Her hand clasped around the gem. It was almost pure dark, only a flicker of light remained within it. For a moment Sloan gaped at it, wondering when Clair had depleted so much of her magic, wondered if the Cycles would come—and remembered Clair's wish, to never know complete despair, to always have a shred of hope. Her gem could maintain this form indefinitely, and maybe it already had for a long time.

Clair stared, eyes wide, white hair dipped in white snow.

"Sloan. Listen to me carefully, Sloan. When you kill me, and after you kill the archon, you must go to Mitakihara, Japan. You must find Homura Akemi and kill her. Remember that, Sloan. Only you have even the most infinitesimal—"

Sloan crushed Clair's soul in her hand.

(Chapter 26)