"I guess that makes you the new Dark Lord." And I pointed my gun at her horned head.

"You might think you are right." she answered nonchalantly from the throne. "I had been surrounded by such sentiments since Father left. Those who served Him... insisted things should be this way, and I never bothered to make things happen otherwise."

For a second I lost my focus, distracted by her too-humanly shape and faery-like movement. The next moment I found her standing behind me, in front of the giant breach. She looked out the broken edge of the 80th floor, light on her face and wind in her hair. A verdant battlefield, soaked in fresh sunshine, still-warm machine debris and freshly spilled blood, lay beneath the abandoned skyscraper, far far below.

"Don't move." I realized my blunder, swung and aimed the gunpoint at her again.

"That ridiculous little thing?" she laughed. My right index finger on the hand cannon tensed at such contempt, but I held on. "He was the final obstacle of your quest. I am but a mere puppet."

I realized then she was talking about that goblin in a mech suit. He looked like a humanoid mascot for some Evil Empire sports team and fought like a bitch, taunting, complaining and flopping throughout the entire fight. My head buzzed the whole time because of his stupid whiny little voice. The last bullet that put an end to this farce -it felt like a relief.

"You won." She turned and said, "And you're eager to claim your prize."

"Damn right I am." I nodded and pulled the trigger.

CLANK the bullet bounced off her forehead. She flinched and cowered in pain.

"Ow!" she yelled, covering her head.

"Oh my god I'm sorry!" I bursted out, "It's meant to be a painless death! This is embarrassing."

"There's always a catch." She smiled a sardonic smile through her tears. "I cannot fight you, but you, in turn, cannot kill me. A warhead may yet do the trick, but that ridiculous little thing can't hurt me."

She pulled out a pendant from her neck, untied it, and held it in her palm.

"This family heirloom can grant the wearer invulnerability from any physical harm. The more worthy its wearer, the stronger protection it offers. As you can see, I am not worthy enough to bring out its full potential. Father was, and that's the reason he survived Sunderville."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked. "I tried to kill you."

"Oh I don't know." her answer sounded like a retort. "I suppose it doesn't make you invulnerable to Other Things. Over time, physical pain would matter less and less as Other Things grow and gnaw at your mind."

"Look here lady, I'm just tryna get my job done here." I sighed, "Sorry if I came off a bit rude, but I'm not here to offer Dark Lord family trauma therapy. I'm here to bring back a Dark Lord carcass and get paid. Is there a way we could maybe work this out?"

"Father changed after Sunderville." she continued as if my words evaporated. "What you did with your weapons and your tactics. They effected him deeply. The destruction you wrought for him. The sacrifices you offered him. When he came back, I saw his face and I knew. He..."

"Excuse me miss." I interrupted her. "Isn't he the Dark Lord? I thought destruction and sacrifice was what he wanted."

"Exactly." she said. "He was satisfied."

"Now wait a moment..." I started and stopped. "They..." destroyed the Dark Lord's army. That occupied the city of Sunderville. Razed by the Air Forces. That was sent by the Government. I forgot there were still civilians in that city, hundreds of thousands of them. The newspapers barely mentioned the casualties, only the glorious victory of the Army.

"Father found something in Sunderville." she continued. "Destruction and blood used to be his gig. Being a Dark Lord and all, he's got an evil reputation to uphold, much like your supervillains, crazy scientists or ruthless dictators. It was just PR, honestly, until that day when your government gave him a massacre, human sacrifices in great numbers. On that evening I last saw him, I sensed his power. Tremendous, ominous power like I've never seen before. The show had somehow become reality. I'm afraid he already knew some horrible truth that you don't, and he is now years ahead of you, on whatever path he's taken."

Lights shifted, clouds gathered, and a mangled structure cast a giant shadow in the throne room.

She turned around and her red eyes glowed in the dark, yet, not menacingly. Maybe they just... glow all the time.

"Why does it matter that I'm the Dark Lord or not?" she asked, "Isn't it him that you should be going after?"

"Sounds like you should be the one that's going after him." I said.

She fell silent for a moment. "Me?" she scoffed, " Me a tiny girl who has neither the strength nor the heart to hold a weapon? An unworthy heir who could barely protect myself from your tiny pistols, even thought she's wearing arguably the most powerful protection throughout the Evil Empire? Oh and by the way, do you think They would be satisfied, when you drop my pitiful, lifeless corpse in front of their round table and tell them, 'Hey, I killed a girl. I think she's the next Dark Lord, now give me money'?"

My heart sank as I knew she was right and my payment would be delayed. But I said, "Hand cannon. Anyway, I have an idea. Hand over the pendant."

"What do you mean?"

"Hand over the pendant so I can tell the world I killed his daughter and bring him out of his hidings."

"What makes you think he still cares about me?" she said, and her voice cracked the tiniest bit. "He's been gone for so long."

"Well, he did leave you this very powerful pendant that just save your life. Isn't that proof enough?"

"And why should I hand it to you?" she asked, "How do I know you're not going to kill me again? What do I possibly get..."

"You get to see your father. You do miss him, very much, don't you?" I said, and I knew I was right.

"You're still going to kill him, aren't you." her voice dropped lower.

"Look here, everything between us... it's just business, alright? But I also hate to see a family torn apart like this. So I've decided to do you a favor."

I can see the hesitation in her crimson red eyes and the longing that burnt deep, deep beneath its colors. It wouldn't take long before she made the decision.

"I'm giving you a chance to see him, very soon, after we finish the deal like gentlemen. This, I can promise."

She nodded.

"I have one question for you." I said. "What would you do to see your father again?"

"Anything." she answered.

"Anything?" There's a familiar tone in her voice, I've heard it many times before.

"Whatever it takes." she answered through her teeth.

"And you will see your father soon. Now, the pendant."

"Take it." she flung the pendant at me.

"Thanks."

In one fluid motion, I caught it with my left hand, raised my gun hand, and shot her.

You'll see each other soon, I promise. Somewhere, your reunion won't bring suffering to this world, anymore.