From the first move on, Florence knew this was going to be the stuff of legends. This wasn't the Anatoly who had struggled for control at every turn in the previous games. This was the defending world champion, clearly on top of his form and eager to fight.

At its conclusion, she looked down at the floor, letting the throng of reporters and well-wishers surge pass her in their zeal to reach Anatoly first. It was over and done with, then. If her father was truly alive, then all hope of her ever seeing him again had toppled with Freddie's king. Someone was surely going to pay for this, and she could only wonder who.

Still... she couldn't help but feel this was the only way things could have gone. He should have never been placed in the position of choosing between his passion and a faint hope, and she should have never been asked to make him choose. For once, he had been the stronger one, unwilling to play by the rules others had imposed. As she watched Lex with Anatoly, she could only wish she could have been the reason he was inspired to do so.