Scarlet’s eyes fluttered open, her senses prickling with the awareness of an unfamiliar presence. Her blood reacted instinctively, forming a semi-transparent barrier around her as she scanned the dimly lit room.
The rich, crimson decor of Elizabeth’s castle enveloped her in a familiar comfort; they’d brought in more decorations at some point, the countess continuing to furnish her newly built castle. The heavy, velvet drapes were drawn back, revealing a star-studded sky and the crimson glow of the twin moons, casting an eerie, yet beautiful, light into the room.
You have to be kidding me… Ugh!
With a sigh, Scarlet threw off her blankets, the weight of sleep still clinging to her; she felt so tired and heavy, as if her bones were lead.
Great, just what I needed, she thought, eyeing the silhouette of a blonde woman sitting casually on the terrace. I wonder who this could be—not! Will I get any more surprise visitors? I hope not. Where’s Rachel?
“Rise and shine, Scarlet,” Twilight’s mature voice was calm, almost teasing, as she stared off into the night; from the tainted breeze floating into her room, she was sipping a cup of some fancy tea. “I see you’ve grown a bit more of a spine since last we met…or should I say fangs?”
Scarlet rolled her eyes, feeling a mix of annoyance and reluctant amusement—she wasn’t even scared! She slipped out of bed, her feet touching the cold, stone floor.
Why does she always have to show up unannounced? she mused, her irritation tempered by a growing sense of grudging respect. She’s not as bad as I initially thought. Just a lot of trouble… At least from what I remember from our Soul Expansion talk.
As she approached the terrace, she noticed the coffin resting against the wall. Her vampiric eyes quickly adjusted, revealing the serene, perfectly preserved form of her father inside. Relief washed over her.
At least that’s one less thing to worry about. Now…is there a way to resurrect him? Not like this mysterious chick is going to tell me.
Twilight didn’t turn around, her gaze fixed on the crimson ocean, reflecting the glowing orange and red lunar spheres in the heavens. Scarlet joined her, taking a deep breath of the cool night air with its iron and salt scent.
“You don’t even remember the last time we met,” Scarlet noted, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips. “You told me that yourself, so don’t try to act like you know everything. I know things you don’t; so eat your heart out, you annoying meddler! I feel like I’m in an anime,” she giggled.
Twilight chuckled, a soft, almost wistful sound. “Touché,” she replied, finally turning to face her. She handed her a cup of hot chocolate that Scarlet swore wasn’t there a second ago, the rich scent mixed with the familiar tang of blood. “I made this for you.”
“Humph. Show-off,” Scarlet mumbled, accepting the cup nonetheless. The warmth seeped into her cold hands, and the smell she breathed was mixed with a few oddly sweet things that made blood wet her mouth.
“Why do you always have the best stuff? You’re like that end-game villain that shows up throughout the story to make the heroine stronger for some obscure, half-unbelievable reason. Did you get everything you wanted?” she asked.
Sipping at the chocolate, she couldn’t help a tear running down her cheek as the blonde’s pink eyes returned to their original green color. The flavor was rich and sweet, and a shiver ran through her frame as the blissful images of her parents returned.
“…That’s unfair,” Scarlet gulped with the woman’s suddenly kind eyes on her, brushing away a bloody tear. It only lasted a second, but it was a powerful second, taking her back to the elixir Elizabeth had given her when disguised as her daughter. “Can I know anything about you? Why can’t you just be honest with me? Why are you doing this for me, because it’s not connected to how we grew up together.”
Twilight’s expression was unexpectedly reflective as she rose to her feet and walked to the bloody railing to lean against it; a subtle happiness in her eyes caught Scarlet off guard, her words soft and filled with a sense of accomplishment.
“Mmm. That’s far too hard of a question for me to answer, Scarlet… I have my own fears and insecurities, you know.” She shifted her back to the barrier and pulled her bangs behind her left ear as the wind fluttered her emerald dress. “Do you feel better now that you’ve met more people like you?”
Scarlet’s sips paused, and the silence stretched between them as the pieces fell into place.
Twilight’s seemingly random interventions, the bloody nature of this legend quest, Elizabeth’s involvement—it all began to make sense.
“You’ve…been exposing me to vampires and this place, not just to counteract my Seed from taking over, but…” She looked up at the small smile the blonde wore. “You did this to help me accept myself by drawing me closer to this semi-vampiric side I have?”
“Well?” Twilight’s smile widened, a genuine warmth in her mysterious eyes. “Do you feel a little less alone after meeting Cássia, Illa, and Elizabeth?”
A strange mix of gratitude and exasperation filled her chest as she laughed. Rising to her feet and joining her by the railing to stare over Elizabeth’s vampiric world with its endless, bloody ocean, Scarlet breathed out a gentle breath before nodding.
“Thank you,” she finally whispered. “I do feel better. This legend quest, meeting Elizabeth—it’s helped. I guess you could say, I don’t feel like the only girl with a special diet anymore…and not all vampires are bad.”
“Good.” The blonde looked up at the castle’s high spires, her gaze wandering to various parts of the giant fortress. “You’re not alone, Scarlet. Remember that.”
The two stood in an odd sense of companionable silence as the woman turned, and they watched the crimson waves ripple under the lunar glow. For the first time in a long while, Scarlet felt a sense of belonging enter her heart, a small, precious thread of connection in the vast tapestry of her existence. She had some destiny to fulfill, sure, but she wasn’t alone.
Finally, she thought, a wry smile playing on her lips, a bit of peace in this chaos. Maybe life isn’t so bad, and I might be able to get my father back…my family back. I can have it all… Rachel’s family, Mom, Dad…and maybe Twilight could even grow on me.
Twilight’s voice broke the silence, softer now, almost hesitant, drawing her out of her reverie. “You know, Scarlet, I don’t open up to just anyone. Especially not about Rachel, which was your real question earlier.”
Scarlet’s eyebrows arched, curiosity piqued. “Oh? I mean, sure. I just thought it could save a lot of headaches if you two, you know, joined forces or something. I’m kind of just an anime and manga nerd with too much time on her hand, but you two are super geniuses. I can admit that. I’ve just wanted to feel a little more…me, and you helped with that.”
She blinked and laughed, rubbing her neck at the blonde’s melancholy smile. “And that didn’t have anything to do with what you said. I’m here for it, though. The great and mysterious Twilight has insecurities, huh? Who would’ve thought? Not me!”
Twilight chuckled, a genuine sound that seemed to lighten the tense night air and make her feel like they were pulling back a bit of the veil obscuring her former childhood acquaintance.
“Yes, even I have my moments of doubt,” she whispered, her green eyes flashing a rosy pink, and an illusion of the hyper-determined hare appeared in the air, blurring through strikes. “Rachel intimidates me, Scarlet. Plain and simple.”
“Join the club!” Scarlet snorted, resting her elbow against the rail and holding up her chin with her closed fist. “She never quits and is like the energizer bunny! Uh-oh…”
“Hehehe. She’s not listening; she’s preoccupied in her own soul at the moment,” Twilight commented, straightening to hug herself. “She’s… unpredictable. Powerful in ways that I can’t quite counter…which is frightening to me. And then there’s her ability to disrupt everything with her presence alone. It’s…unnerving.”
Scarlet gave her a smirk as another magical cup of hot chocolate and tea appeared between them. Watching the illusion of Rachel spin through her imaginary fight, she sipped her newly acquired drink. “You, unnerved? That’s a first for me. I think Rachel feels the same. You’re this manipulator behind the scenes, pulling so many strings that she can’t follow them. ”
“It’s true,” Twilight quietly admitted, her gaze distant as if recalling painful memories. “I’ve had to struggle for so long in the Red Sea. I may have said 10,000 days…but that was only the initial journey to find my courage. It was a place of isolation, torment…endless trials. It’s hard to let anyone in after that… To trust anyone but myself.
“The memories come, but they don't go,” she mumbled, seeing nightmares past. “I hear the echoes pounding in my head. When did I become something to remember? It could have been centuries ago. I feared being lost forever…without anyone to remember me, and then I met the devil within you—your Seed, and I learned the truth of it.”
Scarlet felt a pang of empathy, something she wasn’t used to feeling so strongly, especially for the blonde she’d spent much of her life trying to avoid. “So, what did the Scarlet Hand do to my Seed? What makes you so wary about it because all I know is what Rachel told me, and she doesn’t know much after the Black Moon stopped empowering her.”
Twilight’s expression darkened, her fingers tightening around the cup she held. “Not the Scarlet Hand… Revilla. She manipulated it…twisted it for her purposes. I was meant to be a weapon, a tool to bring down barriers and unleash higher-dimensional beings.
“My own nature she groomed through my parents; I was made to feel unloved, isolated, and to seek someone who would accept me… The Red Sea was both my prison and my crucible to burn and be refined… Rachel put me through that through her unconscious manipulations… Where do you think I learned the craft?” she asked with a pained laugh.
Scarlet watched her, noting the flicker of vulnerability in Twilight’s eyes. “That sounds…horrible. But you’re here now, doing well—no, running circles around my mom. You’re not just a pawn for someone’s agenda now, right? That’s got to count for something. Unless…you think I’m a shackle on your leg.”
Twilight’s lips curved into a bittersweet smile as her green irises returned and Rachel’s image faded. “It’s not so simple, Scarlet. We’re all playing to the strings of Fate and Destiny…and to break free of that, I’ve become something…else. I don’t know myself anymore,” she whispered, looking up at the moons.
“I want to help you, Scarlet…truly, I do. But the scars of what Revilla has done to me remain, and though it crushed me to my core, the fire Rachel threw me into did set me free. Yet…Rachel’s very presence is also a constant reminder of how fragile control can be. She embodies chaos in a way that terrifies me, and neither of you can fully understand. And yet, she’s also…necessary. It’s why I had to bring in another force of chaos.”
“Necessary?” Scarlet echoed, tilting her head with a somber sigh. “To counter Fate and Destiny? What about those Eldritch creatures that are connected to Revilla?”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Twilight’s gaze drifted to the liquid horizon, her expression contemplative. “It’s all connected. The Eldritch, the Red Sea, the manipulation of our Seeds—it’s a web that binds us all, whether we like it or not. And Rachel…she’s the unpredictable element in all this—Karma.”
Scarlet frowned, her curiosity piqued. “Karma? I thought she was Misfortune, or something. Her whole thing is figuring out how to make people have the worst luck possible. Isn’t it?”
A soft, almost bitter laugh escaped Twilight’s lips. “Rachel…is so much more than misfortune. She’s likely to realize that very soon. I’m sure your Seed learned it when she killed Rachel.”
The woman’s eyes held a distant darkness while staring into the murky ruby sea, and Scarlet knew she didn’t have to experience that crucible because of her. She really did owe this blonde more than she could understand.
“Rachel is chaos incarnate. Her presence disrupts everything. I’ve had to struggle for so long in the Red Sea, Scarlet…learning its secrets to be here talking to you. You can’t even imagine what it’s like—being isolated, tormented…facing endless trials. It’s hard to let anyone in after that…to trust anyone but myself.”
Scarlet sipped her fuzz-inducing hot chocolate, letting the warmth calm her as she processed Twilight’s words. She’s not just some manipulative villain. She’s…broken.
“You wouldn’t tell this to anyone else, would you?” Scarlet asked softly.
Twilight turned to her, a rare vulnerability in her green eyes. “No, I wouldn’t. And I’d appreciate it if you could keep this a secret, even from Rachel and her overactive brain.”
Scarlet smirked, trying to lighten the mood. “Your secret’s safe with me, Twilight. But why trust me with this? What’s changed?”
Twilight’s gaze softened, a hint of a relieving sigh playing on her lips. “Because you’ve changed, Scarlet. You’re no longer just a scared girl trying to survive. You’re becoming someone strong, someone who can understand…at least a little about the burdens we carry, even if I don’t know exactly what that burden is that you and I saw in your Soul Expanse.”
Scarlet felt a connection that surprised her; maybe she could have her own secret friendship. It was unfair, the way she treated Veronica growing up.
“The Red Sea…what was it like?”
Twilight’s expression sobered. Her fingers tightened around her cup, and she took a sip before answering.
“It was a place of isolation, yet of such a unifying connection that it feels maddening. Imagine being in everyone’s mind—every soul in existence…everywhere in existence, and yet…no one sees you. You walk among an endless sea of friends that have forgotten you. No one can share the torment or cursed knowledge you witness.”
Scarlet’s gaze lowered, sharing in the experience, if in a small way. “Well, if you ever need to talk. Then I’m here. I get you have your own goals, and maybe they’ll get us in trouble down the line…but I know now that, at the very least, you’re not really my enemy… Thank you.”
Twilight’s voice softened further, her exhausted eyes showing an inner torment she didn’t show anyone else. “I’m tired, Scarlet. Do you want to know what is truly on my heart…what I really want when this is over…even if it hurts?”
“Of course,” Scarlet whispered, moving closer to bump shoulders, trying to be supportive. “I’ll take this conversation to the grave. And I feel like I’m finally seeing the real you…who I should have seen all along.”
Scarlet’s chest hurt as Twilight drew in her lips, her nose turning red as liquid fell from her shimmering, spent eyes. Twilight’s vulnerable state was so different from the confident, almost omnipotent figure she usually presented.
Twilight took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she began to speak. “I’m running, Scarlet. I’ve been running…fighting for so long that I’ve forgotten what it feels like to stand still. I’m always one step ahead, always thinking, always manipulating. I don’t even know who I am anymore. I’ve been playing so many roles, pulling so many strings in higher dimensions, that I’ve lost myself in the process.”
Scarlet listened, her heart aching for the woman beside her. She’s more broken than I thought, she realized, feeling a strange mix of empathy and frustration.
“I’m tired of being strong all the time,” Twilight continued, her eyes reflecting the torment of her words. “I’m tired of pretending that I don’t care when everything around me falls apart. I’ve been running from my fears, my insecurities, and my own demons beyond those dimensional lines. I’m always chasing freedom, but I don’t even know what it is anymore. I just…I want to stop running.”
Her gaze turned distant, her voice cracking. “I’ve done so many things, Scarlet. I’ve hurt people, manipulated them, all in the name of…you. But at what cost? I’m scared of what I’ve become, of what I might still become. I’m scared of losing myself completely.”
Scarlet reached out, her hand resting on Twilight’s shoulder. “Hey, you’re not alone in this anymore—even if you want to pull away now that you’ve stopped Revilla’s plan to use my Seed. We’ve all done things we regret…I killed my father. You did all of this for me…even if partly selfish for yourself. And you’ve got people here who care—even if only one now… Know I want to help.”
Twilight’s wet eyes met hers, a lost sense of hope in them as she slowly shook her head. “Scarlet, I wish you well—I really do. I love you to death after everything I’ve fought through to see you blossom,” she gulped, hesitantly pulling away from her touch and shaking her head.
“But no, Scarlet… I’m not interested in friends or want help, especially from you.”
“What?” Scarlet sucked in her cheeks, feeling a sharp sting, like a door being firmly slammed in her face. She wasn’t Twilight’s friend, hadn’t even felt that close, but now, it cut deeply for reasons she couldn’t quite express. “What do you mean?”
Shying away and gripping her elbow, Twilight looked at her with a subdued resentment that felt like a victim’s dagger aimed at her tormentor—at her.
“I ask myself every day, haven’t I sacrificed enough for you, Scarlet… Haven’t I? This eternal life in this sea of darkness… I want to be done with spending my whole life lost in your shadow. I want to be done, Scarlet. When this is all finished…I want to forget everything, and just…live the life that was stolen from me…without you.”
She swallowed her emotions, thin lips lifting with a feigned mix of encouragement. “Well, if that’s what you want, then…I guess that’s for the best. You’re strong, Twilight. You’ve been through hell and back, and you’re still standing. Maybe it’s time to stop running and start…living your life. Start figuring out who you are, not, ahem, being in my shadow… Figure out who you’re supposed to be.”
Twilight’s tears fell freely now, and Scarlet could see the scars etched on her face admitting this to her, the fear and frustration at what she truly wanted. “Thank you, Scarlet. I needed to hear that. More than you know.
“I have one last thing to do before I can rest…to kill Revilla, and now I am going to live for that one goal.” She paused, her smile a dagger burying into her own chest that freed her. “I don’t want to lose you, Scarlet…but I don’t want to keep you. You’re such an integral part of my identity now, and that’s why I have to take this path…”
Stepping forward and feeling as if she was letting go of a friend, a mentor she hadn’t realized until it was too late, she embraced Twilight.
“I know you’ll be in the background like my guardian angel, Twilight… I’m sorry I didn’t see who you were sooner. I’m sorry for everything… Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Scarlet,” Twilight whispered, returning the embrace. “I don’t think we’ll meet again, but you’ll know when my vengeance is delivered. Now that you’re free to choose your path, I can walk my own…and it will be a bloody one. Rachel will guide you to the next mountain.”
Bloody tears fell down Scarlet’s cheeks as Twilight turned into rose-colored string that melted away, leaving her with her father’s coffin and to process everything she’d learned. A fire lit in her chest as she sniffed back her emotions and looked up at the dual moons.
Twilight had to shoulder the burden of Revilla on her own this whole time… It’s about time I step up and quit crying in the corner. If my Seed wants to act up, then I need to handle her myself… Twilight deserves better… Veronica deserved better.
Turning on her heels, her blood picked up her father’s casket, and she left the room, nightgown fluttering around her. Rachel would likely be preparing to leave Elizabeth’s realm soon to enter the next challenge, the Montana Crystal, and this time, she’d enter the fight.
* — * — *
Grace Alexander trotted down the snowy streets of Billings, Montana, the crisp April air biting at her cheeks. The ground was a patchwork of melting snow and muddy slush, the remnants of a recent cold snap stubbornly lingering like a cow pie on muddy boots.
She adjusted her cowboy hat against the wind, glancing down at the flier she’d printed out from the government website. She was near the area, and everyone in Montana had heard the rumors: money was open to be claimed for bringing forward a Myth or Legendkin—willingly, of course—and there weren’t any rules saying you couldn’t report yourself for the cash!
Internally snickering at her plan, she took a swig of whiskey from her flask before sending it into storage; it burned away in orange flames—she was nearly out of booze, which was a death sentence for her. She needed a job!
“Well, Jim, looks like we’re in for some fun,” she said, patting her trusty horse’s neck. “I bet all these tough-looking folks over there are here for the same reason. Don’t you think? Wooh. I see a white-haired cutie over there; you think he’s taken?”
Jim snorted, his breath visible in the cold air. Grace chuckled, imagining his response. “Yeah, you’re probably right. No hot guy would be single and looking for a calamity like Miss Jane here. Wait, why the heat, bud? You know you’re my favorite boy!”
He sniffed, shaking his head as they neared the area where quite a few pretty young men and women were gathering.
“Yeah, they’re too pretty of people, bud,” she jokingly nodded, scanning the faces. “Way too pretty and clean. Not like us, riding day and night to get here on time. Hey! I’m pretty hot stuff myself, bud, so don’t be giving me that side-eye.”
Jim almost seemed to roll his eyes at her!
“Hey, I’ve got good assets,” she huffed in return, holding her head high. “And who doesn’t like a rough and tough cowgirl? I bet these fellas are a bunch of show-offs. But hey, we’ve got our own tricks, don’t we? Probably,” she nodded with sunken shoulders. “Aww. Don’t give me that look—so what if the train blew up on our last Quest? We saved everyone before it went off the cliff. Ahem—anyway!”
She held up the flier, scanning it again. The tryouts were set up by the military, and the streets were bustling with soldiers and fancy war vehicles. It was quite the spectacle compared to her average rodeo life.
I wonder if that famous hare from Florida will be here, she mused, thinking of the recent congress address where Omen’s representative, Erika the foxy-fox lawyer, as the internet dubbed her, had given a speech. Wouldn’t that be something?
Grace shook her head, grinning. “Imagine that, Jim. Us rubbing shoulders with the big leagues. They’ll be calling me cowgirl royalty by the time we’re done showing our stuff.”
Jim flicked his ears, seemingly in agreement. Grace spurred him on, weaving through the crowded streets and catching more than a few eyes—Jim was a handsome fellow, after all. She couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. This was the kind of adventure she lived for—new faces, new challenges, and the promise of proving herself…plus booze. Yeah, it was mostly for the booze.
“Look at all these folks,” she said, tipping her hat toward the various people gathering around the makeshift tents and stages set up for the tryouts. “Think they’ve got what it takes? Not like us,” she loudly proclaimed, catching glares. “We’re making friends already, Jimmy, boy! Competition looks good.”
She spotted a group of particularly tough-looking individuals, their expressions serious and focused. They’ve got the look, alright, she thought, smirking. But do they have the skills?
Grace’s thoughts drifted back to the hell she’d get if her mother knew she was here. Guilt hit her chest like a bull’s kick to the gut, thinking about how she’d stolen a bit of money from her mom’s purse, snatched Jim, and ran off to adventure four years ago. The cry for glory was an itch she’d never been able to shake; still, a sixteen-year-old running off wasn’t the best decision, looking back.
Maybe I should talk to Mom… She pushed the guilt aside, focusing on the task at hand. This is about redemption, Jim! We’re going to get a bunch of money to help her out at the dairy farm, and come back heroes to show Mom we aren’t failures! Yeah, so what if I’m scared of her—she’s terrifying! Who am I kidding… I can’t go home yet. I’ll just send another postcard when I leave.
“Alright, Jim, let’s find ourselves a spot and show these folks what we’re made of,” she said, her tone light and playful despite the weight of her thoughts. “After all, we’ve got a reputation to uphold.”
Jim trotted forward, and Grace felt a rush in her veins. The streets of Billings might be cold and slushy, but the fire in her heart burned bright. Adventure awaited, and she was ready to face it head-on.
As she found a spot near the main stage, Grace took a deep breath. “Let’s give ‘em a show they won’t forget, Jim,” she said, her voice steady and confident.
The tryouts were about to begin, and Grace Alexander—the Legend of Calamity Jane—was ready to make her mark. She could sense the chaos near, and as a hellraiser herself, she had to answer the call to ride into the hurricane!
“It’s showtime, Jimmy; let’s show these boys how beautiful a walking disaster can be! And if things get too messy, well, we can always calm the storm with a good ol’ glass of milk. They say it does wonders for a calamity-induced heartburn!”
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I think that's a good place to end Volume 2. Thoughts? Onto Volume 3 Next Week! It's heating up as we move onto Montana with some shocking surprises to kick things off for Volume 3!