Eravisia?"

"I-I'm also here with them...not in the way you're thinking."

"I see. Well, do enjoy your stay. And please don't hesitate to call me over if you need anything." She smiled brightly and bounced away to talk to her other subordinates.

"She's nice...too nice..." June grimaced rather comically.

"Yea. She never wanted the war," Reah started. "When we were together, she'd always complain about how much she hates being general and hates Victor. Saris didn't come out because of the speech that he gave, she came to live life again, be free of Hell."

Reah sighed almost sadly as she watched her lover go around, gleefully meeting the people she held with contempt with a smile. "It hurts to watch...she really is this nice. Do you have to kill her..."

Cana thought for a moment before a shaking her head. "If she agrees to hand over my powers then no. If she resists...we don't have a choice."

"Please try to convince her...I don't want to see her have to deal with this."

"I'll try." She stood up and waved for Saris.

"Hm?" The general waltzed over, wearing her usual smile.

"Can I talk to you in private?"

"O-of course! C'mon." Saris took her by the hand, leading her away from the crowd. "What is it?"

The rebel was hesitant, but eventually undid her hair, removed her makeup, and took off her contacts, showing Saris that she was one of the most wanted people in SlendRealm, Cana Vera Ashigara.

"About time you took it off." Saris only smirked, leaning against the wall. "Sometimes you forget the extent of your own power I'm guessing?"

"Y-yeah...I had a feeling you knew. So you know why I'm here?"

"Isn't it obvious? You want your powers back to kill that faceless asshole."

"You're just giving them to me?" Cana was genuinely confused.

Saris nodded before her view snapping to Cana's eyes. "One condition..."

"Hm?"

"Slaughter them all...I don't want a single soldier walking out of here..." Her usual happy demeanor had fallen, giving way to a far darker side. "They're horrible. I hate them! All this talk of "winning" and who-gets-where, dividing territory and families like some dumb prize in a board game. It makes me sick...

"Send them back to Hell. They belong there...I belong there..." A dark tear of anger and loss fell down her cheek, eyes devoid of any of her easy going nature.

"Saris..." Cana put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll handle it."

"Thank you." She grabbed Cana's wrist, eyes glowing as the power was transferred. Once it had been handed over, Cana couldn't help but embrace the General, holding her until the gesture was returned. They let go, and Cana went back into the dining area as Saris called a servant's meeting, and ushered Misiré and June to follow.

Cana looked over the other soldiers, unsuspecting victims of her dormant power. Her revolvers materialized in her gloved hands, and she took aim at the closest person.

He was a Sergeant, Aer Toron. He was on leave, hoping to finally get away from battle. This was first day on leave, and his last. His head lurched forward as the bullet exited his left eye, obliterating his skull and splattering the contents onto his food and shocked onlookers. The next soon followed as they all crowded around the magically sealed doors and fire escapes in a desperate attempt to flee.

This time it was Lieutenant Irun Lurins, a bright eyed pacifist. She was just promoted in what was "the greatest day in her life." The bullet exited her neck, exploding it and leaving her head hanging by a thread, body thudding against the red floor.

They all fell with their brothers and sisters in arms, all to a single vampire. Private Sarilis, shot through the heart, Corporal Kiera, shot in the side and trampled by her panicked comrades. Each death only seemed to darken an already corrupt heart. Unlike before, Cana never smiled as much as usual as she thought about what Saris said. 'How many others didn't want to fight?' 'Who else never wanted a war.' 'Who just wanted a second chance at life.' Many of the people did want a war, but why should those forced into it suffer?

Finally, amongst the corpses was the surviving soldier. His name was Roan Umura. He was covered in blood but uninjured. He was covered in blood but had yet to fire a single shot in the war. He was covered in blood...yet he was clean.

Cana put a gun to his temple, seeing tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry." She whispered as the tears turned red and he went limp. She looked around her, seeing the loss that she'd caused. She took a bloody hand to sweep her hair back, taking a few deep breaths as she left the massacre.

Cana tapped the barrel of one her revolvers against Saris's door. "It's done." Out came everyone except for the servants, still talking over trivial things.

Saris walked into the dining area, seeing the bloodshed. She had a soft, relieved smile on her face, but could tell how Cana felt. She walked over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder the same as Cana did for her. "You saw their lives and motivations didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Trust me, you did the right thing. You relieved them of their service. The ones that didn't want this; they dont have to bare it anymore."

Cana nodded slightly, mouthing a word of agreement. "Let's get out of here." She said grimly, stepping out with Saris, June, Misiré, and Reah behind.

"What's wrong?" June turned to her friend. "Doing this never bothered you until now."

"I rarely kill a memory. I rarely kill dreams. I've always absorbed them. But, when you get the soul by itself, like all Condemned are, Exposed Souls, and you kill them, that's what you're destroying.

"Souls don't have the same 'life force' that mortals do. They're life force is their memories and dreams, and mostly emotions. When you have so many emotions crying out in one spot, it really hits you hard. On an open battlefield, it's not a problem; the emotions just diffuse."

"I see...Try not to think about it."

"Yea...we have things to do..."