Hektor looked at his wife suspiciously after his grandson and son in law departed. "What are you planning?"

Olivia looked back at him, she smiled slyly one more and said nothing.  He shook his head and grinned. He knew just what she had done, and she knew that he knew. 

"Mother, what are you going to do?" Thalia demanded.

Her harsh words and threatening tone pulled the couple out of their thoughts and brought them back to the moment. They had actually forgotten that their daughter was still there. When their children were young, they never forgot when their children were in the room or area with them. Now that the children were all grown up, they often got lost in the world that was their love, and their children were forgotten. Especially when they were doing nothing but annoying their parents. Which is what Thalia was doing. 

Olivia laughed and smiled at her daughter. She was never one to get angry, even if she did, she didn't stay that way for long. "You'll see."

Thalia glared at the two of them. Pouting in the way that she always did when she didn't get her way before vanishing. Leaving her parents in a fit of laughter. She may be a grown woman, but whenever she did that, all they saw was their daughter six years old again, red faced and pouting that same pout after throwing a momentous tantrum because she couldn't get her way. Really? Did she really think things would ever change?

"How long have you known?" Hektor asked her softly as he ran his fingers through her hair. 

She smiled and stroked his face as she had Alekzandors. "I've always known. You can't keep secrets from me. Not that you were trying to in this case. Usually I let these things be, but I know from the first moment Alekzandor came to us. But you, ever the stoic, wanting them to figure things out for themselves, didn't say anything, and it was almost too late. So I meddled a bit to put things back on track."

Hektor kissed her hand before pulling her up from her seat. "Well this sets things in motion. Finally. I swear that Thalia is dense, and Alekzandor inherited it."

Olivia chuckled. "Soon they will realize that you have a plan for everyone. Even if they can't figure it out right off the bat."

He smiled at her playfully. "I have plans for you."

"Oh do you now?" She giggled. 

"Yes, I need to punish you for interfering."

She threw her head back and laughed. "And if I hadn't, you would have been too late."

She shrieked when he playfully smacked her bottom, then she laughed playfully. "I have a point, and you're just too proud to admit it. Why can't you just thank me?"

"I will." Hektor promised. "After I punish you."

Olivia laughed, knowing she would enjoy it.

_ _ _ _ _

"So what's going on?" Graeson asked casually when they arrived back at the mortal realm. 

Once again they were in Alyson's room. She was sound asleep, the last of the wick in Alekzandor's candle had been swallowed by the melted wax. The flame extinguished by the liquid. Alekzandor had stopped for a moment. His eyes on Alyson, lost in her dreams. His grandmothers words repeated once again in his mind.

"Son?" Graeson asked drawing Alekzandor's attention back to the moment. "What exactly am I doing here?"

"Just a moment." Alekzandor said softly, "There's something I need to do."

"Why are you talking so quietly?"

From the sleeping form on the bed, the words came out in a slur, "Shh, sleeping. Good dreams, no wake up. Shhh."

Graeson stared at Alyson for a moment in complete and utter shock. He'd just been scolded by a mortal. A sleeping mortal at that. He looked back at his son who was grinning. 

"She's clairvoyant?" He asked barely audible for any mortal ears. 

Alekzandor nodded as he bent down and touched the completely melted candle. The puddled of wax instantly reformed into a full candle once more and he took from the pedestal and placed it under Alyson's pillow, motioning his father follow him to the other side of the room. They sat in the chair available and talked through their minds. 

Yes, she's clairvoyant.

How long have you known? Graeson couldn't help but ask. I thought the gift was all by extinct. Not even the Divines really have the ability. Besides your grandfather, and we all know why he has it.

Alekzandor nodded his understanding. I first noticed it when she was a child. She would be playing, and I would answer her, out of habit. I didn't really expect an answer, then she would answer me as if she had heard my words, as if I really was playing with her. Whatever I said, she acted like she'd heard me, and would respond in kind. 

Graeson blew out a breath. Well that's something isn't it? I take it, she's the last in her family with that gift. 

Alekzandor nodded. Which is why the grandmother favored her instead of the younger one, Magdalena. Alyson was the only one with the trait. Which, lead the grandmother to believe that Magdalena may not be her biological grandchild.

So Magdalena isn't Alyson's full blooded sister?

Alekzandor shrugged. I've never delved too far into it. Never had a reason to. But from my understanding, any and every child Alyson's father had should have carried the trait. 

So, Magdalena might very well be the product of an affair. Graeson said with a sigh. 

That or she's not sane enough to realize her gift. 

Speaking of sane son, Graeson said looking at him. Why am I here? You still haven't told me. 

I need your help to grant a request Alyson asked of me. 

And what exactly was that request?

Alekzandor drew a breath. To restore sanity to her mother and stepfather and find a way to stop Magdalena's plans. Whatever they may be.

Which is why you need my help. Graeson nodded understanding. Well then what are we waiting for?

Alekzandor looked at his father. "The right time."

- - - - - - -

Graeson had to hand it to his son, the man knew just what to wait for, and what to do to make it happen. After being enlightened about the situation, and what his role would be, Graeson could see this was his son's element. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear that Alekzandor himself was clairvoyant. But it was a trait that Hektor didn't pass on. Why he didn't know. 

Alekzandor knew what to wait for, and what to do once it was the right time. He may even know what would happen once all parties woke up. But that wasn't predicting the future as people thought. It was simply his Divinity. Alekzandor could predict what would happen because it was within his power to do so. If there was insanity, Alekzandor would know the outcome. 

Looking at his son now, who was staring rather intently at one of the many posters on the young woman's walls, Graeson wondered for the upteenth time, how Thalia had missed this. How she could possibly miss the fact that their son was heartbroken and suffering was beyond him. They had all thought that Alekzandor may have finally found his match with Alyson, but for whatever reason, she was now betrothed, and unable to get out of the marriage. While they all mourned for the youngest Divine, Graeson had to wonder just how many of them actually stopped and thought about what Alekzandor must be feeling. 

When the boy was a babe, Thalia almost never let her son go. Graeson didn't get the hold him but a handful of times for the first two years of his life. Then, the awakening began. Usually, a born Divine didn't get the powers till they were six or ten, but Alekzandor's started when he was three. From the first moment that spark of madness awoke, Thalia had all but abandoned the boy. Hektor and Balor could accuse Thalia of not wanting an "evil" Divine for a son all they wanted. They could accuse her of being selfish and not wanting an "embarrassment" for a son all they wanted. Graeson knew the truth, even if Thalia didn't want to admit it. 

She was the essence of Order. If even a speck of dirt was out of line, she find a way to put it back until her fingers bled. She could be very obsessive about it at times. While things were better with Graeson there to calm her, she was still very neat, very orderly, and didn't like anything out of place. Some thought, it was same with her son. Because he was out of place. 

He knew Thalia adored their son, so much so, it made her blind to many things. She avoided him because everything that their son was, was the opposite of her, and it grated her nerves. Being around their boy when his Divinity was active was like swimming in a pool full needles. Because Alekzandor couldn't control his Divinity even now, it was difficult for Thalia to be around him. All she wanted was to be able to hold her son again. Even if it meant finding another Divinity for him. Here lately, she wanted all distractions removed so he could instead focus on controlling his powers. 

But right now, sitting in the mortal woman's room, Graeson didn't sense anything from Alekzandor. 

Graeson looked around the room. Searching for anything to engage conversation. Something other than his line of thinking a second ago. "Did she do all of this?"

"Hm?" Alekzandor looked at him. "I'm sorry?"

"Did Alyson do all of this?" Graeson gestured around the room. 

The room was filled with wall to wall pictures drawn by hand, pieces for making quilts strewn about the place, a large bookshelf on one wall was filled with binders and journals he knew carried stories Alyson had written herself. There was also a chest that was open and filled with dolls she had made herself.

Alekzandor looked around himself and nodded. "Yup. She's been writing and drawing more and more lately. She has a story that she posts on the interspace. It's under a penname, not even Rick knows that it's her who's creating the story. It's not even her only one, just her more popular one."

"And what one would that be?" Graeson asked. 

Alekzandor grinned. "A story about a girl and a werewolf. The one fashioned off of the old story Little Red Riding Hood."

Graeson's jaw dropped. "The one with all the . . ."

Alekzandor nodded. "Yup."

Graeson whistled low and long. Even the Divines knew about THAT story. While the old internet and webspace still existed today, it was no longer called those things. it was called interspace. A combination of the two. Technology had advanced, though some places had preferred to go back in some ways. The interspace was still available. Stories and more were posted on there. The Red Wolf, was one such story. 

"I can see why she doesn't want to marry Rick." Graeson said suddenly feeling as if he downed a shot of whiskey. "I believe he's a part of the movement to get some of the stories removed from the interspace."

"Meanwhile he's reading, watching, and being a part as much it all as he can be." Alekzandor grumbled. 

Before Graeson could comment on that, Alekzandor sat straight, frozen in place for a second before looking at his father and nodded. They quickly left the room and descended onto the lower levels. 

- - - - - - -

Alekzandor found his quarry just where he knew they would be. The second floor. Each floor had a purpose. The first, living space, dining area, and kitchen. The second, was for the married triple and the babies room. The third floor was for the older children. The attic, was Alyson's domain. She had elected the space for herself. The adults only approved because he had influenced it so. 

Magdalena as snoring away on the rather large bed in the master bedroom. A look of complete and utter bliss as she was sprawled out of the silk sheets. Her large stomach jutted out from her body, the baby within moving so much both men were surprised the mother was still asleep. Too keep it that way for the time being, the two cast out their aura's and all the mortals within the house would sleep till they retracted it. 

Instead of starting with the problem itself, Alekzandor left the master bedroom, and headed to the smaller one where the parents were sleeping. Curled up together in a smaller bed. He nodded to his father. The two stood at the foot of the bed and held out their hands. Immediately, the mortals heads began to glow two different colors. One a bright yellow the other a pitch black. The black being the more dominant. 

Once again, Alekzandor heard his father whistle low and long. "They have more insanity than not."

Alekzandor nodded, "I know, I'm a little sorry to say I didn't have any part in how they got this bad, I may have played on it a few times, but they got this bad on their own."

While Graeson held the mortal's sanity in place, Alekzandor pulled out the insanity. Once most of it was removed, only a little remained, Graeson then bolstered the sanity. Making it stronger so the insanity that remained wouldn't grow anymore. They walked out of the room, and in Alekzandor's hand was the insanity he had pulled from the parents. He walked back into the room where Magdalena was still snoring. He stared at her form, and then down to the insanity in his hand. He knew if he did this, there would be no going back. One, perhaps two, lives would be lost. But he could see the result as well. Yes, there would be horror, yes, there would be death, but out of the tragedy, Ethan's life long wish would finally be granted, and a new Lord would emerge. Now that he was sane, Ethan's reign, and the reign of his heirs would be a peaceful and prosperous one. 

So what did Alekzandor want to do? Have one glorious night of horror and insanity, or a steady build of it over many years. In which Alyson would be hurt. Ethan would never be satisfied with Magdalena. Not when the one he wanted was asleep two floors up. In the end, he extended his arm so his hand was just over Magdalena's head. Her mind's state was instantly visual. She already had a black spot of madness that was pretty big. Her actions weren't caused by insanity. Mostly, she was selfish and self absorbed. 

He released the insanity he'd been holding and it fell onto Magdalena's head. Instantly being absorbed into her mind. The once mostly yellow mind was now completely black. He backed out of the room and met his dad in the hallway. 

"Do you want me to stay?"

Alekzandor shook his head. "No. Your part is done, and mom needs you now."

"Alekzandor, about your mother  . . . ."

"I know."

His dad didn't say another word just vanished. 

- - - - - 

Thalia was pacing in her living room when Graeson arrived home. She was so lost in thought for a few moments she didn't notice him come in. Her eyes were on the floor, a steel gray carpet, on a white tiled floor. Her white walls gleamed as the sunlight came in through thick pale blue glass windows casting a sea green glow over the room. When she finally raised her head and sighed, she noticed him. 

"Oh Graeson!" She threw herself in his arms and collapsed against him. 

"I wasn't gone that long."

She looked up at him and glared. "That's not what's wrong and you know it."

"Okay, my bruised ego aside, what is wrong?"

"My parents! Our son!"

She stood and began pacing again. "I keep trying to go back to their realm, but they have locked it. No one can get it in or out."

"They probably want some privacy." Graeson pointed out. 

Thalia winced. "Do not put that image in my head. They're my parents."

"They are also adults, who need adult time." He continued. "Just because things didn't go the way you wanted, doesn't mean they've locked you out specifically not to deal with you anymore."

"You sure?" She threw at him. "My father is petty enough."

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

There was a snapping sound, and Thalia's hands flew up to the back of her head as she looked around her room. "Really dad!?"

Graeson could all but feel Hektor's laughter. He shook his head and looked at his wife. "You need to leave him alone."

Thalia stopped and looked at him. She knew who he meant by that. "He needs help. I just can't sit back and do nothing."

"You can, and you will, because it's what he needs right now."

"What do you mean!? 'What he needs right now'!? He needs to control his powers! Or he needs a new one!! I can't even be in the same room as my own son Graeson!"

"I know, but dear, you are so worked up trying to 'help' him so you can hold him again, that you are blind to the one thing that really can help him."

Thalia sat down and stared at him. "But, she's to be married. . . ."

"And maybe that's what your parents are working on."

She sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. I just don't know."

She broke down crying, and all Graeson could do was hold his wife. 

- - - - -

She had been having such a good dream. She was sitting a field of blue grass, the sky above was clouded over with light gray clouds. The clouds made the sky look as if it were an ocean of gray waters. It was beautiful. She sat on a black and white checkered picnic blanket. Beside her was a picnic basket filled with her favorite goodies. On her other side there was a man. She knew it was Alekzandor, though she had never seen his face before. His face had always been shrouded, or she had never been able to look directly at him. But there was no filter now, nothing keeping her head down in submission, she was able to look up and look at him. 

Excited, she started to do just that, but when she did, her eyes fluttered open. The first thing she noticed was the playpen that had been put away was opened up, pushed back into its corner, and inside was the sleeping forms of Julia and Larissa. That was very odd, considering she had put them to bed in their own beds, in their own bedroom, which was two floors down next to the master bedroom. She got up and walked over to the little cube made of mesh, metal, and a foam mattress. Inside the two were sleeping peacefully.  Each curled around stuffed animals and covered in their little patchwork quilts. What were they doing in here? This corner had been where her table and quilt works were when she fell asleep. No one could have moved everything without waking her. At least, no human could. 

She froze. No. No human could have, that only meant . . .

She slowly turned and looked behind her. Under the skylight, as the moon came through the clouds, shining it's light down into her room, sitting in a recliner, his elbow rest on the arm resting, his fist curled up slightly as he cheek rested against it, was Alekzandor. Who else could it be? Even Rick wasn't crazy enough to sneak through four floors to get into her bedroom. (One of the reasons she chose this room.) 

His attire was all black. Black combat boots, pants, shirt, even a black trench coat. She had expected black hair, and dark eyes, but instead she saw blue hair that was fell to the back of his neck and into his eyes. Cut to frame his face and head. She couldn't guess at the color of his eyes as they were still shrouded in dark night. 

Of all the things she had envisioned, this was not one of them. 

"My Lord, what are you . . ."

Before she could finish her question there was a shrilly scream she recognize as her mother's. She moved to leave, but she stopped when Alekzandor stood. 

"You can go, no time will have passed, though once you leave that door, it will start up again."

She looked back at the two toddlers sleeping. "What about them?"

"They're in a barrier, they can't hear anything. I suggest, once you reach the third floor, you send the rest of the children up here. I don't think the, situation, will leave the second floor, but just to be safe, they'd be better off up here."

She nodded. "What do you need me to do?"

He looked her in the eye, "You need to see."

She didn't need to hear anymore. She quickly ran out of her room and down the stairs to the third floor, the other children were already emerging from their rooms. 

"Get upstairs, now!" She ordered them as a second scream rang out. "Lock the door behind you!"

She ran down the other stairs and stopped frozen on the second floor. The door to the master bedroom was swung wide open, she could see blood. She looked to the bedroom across the hall as her mother and Ethan came running out. Both looked shocked, horrified even, but they didn't appear to be physically harmed. She was about to sigh in relief when she saw where the blood was coming from. Magdalena stepped out of the room, a knife in hand. 

"I did as you asked." She heard Alekzandor say behind her. "Ethan's and Angela's sanity has been restored, but all that madness had to go somewhere."

"You put it in Magdalena." 

"Yes."

"Why?" Alyson asked. "Wasn't she already insane?"

"No."

Alyson wondered if this was where she was supposed to be horrified, if she was supposed to be sickened by what he'd done. If anything, she felt relieved, and she understood. If Magdalena had concocted all of those plans while sane, then the only way for her to do something that would put her in her place was for her to be insane, or deemed insane. Alyson wanted to say something more, would have, but just as before in her room, time seemed to have stopped, and now, it was moving forward again. 

"You!" Magdalena said in an extremely hoarse voice. 

Alyson watched, her eyes going back and forth between her parents and her sister. Magdalena only had eyes on Ethan as she spoke. Ethan himself had paled visibly at the sight before him. Apparently just now getting a good look at Magdalena and her state. Her nightgown was ripped and shredded open, now soaked in blood from the three wounds she had on her round stomach. Blood and more leaked from those wounds onto the floor. Given the bloody knife in her hand, and her hands covered in blood, it was clear who had stabbed her. Yet, somehow, Magdalena was still conscious, still moving. Her eyes glued on Ethan. 

"Magdalena . . . . what?" Ethan began to say, but unable to speak beyond that. Words failed him at the moment. Too shocked to think clearly. 

"I told you to never have sex with her again!" Magdalena yelled. "I told you!"

Something finally seemed to snap together in Ethan's mind. Alyson watched as he pushed her mother behind him and moved towards the stairs, Magdalena's eyes on them the whole time. When Ethan was finally between Magdalena and her mother, pushed her toward the stairs. "Go Angela! Run! Call the police, and whatever you do, do NOT come back up those stairs! Take the lift, find the children and get them out!"

Alyson could see, as much her mother hated the idea of leaving Ethan, she did as she was told. Alyson stepped back into the corner that was available to her, she could feel that Alekzandor was in the corner to her left across the hall. She imagined he was quite at home in that moment. He was in his element after all. Madness. 

To accent that point, Magdalena's voice once again rasped out, and all were listening to her deranged ramblings. Not that they had much of a choice. She was armed, while weak, she could still wield it and do some damage. Alyson knew that's the only reason Ethan didn't rush her as soon as Angela was out of sight. 

"I told you if you wanted more children you were to never, NEVER, sleep with her again." Magdalena threw her arms this way and that as she spoke, as if trying to accent her point. Instead, she looked like a drunk woman trying to hang her coat. All the while, the knife was firmly gripped in her dominant hand. "I told you to sleep with only me! That I was to be your main wife! Me! ME! ME!! Not her! I am younger, prettier, smarter, and am able to bear children! I am the perfect image of what a Lord's wife, a Lady of the land, should be like!"

Magdalena suddenly held still. Too still. She didn't even appear to be breathing. She tilted her head till it was almost touching her shoulder, holding her arms at an awkward angle. feet spread apart, as if ready to spring forward at any moment. 

"Did you think I wouldn't find out? Did you think you could sneak off and do who ever you wanted behind my back? Did you?"

"No, Magdalena, that is not what I thought." Ethan said in a firm clear voice. 

"I could have given you everything you wanted." She said holding her body in that frightening way, stepping to the side slightly. "And you would have provided me with everything I'd ever wanted."

"And what would that be?" Ethan asked stepping forward a bit. 

Magdalena seemed to not notice the movement. "To be first."

"What do you mean by first?" 

"Alyson was always preferred by grandmother, because she was so much like father. Mother always gave Alyson things first." Alyson didn't think it was possible, but Magdalena's head dipped further down, looking as if it was broken. Alyson could see her sister's reflection in the mirror, that Magdalena's eyes were wide, almost bulging out of her head. "Even you, my husband, wanted her to be your wife. I overheard you and mom talking, she wouldn't have been your second wife, she would have been equal with mother. Whereas I, am merely a lowly second wife. I have no duties, no real purpose other than your own pleasure and siring children when you wanted them. Which was almost immediately. One after the other. that's always good for. In your eyes, that's all I'd ever be good for.

But as your main wife, with mother out of the picture, I would have been able to prove to you that I was better than mother at everything. But first, I needed to remove the only thing that made her the main wife. Took me a couple years, but I finally did it. Once I was the main wife, I would be able to prove how perfect I was."

Ethan and Alyson both looked at Magdalena stunned. "You are the reason Angela can't get pregnant anymore?"

Alyson stared at her sister's reflection as Magdalena's mouth fell open so a thin line was open, the corners rising slightly. "And what if I am? There's nothing you can do to reverse the damage that has been done. Even if you could, I doubt very much that you'd want to. After all, she's just abandoned you. She's left you all alone, but I never will my dear husband. I can do everything she did for you and more! I am still young, I can still bear you a lot of children. I can be the loving wife, doting mother, and perfect Lady of the Land that you need."

"No Magdalena, I don't think you can." Ethan said softly. 

Magdalena's arms fell slightly, but her head and feet were still in the same terrifying position. The look on her face had changed as well, instead of the insane smile she had on her face before, it was now a look of confusion. "What do you mean my love?"

Ethan merely looked down at the holes in her stomach then to puddle of blood and clear fluid on the floor before looking back at her face. "How is the baby?"

Alyson didn't think about that. Of course, Magdalena wouldn't try to kill herself in a fit of rage, she looked at Alekzandor, the time in the room stopping as she did so. "What about the baby?"

He looked at her soberly. "The body is lost, but I assure you that the soul is not. The baby will be given to another family. Apparently, my grandmother already has the perfect family in mind for it."

There was nothing more Alyson could say or do. Yes, the body was dead, but at least the soul would get a better chance at living. She hoped the child's soul was a patient one, otherwise the mother who was going to carry it was going to suffer immensely once the babe figured out it could move inside it's mother. 

Time began to tick again, and Magdalena was still looking at Ethan confused. "Why are you asking about the baby? The baby's fine."

"Is it?" Ethan asked. 

Once again Ethan looked at the carnage state of her stomach, then to the puddle on the floor. Magdalena followed his gaze. First seeing the red, then the damage. Alyson saw recognition flash across her sister's face in the mirror, and knew, Magdalena was now aware that her child was lost.  While Alyson may not have given birth yet, she had raised many of her siblings to know what being a mother was like, and for a moment, her heart broke for the mother who had lost her child. Then she remembered that Magdalena was the one who did the damage to herself. Alekzandor may have planted the madness, but it was Magdalena who made the choice to harm her baby. 

Magdalena's scream of anguish fill the air. She fell to her knees. The effects of the blood loss and the injuries finally taking their toll on her. She began crying, but it was not like any cry Alyson had ever heard before. It was distorted, raspy, and wrong. She couldn't tell if her sister was physical pain or not, but the emotional pain was clear to see. 

Ethan began to inch forward, despite her breakdown, Magdalena had yet to release her death grip off the knife. Slowly he inched forward, he looked up once realizing that Alyson was there. They held eyes for a moment, and in them, Alyson saw none of the previous desire he once held for her. In them, she saw just a worried man, a worried father. She merely nodded, and pushed herself further back against the wall. The movement cause Magdalena's attention, despite her reflection being in clear view in the mirror, Magdalena had apparently been unaware of any other person besides Ethan until Alyson moved. 

Magdalena's wails stopped. Her head slowly turned toward Alyson was standing, her hair dragging through the puddle of blood and fluid on the floor as she did so. Her eyes were once again wide, but her expression was almost completely blank as she looked up at Alyson. While it wasn't written on her face, Alyson knew her sister was furious. The mad fury of an insane woman. And it was Alyson's fault. 

"You." Magdalena rasped softly. "You did this. You killed my baby."

Before anyone could blink Magdalena was on her feet once more, lunging for Alyson. Her shrilly scream filled the air and the knife was raised high. Both men moved, one unseen to everyone but Alyson. 

"Alyson run!"

Even if it hadn't been both men who had shouted that, she would have done exactly what they said. She slid left as Magdalena went crashing into the corner she formerly stood and took off for the stairs, she dared a look back. Alekzandor was gripping Magdalena's neck, Alyson saw all the light, the life, leave her sister's eyes, and the body fall back against the wall dead. The knife had been dropped when she hit the wall, and Ethan's efforts went to retrieving the knife first and foremost. When he looked up, he saw the same thing Alyson did, Magdalena was dead. 

Alyson went to stop herself from running, but the motion did not go as planned. Instead of catching her, Alyson's foot slipped on the puddle and the last thing Alyson saw before she black was her stepfathers and Alekzandor's shocked and worried expressions. She was sure the shriek was her own, but it was lost as the two men shouted her name. She fell backwards. The back of her head hitting one of the stairs, Alyson felt, heard, and saw nothing after that. 

_ _ _ _ 

A/N : Quite possibly my longest chapter yet. 

Yes this one got gory, I told  you it would. Here after, I don't think things will get as gory, but I don't know, we are talking about the realm of madness here, and while I may be armed with an outline, I don't know where the story will take me once I start writing. 

The original draft of ROM ended about here. Now I've written a bit more, trying to figure out where I was going with the story and I might use it in the next chapter if I don't decide to do things a bit differently. 

This is also vastly different than what happened in the original draft. Or I should saw, the rough draft. In it, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason for anything Magdalena did, and it got a lot gorier. But I decided to not do it because, well, this is the internet and total strangers are reading this. 

So for those of you who didn't quit the story and still plan on reading, thank you and welcome to the Realm of Madness. The fun is begins now.