From behind her, Noir can hear Clover cry out, bit she can't turn her head to see it. From the stream of panicked curses coming out of her mouth it's clear she's in no better a situation.

Skull is pinned to the ground as well, struggling fiercely. "Fuck! Get off us, you fuckers!"

Mona's likewise pinned, hissing at the guards.

The two remaining guards start searching the teens and pulling their guns away. One grabs Noir's pistol and presses it to her forehead.

"In the name of the king," it says as it cocks the hammer.

It can't end like this. 

She struggles, tries to throw off the shadow - but that knee in her back has her completely helpless.

Click.

If she hadn't emptied her gun into the shadows as they came at her she'd be dead now. 

She should be dead now. 

She's dead. 

And so are Clover, Skull and Mona. 

All because of a fucking piece of rope she forgot to pack.

It's all her fucking fault. 

Come now, darling, you've fought so hard to reforge your life in your image. Are you really going to let another abuser steal your chance to have it all?

Noir lets out a whimper as the pain slams through her skull. She'd thought the headaches were bad: this is worse. It's like someone's taking a knife to her eyes. 

"No," she gasps, her voice bright and feminine for a moment before it breaks to raw hoarseness. "No! This is - This is my life!"

A toxic home, jail, and even your own body — you've been imprisoned your whole life. Truly, love, isn't it time you escaped?

Noir gasps raggedly through the pain as it strikes like lightning through her whole body, setting every nerve alight. 

"Yes," she groans, her voice raw and masculine. "I've got to — nngah — got to get out of here —"

Then are you ready to swear your oath? To never kneel before an abuser? To steal beautiful souls away from the lives that crush them? To pierce the heart of injustice wherever you find it?

The pain's driving all thought out of her skull, but that question —

"Yes," she barks out, "Always!"

Wonderful, chérie. Then it is time to forge our contract.

The pain disappears. A mask of deep white ivory forces its way out from her forehead. 

She smashes the guard atop her off herself with a burning elbow to the jaw, and stands. 

She's in control. 

"I am thou. Thou art I."

She reaches up and rips off the mask. It's a searing, brilliant, glorious pain, like a wing unfolding after being held still for her whole life. Blood pours from her face, but she ignores it - then it turns to blue flame, and all the guards are blasted away. 

"Fuck playing by the rules," she says. "JULIE!"

With pleasure, mon couer.

A crimson duelist emerges from the flames behind Noir, black feathered wings curving behind her, a flaming rapier in her hand. Two sharp swipes of the blade launch arcs of dark fire through the air, splashing across the shadows pinning her teammates and burning them to ash.

"Holy shit."

Noir pulls a dagger from her chest and strikes together with her persona. Her body feels light and graceful, beyond human, beyond strong. A thrill of euphoria floods her and she grins from ear to ear as she directs Julie to carve up the shadows that thought they could threaten what's dear to her.

"Come on," she barks. "We've got to get out of here!"

Clover snatches up Noir's fallen gun and scrambles to her feet. "I'm with you!"

"Whoohoo!" Mona grabs their gear and bursts up as well.

As does Skull, and they're all ready to chase off after Noir.

Noir makes a break for the exit at a dead run, bursting headlong into room after room. She trusts Julie to incinerate any opposition in her way.

Clover follows, as fast as she dares.

As do Skull and Mona.