Fiona glanced nervously from the door to the object halfway under the door, which had fallen from the maid's pocket. She had managed to trap Daniella in the room with the carousel puzzle, locking the door behind her with one of the keys she had obtained. Slowly, she sank to her knees, reaching out…and swiftly snatched the item.
"Miss?" Dread filled the pit of Fiona's stomach when the maid spoke, her voice hollow, unnatural. The doorknob was twisted, but to no avail and Daniella let out her strange laugh. Was she amused by this? Fiona wasn't about to stick around to find out, turning on her heel and taking off, Hewie following after her.
She didn't get very far before the wailing started, Daniella's ear-shattering screams and psychotic laughter sending her into a panic attack despite knowing she was still locked up. Stumbling, her breath came in quick gasps with her rising pulse, Hewie whining at her distress. After a minute of standing still to calm herself, Fiona took a deep breath, looking down at the key in her shaking hand. It was etched with the astronomical sign of the planet Saturn. The heavenly body associated with limitation, structures, ambition, death, rebirth, as well as all things inimical to life…
_
Fiona kicked the machine once more and it sputtered to life, the conveyor belt beginning to move. The young woman watched as the rocks on the belt were crushed, a plan formulating quickly in her terrified mind – which was good, because just as the machine fell silent again, Lorenzo crawled into the room, cackling madly.
"Oh, Fiona…" he smacked his lips noisily, holding himself up by his thin arms, wobbling as he did so. She let out a gasp, Hewie at her side with his hackles raised and fur standing on end as he growled a warning at her new tormentor. Looking from her stalker to the conveyor belt, she sprinted towards it just as he jerked forward, impossibly fast despite his crippled legs. One misstep was all it took, and she found herself hitting the packed ground hard, a groan leaving her already tired and battered body.
"Now, Fiona! You're mine! All mine!" Her skin crawled when his cold, bony fingers encircled her ankle, a startled cry leaving her when he began to climb onto her. "ALL MI-"
Suddenly, the weight of the old man was gone, and after a hesitant second she tentatively got to her feet, wondering what had happened. Had Hewie saved her again? The German Shepherd was just a few feet away from her, however, his teeth bared and tail sticking straight out. Frightened by his behavior, she turned – and stopped dead, shivering uncontrollably.
"D-Daniella! What are you doing?! Get out of my way!" Lorenzo was screeching, his frail body pinned beneath the maid's scuffed shoe. Daniella merely gave him a cruel smile, grinding her heel into his brittle rib cage, causing him to cough violently.
"Master…" her tone was as emotionless as ever, lavender eyes flashing with corrupted intelligence.
"G-Get…off of me!"
"…" The maid tilted head so that her purple hair fell to frame her false angelic face. Fiona watched with apprehension as Daniella stared at him…a silent gasp was released from the girl when Daniella's lips twitched into a terrifying, unnatural smile. "I am not complete…this can be remedied. Didn't you want me to be perfect…Master?" She leaned down to whisper something Fiona couldn't hear, and the look of utter horror on Lorenzo's face chilled her blood to ice.
Fiona looked away just as Daniella brought her shard of glass down, severing his throat all too easily. The once master stared up at his rejected creation, making gurgling noises as blood welled up in his mouth, fell from his lips. Gradually, the already dim light in his crazed eyes faded, and he grew still. Daniella watched all of this, her normally blank face harboring some strange, unreadable expression. Having broken her bonds, was she finally feeling something now? Whatever it was, it was gone in an instant, replaced by her normal mask, as though it had never been.
She stepped away from the corpse of her former master, a glint catching Fiona's eye. Keeping her focus on Daniella, who seemed to be completely oblivious to her at the moment, she edged her way to the body, acquiring another key. Fiona chanced to examine it, finding the Sun symbol engraved this time. The astrological sign for knowledge, enlightenment…and rebirth.
"Miss Fiona…" Her head snapped up, only to find the maid staring at her. She shifted uncomfortably, unsure…until that crazy giggle burst forth from her pale lips.
"Azoth…Miss Fiona…ALL MINE!"
Calling for Hewie as she turned, Fiona fled further into her endless nightmare. At its end, she would discover Lorenzo, returned in his true form, awaiting them, vengeance and victory at the forefront of his mind. As if mocking her former master, Daniella seemed to give chase to the Azoth all too willingly.