The room was thick with tension, the kind that makes every breath feel heavier than the last. Scarlett crouched where she had fallen, clutching her ribs where Rogue's push had sent her crashing into the wall. She gasped for air, trying to steady herself as Rogue's form loomed over Samaira's unconscious body.
"It doesn't matter anymore," Rogue growled, his voice deep and guttural. His silhouette seemed to grow darker, larger, as if the shadows themselves were wrapping around him. "Either Shellie comes back... or she dies."
"No!" Scarlett cried, forcing herself to her feet. She stumbled but stood firm. "Johnny, please! This isn't the way!"
Rogue froze for a fraction of a second, his head tilting slightly at the sound of her voice. Then he resumed his advance toward Samaira. Scarlett's mind raced as she tried to think of anything—anything—that could stop him.
"Johnny!" she shouted, her voice cracking with desperation. "Listen to me! What if Shellie is still alive?"
That stopped him. Rogue's head snapped around, his darkened eyes locking onto her with an intensity that felt like a physical blow. "Don't... mess with my mind, Scarlett," he said, his tone low and dangerous.
"I'm not messing with you!" she said, holding her hands out as if to shield herself from his fury. "Samaira said it herself. There's a chance—just a chance—that Shellie might not be dead."
Rogue took a step toward her, his movements slow and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. "You're lying," he spat.
"I'm not!" Scarlett insisted, her voice trembling but unwavering. "Why would I lie about that? You loved her, Johnny. I loved her. If there's even the smallest chance that she's alive, don't you think we owe it to her to find out?"
For a moment, Rogue seemed to hesitate. His hand twitched at his side, and the shadows around him flickered. But then he turned back to Samaira, his resolve hardening.
"It doesn't matter," he said. "Even if she's alive, it doesn't change what Samaira did. She has to pay."
Scarlett's heart pounded as she watched Rogue lift Samaira by the neck, her limp body dangling like a rag doll. "Johnny, please!" she screamed, rushing toward him. "There could be another way! Don't kill her!"
At her words, Rogue stopped. He didn't lower Samaira, but his grip didn't tighten either. Slowly, he turned his head to look at Scarlett.
"Another way?" he repeated, his voice dripping with skepticism.
Scarlett nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face. "Yes! You don't have to do this! There has to be another way to find peace."
For a moment, Rogue stood motionless, as if caught in an internal battle. Then, slowly, he lowered Samaira to the ground. She crumpled into a heap, her breathing shallow but steady.
"What other way?" Rogue asked, his tone sharp and accusing.
Scarlett's mind raced. She had no idea what she was about to say, but she had to stall. "Professor Ruso," she blurted. "He... he told you something else, didn't he? Another option?"
Rogue's eyes narrowed, and his jaw tightened. "How do you know about Ruso?"
Scarlett hesitated but pressed on. "You mentioned him earlier. He told you about the ritual to summon Valkorath. But was there something else? Did he say anything about another way to find peace?"
Rogue's expression shifted, a flicker of something almost human crossing his face. "There was... another way," he admitted reluctantly.
Scarlett took a cautious step forward. "What was it?"
Rogue's gaze darkened again, his voice lowering to a near-growl. "He said I could merge with a mortal. Fuse our souls into one. It would give me a body again... a chance to live. But it would also mean giving up control. Sharing everything—memories, pain, thoughts—with someone else."
Scarlett's heart sank. "And... that would bring you peace?"
Rogue nodded. "It would end the torment. The shadows. But no one would ever agree to such a thing. The fusion is irreversible. It's a sacrifice."
Scarlett's stomach twisted. She knew where this was going before Rogue even spoke the words.
"You," Rogue said, his voice heavy with intent. "Would you do it, Scarlett? Would you let me merge with you?"
The question hung in the air like a guillotine blade, poised to fall. Scarlett's breath hitched as she looked into Rogue's eyes, searching for any trace of the boy she had once known.
"Johnny," she whispered, her voice shaking. "I... I don't know if I can—"
"You said you wanted to save Samaira," Rogue interrupted, his tone cold. "You said there was another way. This is it. Your life for hers. Your body for my soul. Do you have the courage to back up your words, Scarlett? Or are you just like her—a liar, a coward?"
Scarlett flinched at the venom in his voice but didn't look away. Her mind was a whirlwind of fear, doubt, and guilt. Could she really do this? Sacrifice herself for Samaira, for Johnny, for the chance that Shellie might still be alive?
The room seemed to close in around her, the walls pressing tighter with each passing second. She took a deep breath, her gaze unwavering as she met Rogue's dark, hollow eyes.
"I..." she began, her voice breaking. "I need time to think."
Rogue shook his head. "There's no time. Choose now, Scarlett. Your life or hers."
The weight of the choice pressed down on her, and for the first time in her life, Scarlett truly understood what it meant to be powerless.