Maria Blair had always been a very unusual girl. Not because of a certain oddity, but the lack of one. In her class where most developed their own fantastical abilities, she discovered none. She could not control flames, she did not grow extra limbs, she could not fly. So while others became obsessed with their new abilities, she retreated into the world of books and knowledge, fading into the background. When she graduated with exceptional grades her father was the proudest person in the room, and none of the extra honours and credits the other students got could dissuade him, dissuade him from his pride of his daughter who had succeeded "despite it all."

During the entire ceremony Maria kept her composure, putting up with exaltation after exaltation of her classmates, accepted her plain certificate and walked off the stage in silence. She told nobody of what she was feeling, the growing, festering resentment and anger.

This feeling had followed her from the first day of school to the last, it joined her on her way home, it distracted her from her work, her books, it kept her awake at night. And throughout it all, the only thing that kept those feelings away were the thoughts of Elizabeth, Mrs. Dosett. She was everything Maria desired: Strong, brilliant, noble and of unmatched beauty. Elizabeth had everything she wanted, she was the one person Maria could not resent. Because Elizabeth was who Maria loved, more than anything. She had tried following the radiant princess everywhere she could without being noticed, every valentine's she had tried to gather up the courage to give her the cards she spent weeks, months of labour and obsession on. Only to give up on the last step and tearing them to pieces the day after. Maria burned for her, saw her long, golden hair in her dreams, though she could not stand the gaze of her bright blue eyes even in her fantasies. Even there she was on the wayside, in the dark. Even there she was the green-eyed demon.

So it came as a world-rendering shock to Maria when she received a letter in the mail, the day after her graduation. It was a hand-written invitation to a tea party, signed by Elizabeth. Not for a moment could she even think of it as a joke, she had studied her handwriting for too many years, she knew the writing was hers. She burst out of her home door, her words too slurred to make any sense to her bewildered father, who had never seen her lose composure in such a way.

She was practically flying through the streets, so strong was the spring in her step. The cold morning wind cut through her thin clothes and caused her black hair to flutter in the wind, but she did not mind, she did not even notice. For an hour she waited at the school, her heart beating fast enough to nearly burst out of her chest, two times she had thrown up behind the corner, the tension was wrecking her. Finally the sleek, black car arrived and pulled up in front of her. She had seen this one year in year out to pick up Elizabeth, still trembling she walked up to the back door of the car and waited. She was so preoccupied that it took her long to see that a man was sitting inside, and one she had never seen before.

Too long.

The door was pushed open, and before Maria could utter a single sound she was dragged inside, as the world grew dark around her. The man pulled a bag over her head, slammed the door shut and the driver hit the pedal to the metal, driving off. Maria was struggling and flailing, her screams muffled until she felt the muzzle of a gun at her temple. Her body went limp, ice cold dread spreading through her entire body. The drive was not long, then she was dragged out of the car and thrown over the shoulder of the man like a bag of meat. She could not see where they were going, the dread and shock of her situation completely overwhelming her.

Finally she was thrown down on the hard ground, and the bag taken off of her head.

Maria found herself in a dark cellar, with two more suited, armed men standing in front of her. Maria trembled and wrapped her arms around herself, sobbing, tears running down her cheeks, too afraid to make a sound. The shock was so great that she could not even take note of the countless fine lines on the ground around her, forming an intricate circle. The door to the upstairs was opened and a third, last man entered. He was dressed in white robes, a heavy book in his hands. He stared down at Maria with a look of disgust she had never thought a human could feel.

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"Go, it will be here at any moment now, keep it away at all cost." With these words the two armed men left for the upstairs.

The robed man opened his book, and began to recite:

"Cursed, wretched Blair, spawn of the Dynasty bound by Sin. Evil will never again take root in this world, not through you or your offspring." As he spoke, shrill sirens began to ring, deafened by the thick walls of the room. Undisturbed the man continued.

"Your cursed blood will be wiped from this earth, it will not find another fertile soil to corrupt."

The lines of the circle began to glow in a blinding light, and finally Maria could find a remote scratch of courage to speak, even though her voice cracked with every word. "Why are you doing this, who are you, what did I do wrong?!"

Her words fell on deaf ears. The sounds outside grew more dire. Gunfire, screams, the sickening sound of flesh torn from bone. None of it perturbed the man.

"Your bones will become ash, so that no beast or twisted soul will pray to them for their dark salvation. Your ash shall be scattered to the winds, erased from the world, from time, from memory. With your death the world shall finally be free from the dark of the beasts, and free of Sin. Praise to the Dosett-"

The last words were drowned out by the heavy metal door to the room being burst open, torn out of the wall. Something had thrown the mangled suited body against it. Then another figure leaped into the room, a flash of white and crimson. The figure grabbed the man by the collar, letting out an ear-piercing shriek. The book fell out of the mans hands, causing the lines to cease glowing. Maria had her hands over her ears, but she could not stop watching. Watching the figure throw the man against the wall, and smash his head against the wall. Once, and he was dead. Twice and his skull cracked and on the third it splattered, the open neck spraying out blood and coating the figure completely. Finally it was motionless, and she could stare at her savior with terror, and awe.

Her savior was a woman, dressed in a suit-top and skirt, the original colours drowned out by the blood and gore. Her arms were covered in black scales. She slowly turned around, and their eyes met. Never for the rest of her life would Maria forget this moment. The absolute glee written in the face of this demon, the sharp, monstrous teeth, the slavering tongue that hung out of her mouth, and those haunting, golden eyes, so full of malice and yet so very empty. Maria could not move as she was approached. She could only look up, sitting in a puddle, at her savior. Watch as she bent her knees, and reached out her hand.

"And so we meet at last, my master." Despite her gruesome appearance, the voice of the woman was soft, a string of velvet to choke the life out of an unsuspecting victim. "You, are Madame Blair, and I am your most loyal servant." Her smile shrunk, sparing the terrified girl the sight of her teeth. "I am Sin and I will be your weapon. Will you accept me, your highness?" The lure was plain even for Maria to hear, but her mind had long since stopped thinking today. She reached out and held onto the scaled arm of Sin with both of hers, clinging for dear life. Her despair only caused the demon to chuckle. "I did not expect the last heir to be this adorable. Worry not, Sin will take care of everything." From one moment to another Sin had swept Maria off of her feet, carrying her out of the room like a groom her bride. Every room they passed was more viciously demolished than the last. Limbs, organs, bones and crushed furniture dominated the scene, a sight so mortifying that Maria rather looked into the haunting, empty eyes of her savior, clinging to her neck.

They exited the manor. The sirens were still howling, and the sound of a whole fleet of cars arriving deafened out the quiet peace the scenery previously had. "Ah, what a pain." She stared down at Maria. "Forgive me, my master. But you must sleep for this moment. Punish me as you please when you wake up."

With every word the world grew darker around her, her mind began to shut down. Before oblivion fully overtook her, one last question left her lips.

"What did I do wrong?"