At the beginning of the year, Derek Brenner felt as though he was surely drowning with the grim tasks ahead of him. With little to go on, he used his instincts to save Alexis’ life. Lucky for him, and with only a few minor injuries, he managed to get her to safety. But, even with this small victory, he still felt he could barely keep his head above the water. Next, Derek again placed his life on the line to negotiate Alexis’ initiation into their group. After having great success with that, he finally felt he wasn’t just treading water anymore; he was now moving forward, swimming toward the finish line. With his success regarding Alexis, he also acquired two tools: the Golden Dagger of Osiris and the Crook and the Flail—both keys were essential to their coven’s evolution. And now, what he had set out to accomplish was nearly within his grasp. However, despite Derek’s desire for fluidity to the finish line, adversity had a different plan for him in the forms of Blayden and Bastian. And as the waves of envy and malice arose, he had to meet those challenges in battles that had no real victories. And with that now behind him, he had an arduous undertaking ahead that would inevitably invite new challenges and enemies to crop up in Bastian’s wake. And so, for now, he might have to put the finish line aside just to survive.