With a spare dress fetched and a drink of her wine, Alcina's face became at ease. The injuries sustained from Miranda were healed completely, however she felt a soreness residing in her arms and legs. The first time in a long time she felt exhaustion even from transforming her body. Her skin revealed more veins now than before, but only resided within her wrists.
"I'm impressed you managed to survive Miranda." Heisenberg spoke coyly.
"I'm only able to injure her to an extent." She said gruffly. "Had I not escaped I may not even be within this world any longer."
"I'm glad you're back now Alcina. All of us were worried." I said.
She gave me a light-hearted smile and took a drink of the wine. She set down the bottle and adjusted her seating arrangement.
"What happened her while I was amiss?" She asked.
"Lycans came and we stood our ground. " I sat down. "Each of us held them off and kept Donna and Marianne safe all the while. Not too much of a assualt on us, but we got lucky."
"I see."
The daughters each remained close to Alcina's side all except for Cassandra who gave her hurt stares. Marianne could only sit beside her mother and hold her hand. Cassandra looked at her with a small smile and gently squeezed in return. Alcina turned her head towards Cassandra to only divert her attention when she saw Cassandra's eyes shift back to her. Seeing this as now good as time as any to explain her doubts of Miranda.
"When the decision came for Mother Miranda to obliterate this village and the residents it would be our own undoing." She extended a clawed nail. "Regarding my "condition" I took it upon myself to properly plan for an emergency and soon inform you three should our stockroom be drained entirely." She looked at Cassandra. "I didn't realize when (F/N) came that it delayed the thought almost completely."
"If we were planning to leave then why did we stay for over 2 years?" Bela took off her hood revealing her long blonde hair. "Was it simply because having a human man would help increase our supply?" She turned to me. "Er... no offense."
"None taken. I didn't exactly have much to offer other than this little one." I smiled motioning to Marianne.
Marianne flashed her hands at her face doing a silly gesture and a wink. We all giggle to ourselves except Heisenberg who just listened by the wall.
"When (F/N) came I was already deciding on telling you three, but then I saw how happy each of you were and... I couldn't destroy that with the news. So I simply just let it reside it the depths of my mind." Alcina retracted the nail. "So on and so forth you all developed attraction for a man and soon so did I, despite my beliefs."
Cassandra still remained quiet only nodded in response as she understood.
"We understand mother." Daniela placed her hands on her lap. "Please don't leave us again..."
"I don't plan to. Not now, not ever."
Donna snuggled next to me and flashed me a small smile.
"I must say I am quite suprised and disappointed in you when I found out you had the Dollmaker around the tip of your finger (F/N)" Alcina narrowed her eyes at me. "I suppose a man's greed can be satisfied easily."
"I can understand that Alcina." I replied. "But there was a sense of familiarity between her and you."
"How so?"
"Loneliness." I said solemnly.
Her lip stayed shut at the word and Donna looked down sadly.
"She only had her dolls with her to keep her company. You had only a massive empty castle at first." I moved my palm over the air to emphasize. "Until Miranda gave you three beautiful, unique, daughters; Donna recieved nothing however." My eyes trailed to Donna. "When she was to watch over me she was overjoyed at finally having someone to be in her company despite her isolationist beliefs. I mean, judging by your history together has she ever spoke once through her own lips to anyone?"
"No. Her speaking without the doll was almost unheard of until only recently." Alcina replied.
Donna gently enveloped her hand with mine. They were as cold as ice.
"He helped... me." She said.
Everyone was quiet at her words. Anytime she spoke we listened especially the daughters.
"Had I never come along, though it wasn't by choice. I don't think she would have been able to stand it any longer." I said. "She never had the same gift you did Alcina. Realizing that I still chose to give her something greater. A family."
Daniela and Bela both smiled rubbing their bellies. Donna too as well did the same. Marianne looked confused at them and asked.
"Is everyone hungry or something?"
Cassandra held back her laughter as did the rest of us.
"No it's just the temporary home of your siblings little one." Alcina gently patted the top of her head.
"Why are they in there and not out here?"
"Preferably it may now be a good time to explain to her the birds and the bees." Heisenberg looked over at us.
Alcina gave him a glare. Donna mouthed the words to herself in confusion.
"Just a suggestion. Kids gotta know sometime and she looks old enough to understand it."
"Birds and bees?" Marianne looked puzzled. "What are those?"
"I'll explain it in a way it doesn't gross you out sweetie." I rubbed my eyes.
The Village has never been so desolate, so full, and yet so sorrowful at what it has become. Bodies of mangled corpses and the nauseating stench of blood was all that could meet the eyes and nose. Any life that used to thrive was extinguished long ago. Miranda gave one simple order and that order became the death of innocents and heretics. Her decision caused many faithful pawns to be used in her twisted game of chess. Right now, however, she only has so few knights when the rooks are so close to checkmate. Without her pawns and bishops she became defenseless. It was only a matter of time before the Queen must fall even with the King being the only remaining piece after the Queen.
"I cannot lose to those insufferable creatures of my making." Miranda spoke to the empty space. "I WILL BRING MY DAUGHTER BACK!"
Her thundering voice shook the ground and more roots from the Mutamycete began to sprout from the Earth. A rude awakening was in store as she spread her wings and felt a root pierce her chest. Blood spurted from her chest and leaked from the corners of her mouth.
"GIVE mE PoWEr!!!!" Her voice became distorted.
The spear embedded within her body pulsed and a shockwave occured. Within mere moments her body shook violently before becoming still. The remaining life that resided within her died as her breaths became heavier. It was a pitiful site.
"E....va..."
A crack formed on her face. Following suite more cracks appeared across her mangled body. Her many limbs and wings ripped off her back and arms. Right before it seemed her body would break another shockwave occured slowing down the process entirely. The cracks slowly burned on her skin and she bellowed out in pain. Her skin became as hard as wood and her body contorted in unimaginable ways. Her shadow danced across a massive fetus enveloped in a black mass painting a picture of her transformation. Her cries echoed through the hills until it came to a silent stop. A body ripped apart from itself and broke free from the pierced Miranda. It was small until it touched the Earth growing back into Miranda's size.
"E...va. Eva...." The husk spoke standing up from the ground.
Miranda's new body remained as her human form did only with dark pulsing masses that were across her face down to her legs. A single breast exposed while the other was covered through a massive black line. Her eyes were only dark, no iris or eyeball, but only empty sockets. Her hair exactly the same only was shorter by 2 inches. Her bosom revealed white veins pulsing across her skin as did her thighs and wrists.
"I am... Mother Miranda."
The woman looked back at the pierced body left behind and continued forward.
"So that's how I was born huh... strange." Marianne made a weird face. "I guess I still need to observe the collection in the library later."
Donna stared at the ground with widened eyes at what she heard and remained quiet.
"Yeah it's probably for the best." I chuckled sheepishly.
"I would be more than happy to discuss it with you Marie." Cassandra smiled earnestly.
A shudder went through Alcina, Daniela, and Bela.
"Preferably maybe not." Bela sighed.
"Hey! Why are you all looking at me like that?" Cassandra pouted.
I let out a nervous laugh. Alcina scoffed at the ridiculousness listening to their bickering.
"Hey. Something's not right..." Heisenberg's tone becoming serious.
We all pause looking at him.
"I don't like this one bit." He turned to the village.
Marianne froze in place with a sense of dread across her face. I looked at her with a worried expression.
"Marianne what's wro-"
I felt something stab my back before I could finish speaking. The pain was delayed at my shock until the blood flowed against my spine. A loud bundle of snaps was heard as I howled in pain. I felt my lower spine shatter as I fell to the ground choking on an excessive amount of blood bubbling up in my throat. The feeling in my legs was nonexistent. I couldn't move even a finger.
"Weak human." The voice said ripping her hand out of my back.
I could hear the screams and cries of my family ringing in my ears as I felt the life drain out of my eyes. It was so cold... The pain didn't stop, it only got worse the more I tried to breathe. I felt Marianne latch onto me in tears. My eyes couldn't even manage to look up at her. I could only have strength to produce tears and a gurgling noise trying to say her name. It was unbearable...
"YOU BITCH!!!" Bela screamed charging at Miranda with her sickle in hand. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!?!"
Her sisters did the same surrounding and slicing at the figure. Their blades only placed scratches across the skin barely letting any form of blood spill. Rage consumed them as they frantically slashed at the still Miranda. Alcina immediately came to my body and cut her palm with a nail.
"Ngh this should work!"
A small trickle of blood formed and she held it over my wound. I made a final attempt to breathe until it stopped. The blood droplet fell and landed inside my shattered back. Marianne's body trembled as she couldn't hear my heartbeat any longer. Alcina gritted her teeth in frustration as she tried spilling more of her blood onto my exposed wound. The daughters were pushed back with incredible force leaving Donna to crawl back in terror as she watched. Daniela and Bela crashed into the walls leaving Cassandra wheezing on the ground like she had the wind knocked out of her body. Heisenberg readied his hammer to smash into Miranda's skull causing her to wobble. He let a fury of strikes with both his hammer and free fist. He continued blow after blow causing Miranda to stagger to her knees. Miranda slashed at the air barely nicking his coat. He kicked her body down and continued to beat her relentlessly. Alcina held Marianne within her arms as she cried.
"THE DAGGER! NOW!!!" He yelled towards Donna.
Donna tried to calm her nerves, but jumped in response to his outburst and quickly searched my side to find the blade. She immediately grabbed the hilt and yanked out the blade from the hilt tossing it to Heisenberg. He held out a hand to catch the hilt and grasped it firmly. His body turned and he raised his arm.
"I've waited a long time for this!" He smiled stabbing Miranda through her throat.
He stabbed Miranda over and over again in different areas of her chest, arms, face, and waist. The poison worked in his favor as her skin began to deteriorate into muck.
"Suffer as I have suffered." His arms raised for a final stab into her heart.
The blade pierced the rapidly beating black heart until it exploded into mush. A echoed screech was let out through the open air causing Marianne to hold her ears while tears leaked from her eyes. The body of Miranda choked on her own blood and vomited an unnatural amount of black liquid. Her body soon turned into a white crystal-like form.
Miranda's dark pupils saw a frame of a little girl dressed in black facing towards her. With her legs shattered and her left arm following suite she tried to reach out to the little girl. Her lips spat out blood across the stone as she said the words. The hand reaching out had the fingers crumble as she almost reached the girl.
"Eva... I'll see... you soon..."
Her body fell across the stone shattering in place. The many fragments scattered across from where she stood. Crystalized remains where in place with a pulsing Cadou parasite inside a beautiful sculptured body. Cassandra, Bela, and Daniela wobbled their way back and let out heavy breaths. Everyone watched in disbelief until their focus turned to my body. Marianne clenched my coat and sobbed into it. Not a trace of movement was found in my fingers or my face. I couldn't hear my daughter's pleas for me to wake up. I could only feel my eyes close ever so slowly. Cassandra, Daniela, Bela, and Donna wept as they gathered over my body.
Was death always such a chilling feeling..?