Where Are Your Friends Tonight?

Charlotte ran behind them, while Gerald ran ahead, leading the way. They ran at full speed through those empty alleys. Charlotte no longer looked around. All she could think about was her friends.

The cathedral bells rang out again. Their sound echoed throughout the town. Just like before, the noise was annoying and deafening. Even so, they didn’t stop.

The town was so badly destroyed that they had to dodge thousands of pieces of debris. The ground was littered with pieces of houses, but also with memories, hope, and pride.

Charlotte dodged things that made her heart sink. She stumbled a couple of times, but kept dodging.

Finally, they reached the outskirts of the cathedral, which was completely asleep. Like the town, they couldn't hear a thing inside, and there didn't seem to be any movement either.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Charlotte asked.

“Not really.”

“Then what are we doing here?”

“This is where the others went.”

Charlotte glanced at the cathedral.

It didn't look very big and had only two pinnacles on either side. The perfectly centered door was immense, made of wood and framed by arches that soared upward.

“Let’s go in then.” Charlotte stepped forward.

Gerald stopped her by the arm.

“Don’t be impulsive.”

“Our friends might be there!”

“Yes, among the hero and other dangers.”

“I agree with Gerald.”

Charlotte broke free by force.

“You said it yourselves... we don't have time!”

From the top of the cathedral, two objects crept down. In the darkness, they growled. Little by little, the moonlight illuminated them. They were two wolves made entirely of roots and rotten wood.

“Stand behind us, Miss Charlotte,” Arthur said, drawing his sword.

Gerald fired his flintlock cannons. He hit one of the wolves, but it didn't even flinch.

The wolves lunged at both of them.

Arthur and Gerald took a big leap backward.

The wolves pounced again.

Suri’s purple chains emerged from the darkness. They quickly immobilized the wolves.

The wolves writhed, trying to break free, but they quickly began to burn. No smoke came out. Instead, the beasts transformed into butterflies.

“Look.” Charlotte pointed straight ahead.

In front of them, purple-pink butterflies danced and lit up the night, with their wings made of purple fire.

“What is that?”

“It's Suri. She did the same thing the last time!”

“Really?”

“Yes… She helped us find the missing children.”

Gerald, a little skeptical, looked closely at the butterflies. He tried to touch one with his index finger, but they dodged him. They fluttered off toward one side of the cathedral.

“Let’s follow them.”

“But—”

Gerald stopped when he felt the prince's hand on his shoulder. Without another word, they both followed Charlotte, who in turn followed the butterflies.

They walked around the cathedral. They passed through a vast, ornate garden. A fountain stood there, surrounded by thousands of flowers in different colors. The group walked right past it, completely ignoring everything.

When they reached the back of the cathedral, they found a rear door; it was smaller and more forbidding than the main entrance.

The butterflies stayed there, dancing.

“We have to go in this way!”

Charlotte tried to open the door, but it was locked.

“Allow me, Miss Charlotte.”

Charlotte stepped aside, and the prince knelt so he would be at the same level as the lock.

“I didn’t know you could pick locks.”

“I don’t.”

The prince drew his sword and smashed the lock to pieces. Then he stood up and kicked the door open.

“Please…”

They went inside. They passed through a cellar; it was full of barrels and strange objects made of gold. They continued down a flight of stairs to the main area.

They walked almost on tiptoe. The butterflies were their only source of light and guided them along the path. Several long benches were arranged in rows.

“There’s no one here!” Charlotte whispered.

“We should inspect the entire place,” Arthur replied, also in a whisper.

“No way! We must stick together.”

“I agree with Miss Charlotte. I can’t leave you alone.” Gerald took Charlotte’s side.

The prince sighed. “I understand, but we need to find the others as soon as possible.”

“Yes, but the butterflies will guide us to them!”

All three watched Suri's butterflies, which had flown to the back of the cathedral.

“See!”

They followed them again. They stopped right where the butterflies were, in front of the cathedral and right in the middle of the two rows of pews.

“It seems they stopped.”

The butterflies stayed there, fluttering harder and harder.

“Miss Charlotte, we have to divide…”

“No!” Charlotte said, raising her voice. “They're all I have left... If anything happens to you guys…”

Arthur and Gerald looked at each other.

“Is everything alright, Miss Charlotte?”


“No!” She completely forgot to whisper. “I almost died. Suri is running out of Magica, and our friends are gone… I… I….”

“Everything is fine, Miss Charlotte,” said the prince.

The butterflies fluttered at higher speed. They began to circle them.

“We'll find them.”

Charlotte remained silent.

“I’m scared too,” the prince continued. “But we look out for each other, right, Miss Charlotte?”

“Yes… I’m not alone anymore…”

Gerald and the prince nodded.

A swirl of butterflies now surrounded them.

Charlotte took a deep breath. “Let’s do it together.”

In a split second... the butterflies disappeared. Their pinkish-purple glow faded in an instant.

Their eyes had to adjust to the darkness again.

“What happened?”

Arthur and Gerald drew their weapons, without a second thought.

“Charlotte Armelier… We see each other one more time.” The hero's distorted voice echoed throughout the cathedral. “Maybe for the last time.”

“Where are our friends?” Charlotte shouted into the air.

“We say… They got what they deserved.”

Charlotte clenched her teeth. “Stop playing around!”

“Oh, we’re not playing around. In fact, the game is over.”

“Show yourself, coward!” Gerald looked all around, searching for him.

“Of course I'll show up, but I need a little time.”

Arthur moved only his eyes at high speed, also searching for the hero in the darkness. “Time? What are you planning?”

“Us?” The hero giggled. “Nothing… We’re just waiting.”

In the deep darkness that surrounded them, something leaped out. Charlotte, standing at the back near the entrance, could make out a blurry figure. What stood out most were the beast’s eyes, which shone like pearls in the night.

“W-waiting for what?” Charlotte asked, her body trembling.

“To end this madness.”

The beast didn't walk. It took great leaps forward.

“Madness? This is all your fault!”

“Yes, everything is ready to save our future.”

The beast leaped again.

“We'll stop you right here, right now.”

It took another leap forward, closer and closer.

“Is that so, Charlotte Armelier? Half of your party is gone… That annoying teacher will soon run out of Magica.”

The beast jumped once more, and the ground shook.

“It's just you… Oh, but you have to deal with that thing... So you're really going to stop us, Charlotte Armelier?”

The beast took one last leap.


The cathedral's stained-glass windows let in just enough light to reveal that beast.

It had the head of an ant with large, sharp mandibles. The rest of its body was that of a frog, allowing it to jump as it did before. All made entirely of roots, branches, and dead wood.

Charlotte and the others were frozen in place.

The beast let out a screech that brought them back to reality.

The ant's jaws snapped shut at an incredible speed.

They barely had time to jump out of the way.

“Goodbye, Charlotte Armelier, and if it makes you feel better... You were a true heroine.”

The hero let out a mocking laugh that echoed throughout the cathedral.

“It’s not just me!” Charlotte shouted. “You're a threat that needs to be defeated, but I know The Buried Tree controls you…” She paused. “But no matter how many obstacles you put in our way, I won't let you hurt anyone else... including yourself.”

The hero remained silent.

“I’m not alone… I’ll save my friends. I’ll protect the people… And I hope I can set you free.”

“Should we consider that a threat? Even if everything is stacked against you?”

“No, take it as a promise.”

The hero brayed. “I’ll be waiting for you, Charlotte Armelier.” For a moment, his voice didn't sound distorted. Then it just faded away.

“Mister Gerald, Prince Arthur, with me!”

“Understood!” Both of them repeated in unison.

The beast let out another screech at them, but they stood ready.