Lucien sat cross legged against the support beam. His eyes were closed and he began to pray. He prayed to Sithis that his Silencer would be safe and return to him as soon as possible. A knock at the door made his heart go cold and he swiftly got up. He approached the door with caution. Something deep town told him not to open it, it told him to lock it and hide under the floorboards. He forced his hand to touch the cold door handle and opened it. With the slash of the blade he fell backwards into a pool of blood. A hand grabbed his face and lifted it up causing the hood to fall off.

“Arquen...sister…” he stuttered. Arquen spit on his face.

“You are no brother of mine, Lachance,” she said, dropping him.

The four black hand circled around him and all drew daggers from behind their backs. “Please,” Lucien muttered. “Please I am innocent!” He closed his eyes and mustered up all of the energy in his body. “You hear me?” he boomed with a venom-filled voice. “By the word of our Father I am innocent!”

“I tire of his lies,” Mathieu seethed.

“Indeed,” Arquen agreed. Belisarius and Banus reached down and tore off his robes, then Arquen deeply drew her knife across his stomach. Blood splurted onto the floor as she reached inside and tore out his intestines. Lucien screamed and watched as his former sister feasted on them with a devilish grin.

Mathieu grabbed Lucien by the hair and drew his blade down his mouth, completely cutting off his lower lips and the skin that covered his chin. He then proceeded to cut off his oily brown hair. After he felt Arquen shove her blade into his shoulder, he felt himself fade away.

Lucien opened his eyes, but they were only met with darkness. However, once he got up he saw the faintest glimmer of torchlight in the distance. He touched his face and his hair...“Hair?” he whispered. He found himself wearing his black robes once again, and pulled the hood over his eyes as he approached the torchlight.

“...Lucien..” A growl echoed through the blackness.

Lucien frantically turned around. He backed up and picked up the torch, holding it up to the darkness. He walked further along the passages. “...Lucien Lachance…”

“Who’s there?” Lucien acquired. As he turned he became face to face with a skeletal mass of darkness. He dropped to his knees and bowed his head.

“Dread Father...please forgive my incompetence,” he muttered. Lucien then heard what he thought might be the shadow of a laugh. A small tear formed in his right eye, and dribbled down his cheek.

“Oh, what is this I see?” Sithis mocked, extending a skeletal arm and grabbing Lucien forcefully by the chin. He brought Lucien’s face close to his. A stream was now pouring from each of his eyes. “Yes Lucien, I know what you are thinking. ‘I must be dead, but why? Why would a loyal follower such as myself be punished for the treachery of others?’”

“Yes..yes father,” Lucien answered.

“It is true,” the Dread father muttered, releasing Lucien, “You are probably one of the most loyal of my servants, but you see...it was all part of a plot involving your silencer.”

Lucien’s eyes widened. “Are they alright? Did they get to Applewatch?” he cried, standing up and facing Sithis. The Dread Father stared at him for a moment, and Lucien breathed, returning to his kneeling position. “Dread Father, is my silencer still alive?” Sithis laughed again.

“Indeed, Speaker Lucien Lachance.” Lucien closed his eyes with relief, and felt a glimmer of something he recognized as love in his heart. “In fact, they have just been named Listener.”

Lucien smiled. “Listener,” he whispered. He then got up, still bowing his head. “Father, how may I serve you?” After a moment of silence, Sithis opened up in what might have been an embrace.

“Come, Lucien. Your work is not done.”