If he was going to die, he was going to do it with dignity.

He would never stop spitting on anyone who called themself his master.

I'll put a muzzle on you, Sendak had said.

That had been a while ago now. He'd lost track of how long he'd been in here.

The beatings hadn't particularly helped.

But if he couldn't spit on him, he'd think of something else to do. He would never be what Sendak wanted.

It was a little hard to come up with ideas. They didn't give him much water in here.

His head hurt, too.

In a way, he deserved this. But Sendak didn't deserve to be the one to do it.

He saw things when he closed his eyes. There was something in the water. Something that knew everything he'd ever done.

None of it was real. Not anymore.

He'd bite whoever came to muzzle him. That was all he could think to do.

He was prepared to when he heard the sound outside the cell. He tensed against the wall. Everything hurt.

The door opened and the light was bright.

On the other side was someone he knew.

"Acxa."

"Sir."

The illusions never spoke back. This had to be her.

She came to him and released his cuffs from the wall.

What was that look? Was it pity? At least it didn't look like hate.

She gave him her hand to help him up.

Maybe she did hate him, maybe she was glad to see him like this. But he had only ever loved her, she was one of the jewels of the universe, and now she was in hell because of HIM.

He took her hand. It hurt to stand up.

Had he let go of her, he would have lost his balance. She gave him her other arm.

She would never know how sorry he was.

"Acxa…"

He might have cried, just a little. He couldn't really tell.

She didn't try to hurry him.

"Don't get excited just yet," she said.

"Lotor," said somebody else. At the threshold, it was the witch. "My son."