“DADDY!!! YOU TRICKED ME!” squeals Punkin from within Kylan’s light.

Calling out to the souls consumed by Quinn, Cer reaches out with the Shriver’s prayer bracelet. “Come on home to find peace!”

Responding with a strange shrilling voice, Quinn’s body curses at Cer, Miyas, and Punkin. “I WILL DEVOUR YOU!!! The RITE WILL RAISE ME ONCE AND FOR ALL!!”

Twirling her ribbons in the air, Miyas begins to mutter as she outlines constellations of stars and moons only she could see.

Immediately reacting to Miyas’ movements, the shrill voice screams “YOU CANNOT STOP WHAT HAS NO END! THE DARKNESS WILL REIGN AFTER I CONSUME HER LIGHT!!.... UNBIND ME!”

Burning brighter, the light emanating from Kylan and Punkin reflects off the magical constellations drawn by Miyas and create a cage of light around Quinn, continuing to incinerate any shadows that come from Quinn’s body.

Walking slowly forward towards Quinn, Cer begins to siphon the remaining souls untainted by darkness contained within Quinn’s body. “Don’t hurt her, Miyas. I can see her. Pupu, come meet your aunt. We need to welcome her back.”

“NO! She is being bad. SHE IS IN TIME OUT!” shouts Punkin as she stomps in the air, causing an unseen force to ripple through the air.

Chuckling with delight, the shrilling voice taunts Punkin. “Yes. I will kill you all when you let me go. Come here so we can play in the darkness!”

Looking back at Quinn, Miyas shouts directly to Cer. “I see what you see. No soul can hide from the eyes of Devastation. Even the dark side of the moon eventually sees the light. And even if it is in darkness, it is the same moon, waiting to reflect the light of the Sun.”

Raising the right hand towards Quinn, Cer reaches out and makes a gentle request. “Quinn, I know you are there. Will you at least come and meet your niece before you go? She is so much like you. She loves the purple flowers of the pomzure just like you do.”

Reaching back telepathically, Quinn pleads “Help me, kuya! I can’t break free. It’s so dark and so cold in here. Why did you leave me alone with her so long? Free me from the cage she made of me, Kuya. Don’t let get to Pupu. It needs her to complete the Rite.”

Shouting back to Miyas, Cer yells, “You got that, Miyas?”

Smiling, Miyas responds under her breath. “Sure did. We found you!”

Whipping her arms downward then flicking her wrists up, Miyas mutters quietly. “Byndando.”

Suddenly the shrill voice screams as Quinn’s body thrashes within the cage made of light.

“Bad witch!” screams Punkin as she descends from the air without Kylan dropping its guard.

Watching intently as Quinn’s aura thrashes, Cer sees ribbons made of an auric mana grasping an inner aura of pink and purple light within the gray aura of Quinn’s body. Just like old times huh, Miyas. Catch and bind. Who knew we could do that with mana or auras and not just materia. Pretty awesome.

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Smiling, Miyas responds aloud. “I actually didn’t know if it would work. Funny thing is, half the time I am not sure anything I try will work. Nobody ever finished training me. You and Quinn got lucky being trained by Mother. I was trained by Claire! She was a freagin’ kid like us!”

Responding telepathically, Cer raises both hands and begins to form hand sigils. Sometimes I think you got the better end of the bargain. Let’s finish this. Wrap her up and separate her from that demon so I can Shrive it.

Closing Cer’s eyes, Cer disappears with a *SNAP* and reappears behind Quinn, placing the hand with the prayer beads on Quinn’s back between her shoulder blades and the other hand on her skull, gripping her in place. “Famished after our Fallow! The third eye calls upon you! AWAKEN! It is time to Feast.”

Suddenly, Quinn’s voice screams simultaneously as the shrilling voice wails in anguish as the two voices fill the air.”

Feeling scared that she can hear Quinn’s voice in agony within the shrilling voice of anguish, Punkin begins to burn brighter while trying to cover her ears “Oh no!!! She has two voices. It’s SCARY, DADDY! HELP HER, DADDY. SHE IS SCARED LIKE ME!”

“I WILL KILL YOU ALL!!! YOU CANNOT HAVE HER BACK! QUINN IS MINE!” screams the shrilling demonic voice while it begins to pull Quinn’s life force with it as Cer continues to draw it into the prayer beads through Cer’s hand.

“NO! YOU CAN’T! BAD GHOST!” yells Punkin, right before launching herself at Quinn’s body with the force of a crashing sun.

Just as she reaches Quinn’s body, time and space stop as soon as her arms wrap around Quinn’s body and Kylan wraps around Quinn, Cer, and herself.

Oooh, Pupu, is that you? Cer calls out with telepathy.

Responding, Punkin giggles telepathically. It’s fluffy in here. So soft and warm. Auntie, your heart’s room is so fluffy.

Sniffling, Quinn’s heart responds. Why are you two here? I said to end me. Free me from this cage we call my body. I have been bound to that demon so long, I don’t think I can survive without it. I can’t be alone with it or without it.

Running up to hug Quinn’s soul, Punkin giggles. We are here. You aren’t alone. Come out to play with me.

As soon as Punkin reaches Quinn’s soul, they burn bright and hot and the dark shadow that was hanging onto Quinn begins to fade as it incinerates.

Opening their eyes just moments after Punkin rushed to Quinn, Quinn’s body falls limp towards the floor, being caught by Cer before making contact with the ground.

Placing Quinn down slowly to lay on the floor, Cer stands up and stretches and yawns while reaching down to pat Punkin on the head. “Good girl. I had no idea you could do that. Much stronger than me or your mom.”

Walking cover casually, Miyas rolls up her ribbon wands. “So what happened? Our connection went dead and I couldn't hear or talk to you two anymore. You get that thing off her?”

“Sure did. Thanks for the help. You and Pupu really saved the day that time. Let’s wake her up.” Responds Cer as Cer bends over to try to shake Quinn awake.

“NO!” yells Punkin as she smacks her dad’s hand before Cer can wake Quinn. “She is napping! Never stop a nap!”

“She is right. We will keep her company. You go into town and do what you do with ghosts and demons. You must be ‘famished’ anyway.” chides Miyas as she patronizes Cer.

Standing up and beginning to walk towards Efatas, Cer waves back. “Fine Fine. Watch Pupu and stay out of trouble. I’ll be back. Doesn’t look like any of the bound people could leave the place anyway. Quinn’s bubble seems to be keeping them in there.”

Giggling with a childlike voice, Miyas changes into her child form and sits next to Punkin, both leaning against Quinn’s limp body. “We’ll be safe. The Reaper’s Rite can’t be done anyway, the demon missed its window. I tricked it with the false moons I drew.”

Yawning, Punkin stretches out and curls up next to Quinn and goes to sleep.

Thinking to herself, Miyas resolves to rest instead of watch guard. Poor kiddo, she is tired. I’m tired too. “Kylan, Titan, you two stand guard. We are going to nap”

Blowing a large bubble around them all, Titan snuggles up against Punkin and begins to breathe deep as it falls asleep.

Wrapping around all of them within the bubble, Kylan changes color and forms a rigid structure, creating an illusion of a giant rock, to conceal the napping witches and the naga.

Whispering in her sleep, Quinn mutters. “Thank you Pupu. Who knew, unwanted company can make me feel so wanted?”

Exhaling one final time before slipping back into a deep sleep, Quinn mutters again. “No.. I wanna wait for Jacob..Mother…No…I’m scared….”