Chapter 19: Forgiveness

The state of Mania isn’t a single state of mind, but is the result of two creatures intending to be the victor. It is a phenomenon that occurs when both parties are taking the battle seriously enough to the point their Influence has reached it’s peak. Considering it takes a tremendous amount of mental fortitude to reach this point for the two of them, it is impossible to get out of.

While in Mania, all perception is lost. From their eyes, all of their surroundings are a collection of endless colors, except for their opponent. To them, their opponent is the only thing that's real, the only thing that’s tangible, the only thing in this world that’s worth touching. As for what happens when both of them come in contact… Why don’t you see for yourself, Sintobi…

A cacophony of sounds blare in my head, like an alarm going off. I open my eyes, my face is planted in the dirt. The lingering smell of iron fills my nose as I lift my head, but my neck feels weak. My body is still dry.

I hear a shuffling in the grass next to me, as if someone were approaching me.

“Welcome back.” The Man says to me, as I start to shiver.

“What…do you mean?” I ask him, still unable to even lift a finger.

What is that…splashing? It’s happening one after the other, as if someone were throwing out heavy pails of water. Droplets splash about from the impact, wetting the grass indiscriminately from above, leaving it to scatter like rainfall. Some of it even lands on the side of my face and my body reacts. It’s my own blood.

My body, now charged with a bit of vigor, allows me to use my claws to slice open my forearm. Not a single drop of blood comes out, but instead allows me to absorb it back in. As my blood seeps into this self inflicted wound, a reinvigorating warmth fills my body. I start to feel whole again, like I’ve just woken up.

“Well, you certainly don’t disappoint when it comes to surprises.” The Man says as I stand up. The wound on my forearm sealing up as I’m nearing the end of the absorption.

“The only surprise was waking up to the sound of your voice.” I say to him, looking him in the eyes. He stares back, inching closer to me with each step.

“Judging from the look on your face, you seem to be rather clueless.” He says with his hands placed behind him.

“I’ll admit some things are still a bit fuzzy, but if I had to guess, I must have gotten carried away again.” I say to him while scratching my head, alluding to the moment I’d lunged at Greene. Though, now that I think about it, what happened to Ava?

The Man shakes his head while wagging his pointer finger. “That isn’t what happened, in fact, you were about to do something much worse. You nearly brought this Tale to its climax.”

He points to his left. Turning my head, I find something I never would have expected. Ava’s dark figure standing over a puddle of blood. Her chest expanding and contracting as she struggles to catch her ragged breath. The intensity of her glare has softened, as if she’d been worn down. And not only is she covered in blood from head-to-toe, but her entire left arm has been torn from her shoulder.

My chest tightens at the sight of this, but something isn’t right. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this scene before me, but how can that be? I was just on the verge of death a moment ago…no, she killed me. She’d pierced me at my core, so how can I be standing here now? Then there’s that memory, why did I just remember it now?

“You seem to be struggling to make sense of what happened to her, but it’s a lot more obvious than you think.” The Man says, placing his hand on my shoulder. “She used it against you this time.”

She used what against me? What is he talking abou-

Looking at Ava hunched over on her feet, I notice a familiar pattern of thread in her left palm.

“I must say, you’re certainly a lot stronger than you let on.” Ava says to me, placing her hand onto where her left shoulder should be. The potency of her Influence dipping along with the stench of her leaking miasma. Did I do this to her?

She used The Cats Cradle on me, but it doesn’t explain how she ended up like this. I should have been stuck in my own mind just like before, but somehow I-

At least the fighting stopped.

The sound of my voice runs through my head, along with a sharp pain. That is me, right? No, but also yes. It’s the voice of the flame that sought to be quenched, and seeing Ava in this state has satiated it’s desire. My desire for peace.

A queasy feeling hits my stomach, and before I know it, I start puking. I have broken not just my promise to Ordelia and Tiffany, but to myself. Looking at the blood dripping from her right arm socket, it’s as if her life force is trickling out. I never wanted it to get to this point.

Something falls on my head. Grabbing it, I realize that it's a gold ornate crown encrusted with jewels. It fell on my head with a perfect fit, yet I’ve never seen it before. Although, somehow, it seems familiar.

King For A Day

As the same voice resonates from my very core, the crown itself crumbles to dust and fades away. When looking at Ava, I remember something else. All of that blood beneath her feet is neither mine or Ava’s, but then whose is it?

“Ava… I’m sorry that I-”

“Don’t!” She blurts out. “I’m glad I was able to witness you going all out, even if I had to force it out of you.”

I grit my teeth. “Why would you go to such lengths?! I didn’t want to cause you any harm!”

“Forcing you to recount that repressed memory with The Cats Cradle, was the only way you would see me as a threat. The reason I didn’t do it the first time is because I wanted you to accept me, but instead, you’d chosen to pity me. Like I’m some little girl!”

“How could I not? The path chosen for you is a road lined with tragedy. You were never given a chance to decide for yourself!”

“Even so, when forced to remember that moment, you chose the path of self-preservation. It’s precisely the sort of thing I knew you were capable of, which is why I consider you my true rider!” Ava shouts with a pained smile stretched across her face.

“No, that wasn't my choice! I wanted to save you, but it was because of-”

“Your true desire? The Cats Cradle can either make or break the person caught in its threads. For you, it reminded you of the reason you seek to live. ” Ava says with a nod. “You made a deal with The Man next to you for that same reason.”

The Man and I turn to look at each other. “How do u know that?”

“While he was still obscured, I saw everything through The Cats Cradle. It’s funny, even though you're so strong, no one expects you to handle everything on your own.” She says with her eye’s downcast. “I envy that.”

“You're mistaken. It's because of how weak I am that they choose to stay by my side, and it's the same reason why I denied your plea to save you in the first place.”

“Heh, well it’s too late for you to act humble again. After being on the receiving end of your monstrous Instinct, you’ve done a number on me.”

“My Instinct? I dont have one-”

“You weren’t even aware, were you?” Ava says with a raise of her brow, as her face softens with a smile. “To be honest, the nature of it felt different from an ordinary Instinct, but that's the sort of thing I’d expect from the one I’d chosen to be my rider.”

She’s right. Just like back then, there’s a puddle of blood beneath her feet. But unlike what happened to those mermen, all of her blood wasn’t drained from her body. If I had to guess, the reason that didn’t happen is thanks to The Man's intervention. Though, even if he did pull me out of The Cats Cradle again, it still doesn’t explain why there’s so much blood. What does my instinct even do?

With a closer look, I notice she’s breathing heavier and her Influence is dipping even further.

“Look at you, getting all sentimental over your opponent.” Ava says. “You really shouldn’t be, since I’m glad it was you.”

Her attempt at consoling me only worsens my feelings of guilt, laying a heavier burden upon me.

She continues. “Up until now, searching for my rider has been like walking a road without an end. It’s been seven years since I met the mayor, and ever since then I’ve been killing on his behalf. I devoured them, along with all their hopes and dreams. I wasn’t any different from when I was in The Underground.”

“You can’t blame yourself, he’s been treating you like a tool! A tool to exterminate anyone he sees as an obstacle.”

“You're mistaken, the things I’ve done as his assistance are no different from when I was considered an assassin.” She says with a somber tone, placing her palm over her heart. “All the killing, deceiving, even the thrill of the chase… there was never a sign of light at the end of the tunnel in The Underground. Because no one was my equal.”

The sudden glimmer in her eyes sends a chill down my spine. Though her malice is faint, it’s enough to remind me that she is still in fact The Headless Horseman.

“Then I met the Mayor…” she says, turning towards the night sky of her Necropolis. “When he took me in, I admit I was surprised. I mean, he was harboring the same criminal that put his city into disarray, but for some reason that didn’t matter to him. At first I found his efforts to be detestable, but it wasn’t long before I started warming up to him. While he was a harsh man, he had love for the beasts of Hunters End. It made me feel guilty.”

“That’s what he took advantage of, he wanted to make you feel guilty! It wasn’t a coincidence!”

“Even if it was his plan, I couldn’t forget my past. When I saw the families of those I’d killed, I needed to somehow make up for it. I wanted to atone for the sins I’ve committed, so I followed his guidance…” Ava says with a distant gaze. As if that were the only decision she had.

I can sense The Man’s gaze as I clench my fist. “Those were not your sins to bear! They were thrust upon you by the gods themselves. They must atone for placing you in this Tale of tragedy.”

“A ‘Tale of tragedy’, huh? I suppose it has been something like that, but in a Tale like that, isn’t it the heroine who’s at fault? Perhaps if I were stronger, I could have chosen a better path forward. A better destination along that road…”

“Then let me guide you, let me be your rider!” I shout at the top of my lungs.

“Hmmm…” The Man says.

This rush of emotion is something even I can't explain.

Even Ava is surprised. Up until now, I thought that achieving peace was just about pushing forth your ideals, but it isn’t just that. I need to not only shoulder the wishes of those closest to me, but everyone who is suffering.

She smiles. “Ah, at last, my one true rider…”

A warm feeling washes over me, as a green hue surrounds me. I almost panic, but then I realize it doesn’t hurt. In fact, it’s an inviting feeling. One that implores me to take control.

“Now master, since I have deemed you as capable, will you allow me to have this one request?” Ava asks with a solemn stare.

“Yes of course!” I say with a step towards her.

She raises her arm and reaches out towards me. Her eyes glimmering in anticipation, as if she couldn't wait to say the words. Almost like she’s relieved to be able to say.

“...Now since you’ve taken the reins, will you do the honors and… kill me.”

Her voice sounded like a cool, calm breeze, yet her words have left me frozen in my tracks. As they repeat in my mind for what feels like an eternity…

Kill me

Kill me

Kill me

… yet the more it does, the less it makes sense.

“As your rider, no, as your master! I cannot accept such a request!”

She chuckles. “Yet again you deny my plea, though I do not blame you. You must be confused as to why I would wish for such a thing after finally finding my rider, the creature I’ve worked so hard to meet.”

“More importantly, isn’t your rider supposed to grant you happiness? Death isn’t happiness, it is-”

“A state in which I no longer feel a thing.” she says, staring into my eyes. “It is the sort of thing I’ve been longing for since that night, and it’s only gotten worse. Not only must I shoulder the dreams of those I’ve killed, but the clamoring of their voices, I can still hear them beneath the Necropolis. Even now, I can hear them egging on my demise.”

Listening to her plead further, I remember something she said during our first encounter.

I believed you to be my savior. The one who would rid me of this guilt, from the memories they’ve left behind…

Is this what she meant? If so, then rejecting her wasn’t just cold hearted, but a denial of her freedom.

She continues. “While I did grant Greene the privilege of being my rider, this is something I can only entrust you to do. They don’t want a man like him, and neither do I, but you. You must grant our wish.”

“Even if that’s their wish, I can’t do it! I want to help lead you down the right path. Is that not the purpose of your rider? Killing you would be in favor of-”

“Tragedy.” She says, her gaze now filled with a sense of conviction. “Listening to you now, I’m starting to understand that this is the purpose of my Tale. To not only sow the seeds of despair within those that cross my path, but to wallow in it. Yes, it’s all making sense to me now.”

“Now you have the chance to make that decision, in fact, I command you to do so.” I say to her with my hand outstretched. ”Join me in my path towards peace Ava, and at the same time, you will find your peace!”

“You don’t understand, there is no peace for me! I will-” Ava shouts, before falling to her knees. “ Stop, I’m trying to convince him but he won’t listen! He actually cares about me-”

The stench of her miasma thickens, along with its sinister aura. She starts coughing up more miasma along with her own blood, leaving a puddle on the grass beneath her.

“It seems those two intend to see this tragedy to it’s end.” The Man says as Ava’s Influence starts rising yet again. A feeling of rage wells up in the pit of my chest, as it’s obvious who he’s alluding to.

If that’s the case, then there’s little I can do as Ava’s rider. If the miasma were to get any stronger, there’s no promise that I’ll be able to reach her again. Perhaps this is why she’s resigned herself to death, which means…

Ava looks up as a pink flower petal floats by her face. She turns her head in bewilderment, as more of them glide past her. Slowly encircling her in a whirlwind of bright pink, making her the eye of the storm.

“It’s funny, the color of each petal is supposed to be a mix of my blood, along with the nature of your soul.” I say to her as I walk into the eye of the storm. “It’s a relief to see that a troublesome girl like yourself, still has a soul of pure white.”

The darkness of her miasma clears from her sclera. Seeing her eyes glimmer as she gazes in awe at the storm of pink surrounding the two of us, reminds me of what could have been. The wonder in her eyes is indistinguishable from back then, when Ordelia and her used to play together.

“Ms.Ordelia would have loved to see this! These look like the flowers she gave me after her long trips.” Ava says to me with a sniffle. “We used to read books together about pretty flowers like these…”

Clear droplets of sadness and remembrance trickle down her cheeks, as the sound of the fluttering petals surround us. I take a deep breath.

“Hey, Mr.Temory…”

I nod. “Why so formal all of a sudden?”

“Do you think Ms.Ordelia is mad at me? What I did to her was wrong, but I didn’t mean to do it!” Ava cries, as more tears stream down her cheeks.

The innocence in her remorse brings a tear to my eye. The thought of her still looking for forgiveness after all these years, is something anyone could understand. But in this tragedy, where closure is inconceivable, all I can do is hug her.

Her trembling shoulders tense up at my sudden embrace. “Of course she does, she could never hold a grudge against you, her daughter.”

With a sniffle, she wraps her arms around me. “What about the time I threw a tantrum because I didn’t want to eat my broccoli?”

“She forgives you for that too.” I whisper while rubbing her back.

“What about when I refused to play with everyone else?”

“She wouldn’t hate you for something like that.”

While Ordelia did want her to be more social, she only wished for her happiness.

“W-what about when I asked for another bedtime story before bed?” She asks, her slender body trembling more.

Tightening my embrace, I whisper. “She was more than happy that you wanted to hear more, I promise.”

Stifling her tears with sniffles, Ava whimpers with her face pressed against my shoulder. Whether it’s for my sake or not, it’s obvious that she’s holding back her feelings of sadness. So holding her is the best I can do, since she’s been suffering in silence for so long. But this will be the last time she does. Whether I like it or not.

Ava takes a breath, choking back the tears. “W-what about-”

“The Ordelia I knew could never hate you, because of the happiness she felt around you. She was truly happy to meet someone like you… a sweet girl.”

Choking back her sadness with a gasp, Ava starts to wail, as if my words were the knife that cut through her suffering. I pull her closer and caress the back of her head, as my own tears start to fall.

“I’m sorry everyone! I’m so sorry!” She cries while tightening her embrace, as if it’s the thing she’s been longing for the most. To have someone hold her, it’s the sort of reassurance Ordelia would have done for. As her true mother.

“I’m sorry too, Ava…” I whisper.

Sitting here for a moment as the shuffling whirlwind of pink petals flutter around us, Ava then pulls away her embrace. We look into each other's eyes as she rushes in for a kiss. While I am taken by surprise, seeing the glistening tears under her closed eyes, rings me in to reciprocate. A warm feeling spreads all over my body as we kiss, yet it lasts for just a moment.

Ava pulls away, opening her eyes with a delightful smile as if she’s gained a sense of peace. Her jade green eyes sparkling much brighter than I’ve ever seen before, makes me realize the beauty in her heart. This is the girl Ordelia saw beneath the sadness. This is Ava.

“Thank you.” she says with a nod, knowing what must happen next.

Taking my finger and placing it against her chest, a faint pink glow gleams from her. Ava takes a deep breath, as a translucent pink flower bud emerges from the glimmering light and starts to grow. At the same time, her Influence begins to fade as its green hue is absorbed by the flower bud.

“Blood Puppetry: Blossom Snowstorm.”

The flower flourishes into full bloom, scattering the whirlwind of petals surrounding us. Such a dispersal of Influence was to be expected, but the sheer amount coming from her core is astonishing. But looking at the gentle smile on her face, I realize this is just an accumulation of all her burdens.

With her core dwindling, Ava leans back into a fall, only to be caught by my arm as I then lower her onto the grass. She’s a lot lighter than I expected. She reaches out to rub my face, squinting at me in a daze.

“...I’ve missed you Ms.Ordelia.” she whispers, as her slender arm then goes limp. My entire body freezes at the chill of her last breath, as I hold on to her lifeless body while the numerous cherry blossom petals fall around me. Such a sight would be mesmerizing, if it didn’t come as the result of her undoing.

“Rest easy Ava. I will never forget your story, and the tragedy it caused you…”

“I must say, considering they call your kind monstrous, your remorse for others is anything but.” The Man says while walking up to me.

Using my two fingers, I close both of Ava’s eyes while lowering her body onto the grass. “If I were like the other vampires, would you have taken interest in me?”

The Man chuckles. “I guess not.”

As I stand up to look at The Man, I hear something akin to the crumbling of stone. Looking behind me, I realize it’s the opening of the mausoleum door. The Man and I look at each other in confusion. The door seems to have opened on its own.

Wondering what’s inside, without a single word, we walk towards the entrance. Getting a closer look, we realize just how dark it is inside, except for the dim light raining down from the ceiling. Walking inside, I start to feel this sense of isolation. Along with the stagnate aroma of weathered stone that’s emphasized by the stuffiness in the air itself.

Beneath the shining light, sits a black leather book sitting atop a stone pedestal. It’s presence is somehow familiar enough, so I reach for it in earnest. But where could I have seen it before?

TALES

A title etches itself into the bound leather, as if it were reminding me of its purpose. An image of Ava flashes into my mind, but she’s of a place I’ve never been too before. She stands there in a blank space, bearing a solemn look on her face.

…Stop her…Don’t let her have it…or peace will be impossible…

Ava’s words come to me in earnest, like some kind of warning. She turns away from me with a smile, as the warmth of our kiss returns to my lips. It permeates throughout my entire body like a rush of Influence; extending down the length of my arm. Taking a look at my palm, there are two red threads crossed in an X-pattern.

“Well lucky you! Seems she left you a parting gift. I’m willing to bet it’s one that’ll keep on giving too.” The Man says, patting me on the shoulder. “As for that book…”

“I think she wants me to take it.” I say to him with a nod. “Somehow she managed to get this book, so I can’t let her efforts go to waste!”

The Man nods, as I grab the mysterious text. It’s much smaller than the first time I encountered it, but judging from this uncanny feeling it’s emanating, it is no mere copy.

“There you are Sintobi! I was afraid she might have killed you, but it seems you are in good health!” Shouts a familiar voice from behind.

Turning back towards the entrance, I see the feline man himself. With the amount of relief in his voice, it’s almost like his concern was genuine. Almost.

“It’s certainly brave of you to approach me in such a manner.” I say to him, glaring at his wide frame in front of the door.

“Oh you wound me Sintobi, don’t be ridiculous. You are an honored guest, of course I would worry for you.” He says while rubbing his hands with a grin.

“And what about Ava?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that silly girl.” The mayor says in indifference while shaking his head. “Besides, we have more important manners to discuss. Something about uniting under a banner of peace?”

Silly girl…

I knew he was just using Ava, but his apathetic approach is baffling. Just the sight of him standing there, trembling in his ill-fitted suit while reeking of fear, is grating on my nerves.

The Man snickers. “My my, this a new low even for him. At this point, I think he might start groveling.”

Greene gulps. “Is something wrong Sintobi? Do you wish to reconsider the terms of this discussion?”

I click my tongue. “After all you’ve put us through since I arrived here, I think you should reconsider your strategy of ‘feigning ignorance’. Even if it’s your last resort.”

“W-w-well how about this.” the mayor stutters, as droplets of sweat form above his brow. “Everything on this side of Hunters End will now be under Temory jurisdiction, including the mages academy!”

“Told you.” The Man says with a scoff.

“I appreciate your generosity, but surely you’re not serious? Who would agree to terms such as that?” I say with a shake of my head.

The mayor backs away. “H-Heh, I don’t get it, what do you mean-”

With a snap of my fingers, the Necropolis itself starts to fade. The mausoleum around us melts away into a mirage of dark colors, like paint dripping down a canvas. Behind that canvas is the empty room we started in, with the gentle light of the moon leaking through the huge round window.

Greene starts trembling. “How did you-”

“You didn’t notice?” I ask him with a chuckle. “Unlike you, Greene, I am not a spineless coward who grovels in the presence of their betters. Which is why she chose me.”

“T-That… foolish girl! Doesn’t she realize how much trouble she’s caused me already!” He shouts, his pointy ears tensing up in fear.

“She did, which is why she tried to make amends, but you took advantage of her!”

“I took advantage of her, me?!” The Mayor laughs, causing his voice to echo in this empty room. “She was a monster. One that needed to be reigned in and disciplined, forgot all of that sentimental bullshit, she wasn’t even human!”

“And this is precisely the reason why I won’t accept your offer.” I say to him, before taking a deep breath. “Allowing a partnership to form between me and Hunters End, would be the antithesis to my goal.”

“W-why is that?”

“Because then I’d have to stomach having someone like you within my ranks.” I explain while walking towards him. “A sniveling, conniving, literal scaredy-cat of man. Whose only goal is to live to another day, at the expense of those weaker than him!”

Hearing my disapproval, he starts backing towards the door behind him. His lips start to quiver, almost as if he’s about to say something, but he instead starts laughing. I’ve backed him in a corner.

“Heh, a vampire lecturing me about morals, is this a dream? It is past my bedtime.” he says while shuffling for the doorknob behind him.

“No, This isn’t a dream… but it is your worst nightmare.”

Mayor Greene squeals as he rushes through the door behind him. As I watch him trip and stumble over himself running down the hall, the scent of honey becomes more potent. My pupils dilate as my heart starts racing. The anger I’m feeling is becoming so intense, so intoxicating, that I can barely control myself. I’m starting to see red.

“... Get him.” The Man whispers in my ear, his words sounding off like an alarm bell to my very core. It’s coming back to me once again, that fire.

With my legs carrying me forwards, I grab hold of the back of his head in a mere instant and bash his face against the floor. Lifting his head up, a torrent of blood shoots out from nose, painting the glossy floor with a fresh coat of blood. Fragments of his teeth lay on the floor like shattered porcelain, all while he groans in pains.

“P-p-please, I’ll give you anything you want-” He tries to say while sputtering blood, but instead of letting him finish, I toss him aside. Colliding against the wall with a gasp, he falls to the floor choking up more blood.

It’s so beautiful…

Greene looks up at me, his eyes tearing up from the pain.

“You're crying? Who the hell gave you permission to do that?!” I shout before kicking him in the side of the face, knocking him further down the hall. “You think Ava was given a chance to cry, huh? You guilted her into believing that was a sign of weakness!”

“She’d killed so many, what did you expect me to do!? She was a monster!”

“She was a young girl!” I shout while conjuring a blood serpent to cut off one of his legs.

The mayor lets out a blood curdling scream, while grabbing onto the stump below his knee. As his blood spurts out like a broken faucet, a smile spreads across my face. Though, seeing how his eyes are rolling back, I realize that he’ll either go faint or just die any moment now. I can’t let that happen yet.

Using a serpent, I stem the bleeding from what’s left of his leg. Noticing this, he looks up at me in horror, while gritting his teeth.

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” I bend down to say to him. Now eye level to his glare.

“You're no different from the others! Only savagery runs through the veins of you vampires!” Greene shouts, his voice echoing through the empty hall. None of the guards seem to be coming.

“You say that, yet I managed to stave off this urge when dealing with Ava. Or perhaps you’re just the unlucky one.”

“But you couldn’t help yourself, you killed her! The woman you call ‘a young girl’, you killed her!”

With a flick of my finger I sever his arm off with my serpent and immediately stem the bleeding. As he’s bending over screaming, I grab onto his face and stare into his bloodshot eyes.

“… When will your reign of terror end? You kind have preyed on so many creatures, leaving behind empty husks after consuming their blood… So much blood.” The Mayor wimpers with tears running down his blood covered face. “When will it stop, huh? When will it be enough for you demons?!”

There’s a deep-seated hatred in his eyes, not just for me, but for my kind as well. I can sense a painful history, like those our clan has encountered before, yet still…

“I can ask you the same for how you treated Ava!” I shout at him, jerking him around by the collar. “Were you ever going to allow her to atone for what she’d done, or did you intend to string her along for as long as possible? Allowing her to rack up even more sins in hopes of achieving inner peace. Which is it Greene?! Tell me!”

“I wanted her to pay for what she’d done! Her reign of terror had us living in fear for far too long, so it’s only fair that she feels the same for once!”

“... You're right.”

Greenes voice trembles into a laugh. “You finally get it? I knew you were a man of reason, so unhand-”

“But Hunters End will no longer live in fear if I just take it from you.” I say to him, while the red threads of The Cats Cradle pierce through his face from the palm of my hand.

“W-w-w-wait, no please! I didn’t mean…” The Mayor screams as each red thread crawls under his skin. Then with an impulse, a use for this Instinct comes to mind. Almost as if she’s whispering it in my ear.

“The Cats Cradle: Existential Nightmare.” I say in a voice unlike my own. Ava’s voice.

His eyes rolling back, as the nature of his core becomes shrouded in miasma, until it shatters.

The Mayor screams at the top of his lungs as he starts thrashing around on the floor. Not from a burst of newfound vigor, but an internal struggle with the visions thrusted upon him. Every event in his past, along with the events he perceives as the present and the future, will be a series of horrors he will never escape. Not even death will allow him to escape this, but…

“This will ensure that you will never be freed from it.” I mutter to the petrified feline-man, before cutting off his head with my serpent. Mayor Greene is no more.

I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Aren’t you glad you got that off your chest?”

There’s a keen look in eyes, as if he’s expecting an answer. But when I look down at Greene’s head, it’s only then that I start to realize what I’ve done.

Sintobi! You must stop what you're doing at once, this isn't you!

Only now do I start to hear Mikel warnings, or at else what I believe he would have said to me. Yet again, I let my vampiric impulses take over, something Mikel would have warned me not to do… But it felt so good.

“I’m at least glad that I didn’t fail Ava entirely.” I admit with the utmost resolve, as The Man pats me on the shoulder with a nod.

Though my conscience feels clear, this isn’t the end. Greene was just one of many. And just like those that were killed by Ava, he held his ideals to the very end. When starting this journey with everybody, I believed that our idea of peace was the same as everyone else’s, but I was wrong. I realize now that the pursuit of it is a cycle, one that is built upon by their own virtues. Ava’s Tale understood this, which is why it preyed upon those in that same cycle. But now, hearing the voices of those she’s killed, cheering me on in reverence, I do not wish to gather anymore. Because if I somehow manage to find common ground with those I encounter next, then maybe…

A sudden ominous feeling tickles my senses. Turning towards it, I realize that it’s that book of Tales lying on the floor. I must have dropped it when attacking the mayor, but why does it’s presence beckon me? Even when picking it up, there’s a strong urge to open it. It’s a feeling of curiosity unlike any other I’ve ever felt, so I do.

“Interesting, there seems to be nothing but blank pages. This has to be some sort of… ” The Man says as I turn each page, stopping to read each one. “There’s something there, isn’t it?”

Flipping through each page, I quickly realize that this is something I'm not supposed to have. Which makes The Man's suspicion correct, this is a gift that’ll certainly keep on giving.

“It says…”