Count Blackthorn was sweating profusely as he ran. The folds of his body jiggled egregiously with every step as he bounced further away. His neck craned backward repeatedly, eyes darting to see if the woman was coming. 'It can't be, can't be, can't be.'

"Why am I the unlucky one?" Blackthorn whispered. 'No, no. I refuse, dammit!' His thoughts were racing as fast as his heart was beating. The sacrifice was meant to be harmless. They had promised everyone that she was the best fruit for the picking. So why, then— has the fictitious witch returned as a vengeful spirit?

'Fuck.' Blackthorn ruffled at his head. If he had any hair, he would have plucked it out from stress. He could feel the tunnel trembling beneath his feet and the intense warmth that slapped against his flesh. But he refused to fall without having accomplished anything— and without having preyed upon more of the dominion of life's women.

The man squirmed through the tunnels like an overzealous rat as he reached one leading into the town. He pulled himself out of the hidden earthen entrance and patted his noble's robe off, jiggling the loose folds of flesh with each pat. 'It's okay, it's going to be fine now. I'll summon the others.'

You're pathetic, Black. One ghostly witch got your chemise in a twist and has you running. Gluttonous oaf— consume her and take her resonance for yourself.

Silence! Don't goad me, vermin. You are my tool, not the other way around. Blackthorn's gaze turned icy as he held his hand to his chest. 'I need to return to the mansion, no— I don't have time for it. She's going to find me.' His eyes scanned the area greedily; the forest brush hid him from the town's vision but gave him a line of sight in contrast.

Behind him, flames erupted as Priscilla emerged from a different tunnel. The land trembled as she rose in a billowing vortex that lifted her into the air— a butterfly that regained its wings once more.

Are you still going to run, Black? Can't you see how appetizing she is— it's overflowing from her soul. Do you not feel tempted?

Silence, dammit. Don't distract me now. Blackthorn skittered off toward the town. The townsfolk, whose attention was focused on the woman fluttering in the sky, were oblivious that he was nearing them. Blackthorn shoved several people down as he went further in.

Behind, Priscilla pursued like a volcanic beast, razing through the area from which she emerged. As she neared him, Blackthorn panicked and sped up, heading toward the area where the Eckharts were. He turned into the street, barging through a crowd of people before finally crashing into Jared.

As both men tumbled backward, Hallie ran up to Jared and helped him up. Behind her, Bianca waddled in her footsteps.

Blackthorn cursed under his breath, but as he saw the Eckharts, he had to smile. He lunged toward Bianca and grabbed her tightly with her little hands bent behind her back. The girl flailed and cried in his arms, her voice cutting through the air like a knife.

"Stand before me if you don't want me to cut her body into chunks for the dogs!" Blackthorn yelled at Hallie and Jared. "Defend me well, and you'll see the girl in one piece!"

"Count Blackthorn? What is the meaning of this?" Hallie screamed. "Let go of my daughter!"

She ran up to him and grabbed his arm, but Blackthorn struck her in the face and sent her to the ground. "Insolence! When did you people learn to disobey a noble's command? I said stand before me!" As he uttered the words, he squeezed Bianca's arm harder until the little girl squealed.

"Bianca! Stop it, count!" Hallie cried out as she pushed herself off the ground, but before she could lunge at Blackthorn, Jared held her back and shook his head.

"We'll stand, so let the girl go."

"At least one of you still has some sense, boy. Stand there! I'll let the girl go when the witch is gone." Blackthorn retorted as he stepped back with Bianca in tow.

At the same time, Priscilla arrived. As she landed on the ground, the town shook with every step she took. "Let them go, count." She uttered as flames whipped through the street akin to beasts with a mind of their own.

"Stay back, dammit!" Blackthorn croaked as he lurched back. "You're not real. You should not be. Begone! Stop her, you two, if you don't want the brat to die!"

But his words were foregone; neither Hallie nor Jared desired to block Priscilla's approach. Jared considered it momentarily, but seeing the woman's cold blue eyes glimmering with a depth as vast as the seas, he immediately halted those thoughts.

Priscilla stopped in her tracks with a warm smile painted across her face, "Okay, count. Don't do anything that you'll regret. How about letting the girl go?"

"Can't we just talk?" Priscilla raised her arms calmly as a sign of peaceful intent.

She's trying to distract you. Eat her. Consume the resonance. You know you want to. You need it.

"Shut up, shut up!" Blackthorn squeezed Bianca's arm until her wrist cracked, causing the little girl to pass out from the pain.

"Bastard!" Priscilla yelled as she pulled her arm down. The earth lurched from underneath Blackthorn as earthen spikes clawed into his calves, causing the man to drop down onto his knees with blood flowing down his ankles.

With a pull of her arm, the wind roared, sending a powerful gust that sent Bianca flying forward into Priscilla's embrace. "Quick, take her and leave!" She yelled to Hallie as she passed Bianca on.

"It's just you and me, Blackthorn! Tell me what you know." She waved her hand, covering the wounded man in layers of earth that weighed on his legs and restricted him.

"Dammit, girl. Let me go! I had no part in it. I refuse to fall for their choices!" Blackthorn screamed as he dug his nails into the earth and pulled himself desperately. "Aren't you back now? Why must you torment me?"

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"I just want to know what happened! Why did you everyone betray me? Why did they label me a traitor? I'm the one who had no part in any of their claims. I am the innocent one, not you, count."

"So what!" Blackthorn blurted out as he squirmed his torso. "Do you know how many young girls fell before Valentine found you? You, girl, were meant to be the final sacrifice. One girl, for each year of the millennium's passing. A thousand sacrifices whose blood paved the way for the Lord's resurgence. Do you genuinely think anyone cared for innocence?"

Blackthorn spat a wad of bloodied mucus onto the ground in front of Priscilla's feet. "You're naive, girl. Did you think that you were loved and everything was a mistake? Did you think they were confused about your innocence? They always knew who you were and what they planned to do with you!"

Priscilla's heart thudded loudly against her chest, the force striking in an attempt to break free. "Is father a part of the Church of Zenith then? You people set all of this up and ruined so many lives for what?"

Blackthorn laughed, "Your father? What if he is? Or maybe he isn't? Why should I tell you? Zenith is glory and righteousness; everything is to pave the way. Our Lord shall return, and the world shall be ours. If you know what's good for you— you should walk away, little witch. There will be those who will handle your kind in the future."

Enough, Black! How much time will you waste chatting with your meal?

"You're insane, Blackthorn. You're a lunatic and a cultist. You've done nothing but harm the people with your ways. There isn't a shred of pity that deserves to be wasted upon you." Priscilla uttered coldly as she waved her hand and impaled Blackthorn's arms with earthen spikes.

The man snarled as blood dripped onto the earth. "Damn you, wench. Damn you! I am a noble of this empire. I have the blood of the old gods coursing through my veins. I will not be mocked like this by an insignificant wretch."

"Fine. FINE! If you want to eat her, so be it. Eat, eat her until nothing remains. I'll explain it to the others later!"

"What are you muttering, you lunatic?" Priscilla questioned, but as she spoke, Blackthorn's body began to change.

That's the spirit, Black. Finally, you said something that wasn't stupid. Let me handle the rest.

Blackthorn's body swelled almost immediately, shattering the earthen spikes that pierced into his flesh. The earth split under his body's weight, pushing Priscilla back. He grew in the blink of an eye, towering over the street as buildings crumbled around him. The wind pressure of his transformation stormed through the town, sending people flying like leaves.

His change brought devastation upon the town before anyone could react. Priscilla looked up at the towering form that stood before her in utter shock and disbelief. Blackthorn's human appearance vanished as long claws dug into the ground. The creature's abdomen shrouded the star above. Long pincers branched out from the head while its antennae shuffled atop its head, with each antenna protecting an additional eyeball that blinked hyperactively as it took the world in.

"What have you done?" Priscilla cried out as she gazed upon the deformed beast that was no longer man nor Skriythe— but an abomination of both worlds.

Blackthorn's eyes rolled downward as it faced Priscilla. From its mouth, a gurgling trill sounded out. The creature could not speak, but from its tone, one could feel the oppressive, mocking nature that resonated with it. The creature's voice cut shrilly through the air as a wave of chittering broke out from the underground tunnel system.

Skriythe ran out in a frenzied madness from the various tunnels across the town. Their bloodlust oozed as they began attacking the townsfolk.

The large creature clicked its pincers joyously as it stared down at Priscilla— as if saying, 'How do you like that?' It quickly scraped down with one of its long clawed extremities, slamming it down where Priscilla stood— challenging her so she could not protect the people.

Priscilla's eyes glowed as she struck back. As her hand met the creature's vice, a deluge of flame erupted toward it, pushing it back. "Is there any semblance of Count Blackthorn left in there, or does only the beast remain?"

Her body flipped back as she pulled away from the massive abomination. She lunged forward, waving her arm up, as earthen spears jutted up and stabbed into the monster's claws. The creature retaliated as it thrashed down, crumbling the ground beneath it as it exposed several underground tunnels. Blood dripped down its claws, but it ignored it as it sent its long limb flailing toward Priscilla.

"Guess that answers that," Priscilla uttered as she soared into the sky with the wind beneath her toes. "You do not belong in this world. Whether you're still in there or not, count; it no longer matters. I won't let you hurt these people anymore."

With the words spoken, she raised her arms as electricity crackled through the air. The sky darkened, consuming all of the starlit warmth that encompassed it. The intensity of the electricity caused the creature's beady eyes to narrow as it felt a surge of tension run down its carapace.

Didn't you say that you could handle her? Why does it feel like we're screwed?

Shut it, Black! Don't distract me. It's incomprehensible how such a being exists. None of the remnants should have such a resonance with the world. It's impossible!

Did Valentine betray us?

I don't know! Brace yourself, Black. This will be a difficult battle, Black. She's not someone we can handle alone. I'll send some of my children away. The others must know. Zenith can not fall because of one witch.

The creature trilled as its pincers vibrated against one another. This caused a shift in town as the swarming Skriythe began to split up and flee while others attacked recklessly in a suicidal onslaught.

"Bastard, what do you think you're doing?" Priscilla questioned as bolts of lightning struck down on the creature's sturdy carapace. She howled as the energy coursed through her body, transitioning from her insides into an external force.

Lightning struck the overgrown monstrous Black, but the creature shook it off and slammed its limbs at Priscilla, sending her body flying through several buildings. It rolled violently through the street straight into a tunnel.

Priscilla coughed as a cloud of dust entered into her lungs. Her body lay battered and bruised, with only a thin layer of protection from the elements that swirled around her.

She spat the blood which coated the broken-down earth as she lifted herself. Priscilla jumped with the wind pushing her into the sky, propelling her toward the looming star that hid behind the clouds. Her heart raced, and her mind fogged as the whites of her eyes turned a deep, inky black.

Priscilla's hands moved fluidly in circular motions, an instinctive drive that propelled the elements to flutter giddily. The town vanished from her sight and the creatures. Whirlpools of white swirled in an overwhelming black that painted the area with its all-encompassing shroud.

"NO! I REJECT THIS!" The creature shouted out in a hoarse cricket that befitted its monstrous size. "WHO ARE YOU? HOW DO YOU HAVE THAT POWER?"

But as it spoke, the weight of the power pressed down on it, squashing any opposition it could muster. Blackness overtook the whiteness, and the whiteness overtook the blackness. It spiraled repeatedly, switching in a perpetual cycle, battering the creature in a mystical embrace— one impossible to break free from.

Then, nothing.

Silence drifted away as the sound of rain blanketed the distraught town and the rubble-filled streets. The exposed tunnels began to fill with rainwater as a serene calm settled into the area.