Squigly came at Selene and attacked her with a weak jab, striking her in the leg. Selene retaliated by delivering a swift kick to Squigly's face, knocking her onto her back.

"Ha! Is that the greatest extent of your strength, little Sienna? Did you expend all of your energy in that one feeble strike?" Selene smirked. "You can never hope to best me. See how weak you are."

Selene commanded a wave of her undead minions to rush Squigly, and they began pulling her limbs and beating her with broken table legs. Squigly urged Leviathan not to attack them, so he simply pushed them back by whipping his tail in a circle around her, then helped her back up.

Feeling outmatched, Squigly retreated to a corner to regroup. "Le... Leviathan!" she panted. "I... I don't know how I can beat her! I've never even been in a fight before!"

"Miss Squigly, you mustn't hesitate! We must return to battle immediately!" said Leviathan while keeping vigilant for further attacks from Selene. "We've absolutely no time to lose in thwarting the Skullgirl! We MUST take her down as hastily as possible!"

"We've stopped her from leaving, Leviathan! Why is it so urgent that we defeat her quickly?"

Just as Leviathan was about to answer, Selene had approached Squigly and launched a barrage of skulls at her. Squigly took damage as she swiftly retreated to the opposite wall of the room.

"My lady, I hate to admit this, but..." Leviathan began as Squigly ran, "...my powers... are imperfect."

"'Imperfect'? What do you mean?" Squigly asked as she narrowly avoided another skull volley and ducked behind a table near the wall.

"I am sorry, Miss Squigly. My powers are so pitifully weak. They will soon... give out," Leviathan regretfully informed Squigly, deeply ashamed. "I cannot ward off the Skull Heart's influence indefinitely. If we do not defeat Selene quickly, your... your mind will be erased, and your body will be added to her undead legion."

Squigly let out a worried gasp, immediately grasping the severity of the situation. "Right, then. We really have no time to waste!" she declared, her resolve greatly reinforced. She was about to run out and charge Selene again when the table she'd been behind was suddenly raised into the air.

"Hiding away, are you?" asked Selene mockingly as her minions lifted the table. "What happened to all your self-assured bluster? Are you no longer intent on 'releasing' me?"

The minions sent the table flying toward Squigly, who reflexively dropped to the floor and avoided it. Squigly then ran at Selene and tightly gripped her legs in an attempt to drag her down onto the floor; as she maintained her hold, Leviathan aimed his tail upward and stabbed at Selene's stomach. Enraged, Selene repelled the two with a wave of skulls, then lifted corpses into the air and flung them at Squigly, knocking her back further.

Squigly was dazed and had to take a few seconds to recover. Afterward, she once again ran at Selene, flailing her fists erratically in front of her. Selene dodged most of her punches, but was again struck by hits from Leviathan's tail. Selene again kicked Squigly onto her backside, then piled swarms of undead onto her. Leviathan dragged Squigly out from underneath them, and Squigly again sought cover behind a table to catch her breath.

"Leviathan... this isn't going well at all..." Squigly moaned as she wiped blood and sweat from her face. "I'm... having no effect on her..."

"Miss Squigly, we cannot do this individually. You must lend me your strength," stated Leviathan. "We have to work in tandem to vanquish her. We have to be as one body, moving and attacking in unison."

"But Leviathan! I have already told you that I cannot fight! I have absolutely no strength to offer!"

"You may not be able to fight, but you can dance!"

"Dance...? How could I lend you strength through dancing?"

"Trust me, my lady. Just get close to the Skullgirl and follow my direction."

Squigly nodded as the table was lifted into the air by the corpses and hurled at her, hitting her in her side. "I grow tired of these games, Sienna," Selene tersely muttered, levitating toward her. "If you insist on wasting my time, stop cowering and come serve me."

"I will never give in to you, monster!" Squigly shouted defiantly as she stood back up. "I will NOT become another one of your instruments of chaos and destruction!"

Squigly rigidly held her ground as Selene came at her, putting her trust completely in Leviathan to guide her and teach her how to add her own strength to his. Selene conjured up a cluster of skulls and floated over top of Squigly to bring them down on her head, and Squigly winced as she braced for the hit.

"Miss Squigly! Arabesque!"

Almost as if by instinct, Squigly balanced on her right leg and kicked her left leg backward at a 45 degree angle. Leviathan wrapped his tail around her elevated leg and stabbed Selene in the ribs, causing her to lose concentration and break apart the skull cluster. As Selene reeled, Squigly had been amazed at what she had just performed, seemingly without effort.

Squigly once again focused herself as Selene furiously charged at her. Now slightly more confident, she remained still and awaited Leviathan's instruction on how to counter.

"Get ready..." said Leviathan as Selene closed in. "Now! Pirouette!"

Squigly tented her arms above her head, bent her left leg backward and spun in place. As she twirled, Leviathan wrapped himself around her arms and breathed fire, surrounding her in a fiery vortex. Selene collided with Squigly and knocked her to the floor, but had taken heavy damage from the flames in the process. This time, Selene had been the one to retreat as Leviathan helped Squigly back onto her feet.

"Leviathan!" Squigly was enthralled. "I... I think I get it! I understand now how to combine our strength!"

"Combat, like dance, is an art, my lady," professed Leviathan. "It requires not just might and brutality, but elegance and finesse. If you would provide the poise, I will provide the power!"

"In that case, shall we dance, Leviathan?"

"My lady, I would be honored!"

The two were then interrupted by another bombardment of skulls and looked up to see Selene on the opposite end of the room, having resorted to using long-range attacks again. Selene gathered up the horde of corpses and flung them across the room toward Squigly. Squigly smiled and nodded at Leviathan, taking hold of his tail like the arm of a waltz partner.

"Promenade!" she exclaimed as she and Leviathan whirled across the room, rhythmically sidestepping the flying corpses. As they danced their way toward her, Selene increased the frequency and intensity of her attacks, hurling skull clusters along with the bodies. Between dance steps, Leviathan shielded Squigly from the projectiles with a barrier made from his coiled tail. Upon getting in range of her, Squigly and Leviathan unleashed a barrage of attacks on Selene; as Squigly struck multiple swift poses, Leviathan contoured with the angling of her body to assail Selene with rapid jabs, bites, and fiery breath. As Selene hovered closer to the floor, Squigly was also able to execute her own attacks, transitioning dance positions like dips and pivots into powerful kicks.

"Ha HA! Miss Squigly, your dancing is superb!" Leviathan complimented Squigly amidst the onslaught.

"Well you make for an excellent dance partner, Leviathan!" Squigly grinned as she landed a jump kick to Selene's chest, knocking her back into a wall.

"Urrrrrgh... cease this foolishness..." Selene growled as she put distance between herself and Squigly. "Do as your mother commands, child!"

Selene commanded her undead minions to attack Squigly all at once. As they encircled and began pummeling her, Leviathan instructed her to jump. Gathering her strength, she crouched and leapt into the air as high as she could, and was propelled away from the horde by Leviathan's tail flames. Upon regaining her footing, Leviathan used his flames to boost Squigly forward as she dashed toward Selene.

Squigly, now realizing the power of her legs, jumped toward Selene to kick her in the chest again. Selene shielded herself from the blow by quickly summoning a corpse to take the hit for her, causing Squigly to recoil and fall onto the floor. As Squigly sat up and looked back up at Selene, her mouth hung open in horror and disgust: right in front of Selene floated Roberto's body, used as a shield to intercept Squigly's attack. The blatant disrespect of his late master's body had incensed Leviathan, but Squigly remained on the floor, too traumatized to react.

"F-Father..." Squigly's voice broke, on the verge of crying. "Father... no..."

"Fell demoness! You will NOT desecrate the body of Miss Squigly's father and my former host!" thundered Leviathan as an intense flame built up in his throat. "For this, I WILL incinerate you!"

"Mother... how... how could you...?" Squigly wept softly. "Father... loved you! He loved all of us! He provided everything for us...!"

"I do not understand your sorrow, Sienna. It truly confuses me," Selene remarked unfeelingly. "It is as you said: Roberto loved me, and that is why I am using him. He died so that he can protect and serve me, and I am doing his body a great honor by allowing it to shield me."

"That is where you are wrong, witch! Roberto died to protect Squigly! He gave his life so that she might be spared from your tyranny, and my presence here PROVES that!" Leviathan proclaimed as he started hoisting Squigly up on his own. "And even if my lady cannot find it within herself to banish you to the pits of hell where you belong, I will STILL–"

Leviathan abruptly collapsed, dropping Squigly back onto the floor. He began wheezing as his neck and tail went limp and sprawled out at Squigly's sides.

"Leviathan! What's wrong?!" Squigly panicked, picking up Leviathan's head to face her.

"My... my lady..." Leviathan gasped. "We've... run out of time. Forgive me..."

"Run out of time? What do you mean?! We can still–"

Squigly suddenly felt her body slowly rise off of the floor, and gasped and flailed frantically as she started being pulled toward Selene.

"Yes... there it is..." Selene smiled devilishly as she exerted her telekinesis on Squigly's body. "The parasite's power is running out. Very soon, you will be made to bend to my will, and shall join Roberto and me in my mission to raze this land."

Since Squigly's mind had still been intact, Selene didn't yet have full control over her body. Squigly continued struggling to get back onto her feet, desperately kicking at the air to release Selene's invisible hold on her. She began shivering uncontrollably as she started to feel a strange sensation in her head.

"L-L-Leviathan!" Squigly called out, anxiously rubbing her forehead. "I-I feel... my mind! It's starting to... starting to fade! HELP!"

"Miss... Squigly..." Leviathan coughed as he dangled helplessly out of Squigly's head. "I am afraid... this is where we must... bid farewell."

Squigly's hearing went fuzzy and her vision started whiting out as she was suspended in the air directly in front of Selene. She used every bit of her willpower to continue putting up a resistance, but her convulsing had been slowing to a halt by the second.

"Was it worth it? Was opposing me worth dying slowly, in fear and agony?" Selene spoke as her aura flared, though Squigly could barely hear her words. "Spare yourself of your suffering, and relinquish your will to me. I assure you, under my command, your body shall be put to exceptional use, Dear Squigly."

Squigly could no longer find in herself the strength to hold onto her consciousness. In her last breath, she reached out in front of her and had felt an unidentifiable floating object with her left hand. Upon gripping it, she and Selene were blown to opposite ends of the room, and Squigly flew through the air until she collided with the wall.

"Ughhh... what was that?" Squigly blearily moaned, sitting up and rubbing her head.

"My lady, that was our second wind!"

Squigly suddenly looked up over her shoulder and saw Leviathan, returned to his former vigor and smiling boldly.

"Leviathan?!" Squigly gasped in awe. "You're... alive?!"

"We BOTH are, Miss Squigly!" Leviathan proudly declared. "Back on your feet now, we have a Skullgirl to make rid of!"

Squigly was about to stand back up until she felt an enormous pain in her left arm. Looking down at it, she shrieked as she saw that her entire forearm had been stripped off, right down to the bone.

"MY ARM! Leviathan, that thing I touched... what was it?!" she hysterically asked.

"Well, I couldn't see it, but I would wager that you'd laid your hand on the Skull Heart, my lady," answered Leviathan. "Its energy must have been so concentrated that it blew you across the room, and took your arm along with it."

"And you, Leviathan! I-I thought your powers had run out!"

"That sudden explosive release of energy must have served to replenish them. Quite ironic that the Heart's own power will now lead to its undoing!"

"The Heart's power? ...Of course!" Squigly beamed as she had an epiphany. "The Skull Heart is the source of the Skullgirl's power, and is what has been keeping my mother's soul captive! All I must do to release her is destroy it! Right, Leviathan?"

"Indeed, Miss Squigly! When Selene lets her guard down, throw everything you have at the Skull Heart!"

Squigly nodded and stood up, but staggered when her arm caused her more pain.

"Oh dear. Miss Squigly, will you be alright to continue battle?" Leviathan asked, seeing Squigly wince and rub her left arm.

"Sure I will, Leviathan..." Squigly strained, hoping to conceal her pain from him. "I will simply... favor my right side!"

"I will use my powers to help ease your pain. For now, seeing as we were so rudely interrupted, shall we finish our dance?"

"Why not? We are in a ballroom, after all!"

Leviathan grinned as he used his tail to jet Squigly across the ballroom to Selene.

Squigly and Leviathan made it back over to Selene, who had been blown onto the stage at the end of the ballroom. She had just finished recovering from the impact when they reached her, and upon the sight of them, her fury reached its peak: her aura crackled like fire, her hair billowed wildly, and the cloud of skulls surrounding her swarmed all around her body like an agitated hive.

"Urrrrrgh! Accursed child! I am fed up with your defiance!" she fumed as she hovered above the stage and harshly stared down at Squigly. "You are worthless, not even fit to serve me DEAD! No trace of you will remain – I will thoroughly unmake you AND your parasite!"

Selene's words cut deep, as Squigly was hurt to hear such disparagement coming out of what was ostensibly her own mother. Not letting it distract her, she quickly reminded herself that it had been the Skull Heart that had warped her into saying and thinking such scornful things. Squigly furrowed her brow and balled her right fist, and jumped up onto the stage to confront Selene for the final time.

"Mother... I know you are within that monster somewhere... but please forgive me for what I have to do," Squigly lowly uttered as she stood before Selene, readying to attack. "I can hear your true heart crying out from within the Skull Heart, and no matter what it takes, I WILL break its hold on you! Skullgirl, your evil ends NOW!"

Squigly leapt at Selene, and she and Leviathan struck her simultaneously with a kick-stab to the stomach. Upon landing, Squigly followed up with a powerful jab to her side that Leviathan augmented with a blast of fire from his tail. Selene spaced herself from Squigly and rapidly hurled skulls at her, but Squigly sidestepped around most of them, and the ones that she couldn't evade were blocked by Leviathan.

Squigly ran back at Selene; she and her parasite now working in absolute sync, she did a spinning jump kick as Leviathan serrated his body like a circular saw, and they landed repeated hits to Selene's chest. Selene floated closer to the floor of the stage as she began to weaken, and Squigly tilted her head in a waltzing bow, allowing for Leviathan to shower Selene in flames. Selene shrieked and summoned a flock of her minions to run at Squigly as she recovered. Squigly spun in place as Leviathan formed up a shield, knocking them off the stage as they came at her. After repelling the attacks, she was then struck in the head by a buffet of flying skulls and knocked on her back. Selene used the opening to float in front of Squigly and try to bring more skulls down on her, but Squigly quickly kicked upward with Leviathan wrapped around both legs, delivering a powerful kick-stab to her waist that sent her staggering.

Squigly sprang back onto her feet and attempted another jump kick at Selene, but Selene dodged and retreated to the opposite end of the stage. Squigly followed her and she and Leviathan readied a flaming punch, but Selene pulled up Roberto's body from off the floor in another attempt to shield herself from them. Squigly and Leviathan halted their attack and glowered fiercely at Selene.

"Your cowardly tricks will not work on me, Selene!" Squigly yelled through a clenched jaw, burning with rage. "We WILL teach you respect for our family!"

Squigly leaned her head forward, allowing Leviathan to reach around Roberto's body and attack Selene by pinching her ribs with his head and tail. Selene dropped Roberto's body and, too weakened to remain airborne, hunched over on the floor of the stage, holding her sides. Squigly used the opportunity to direct Leviathan's tail into Selene's stomach, skewering her all the way through to her shoulder. Leviathan removed his tail and Selene fell on all fours to the floor; as she panted and bled out, Squigly saw the Skull Heart suspended beside her head, and took the opening to destroy it.

Squigly was about to stomp on the Skull Heart when her arms were suddenly seized from behind by Roberto's corpse. Roberto squeezed and twisted her injured left arm, causing her to yowl in pain. Neither she nor Leviathan were willing to attack his body to free themselves, and Selene cackled maliciously as she began to rise back into the air. With her telekinesis, she stripped the bones from one of the corpses on the floor and formed them into a spear.

"You've become such an impetuous brat, Sienna! How dare you inflict such abuse on your own MOTHER!" Selene snarled as she grasped the spear in her bony hands. Squigly struggled to wriggle out of Roberto's deceptively tight grip, but the pain in her arm had greatly diminished her efforts. "It's time I put you in your place!"

Selene hovered toward Squigly with the spear pointed downward at her. As Squigly scowled fearlessly at Selene, Leviathan readied his fiery breath as Roberto's final command to him suddenly echoed in his head.

Don't let anyone touch her, you understand...? Stop anyone who gets close – even me!

"Forgive me, Master Roberto..."

Right as Selene was directly above Squigly and had been about to drive the spear down into her head, Leviathan skewered Roberto's body through the ribs, causing it to release its hold on her. With her arms free, Squigly swiftly dodged out of the way of Selene's attack and rolled behind her. She then leapt into the air, and Leviathan extended his body and clamped his jaw tightly around Selene's neck, coating it in fire. Selene let out a blood-curdling scream as Squigly grabbed hold of Leviathan and slammed Selene's head down onto the stage floor.

Selene lay face-down on the stage, her strength completely depleted. Her aura dimmed and the skulls that surrounded her fell to the floor. She twitched and moaned feebly as she attempted to raise her head, and, just as before, the Skull Heart had been floating beside it. Squigly slowly walked up to her and stood before her with regret.

"Mother..." she wearily sighed. "You can rest easy now. The struggle is over... I have won back your soul. Leviathan... could you?"

"Of course, my lady."

Leviathan cloaked the tip of his tail in fire as Selene slowly began to lift her head to look at Squigly. Squigly became disconcerted as she glanced over at Selene, as it appeared as though she was about to speak.

"Squigly, wait..."

"Mother?"

Leviathan drove his flaming tail into the Skull Heart and it exploded, sending Squigly and Selene flying off the stage, and causing all the corpses to wither into dust.

Squigly lay on the floor gritting her teeth and clutching what had remained of her left arm. Though Leviathan's abilities had aided in alleviating some of the pain, she had still felt it throbbing. As she held it, she noticed that even though its skin had been removed, she could still feel her right hand's grip on it. She sat up and curiously held her left hand in the palm of her right, and attempted to move its fingers. To her amazement, she'd discovered that she still had function of the arm – though limited due to the pain, she was able to twitch her fingers slightly. A faint smile appeared across her lips, but her moment of serendipity was quickly cut short by a sudden rush of wooziness.

"Le... Leviathan..." she mumbled. "Something is wrong. I... I feel faint..."

"Miss Squigly... I regret to inform you that... now that the Skull Heart has been destroyed, you will soon be returning to eternal rest," said Leviathan solemnly. "I am... terribly sorry..."

"W-what?! No! After all that, I... I still have to die?" Squigly went into a panic, trembling and breathing heavily. "B-but... that isn't fair! W-why can't I live again?!"

"Your body was reanimated by the Heart, my lady... and without its power, there is nothing I alone can do to sustain your life. Perhaps I should have told you this before we challenged the Skullgirl. ...Please accept my sincerest apologies."

"But I don't want to be dead, Leviathan! Is there nothing you can do?! I-I want to LIVE! Please help me! Please...!"

"Shhhh... it will be alright, my dear... please be at ease..." Leviathan whispered as he hugged Squigly with his tail. "From this moment on, I wholly dedicate my life to serving and protecting you... and even as you rest, I shall remain by your side. I shall cherish and watch over you in this life and the next."

"...You... you will...?"

"I give you my vow, my lady. Take my word... we shall be inseparable."

"Th... thank you, Leviathan. My heart tells me that as long as we are together... I've no need to be afraid. I'll... I'll go quietly."

Leviathan hummed and nodded gently, then unwrapped himself from Squigly as she smiled optimistically at him, his reassuring words calming her troubled mind. As long as she knew he would be with her, she was accepting of her fate, and was willing to return peacefully into the cold darkness.

Squigly's vision started to blur, and she looked around the ballroom as light from the morning sun had begun to shine through the windows. Broken tables and chairs had still been scattered across the room, but there had been no traces of blood anywhere, and the corpses had all completely disappeared.

"Family..." Squigly mournfully moaned, lowering her gaze to the floor. Slowly picking her head back up, she suddenly gasped when she noticed one person left behind, lying underneath a window with sunlight cascading down on them. Gathering the little remainder of life she still had within her, she resolutely stumbled over to the person, and discovered that it had been none other than Selene – bleeding, heavily scarred, and barely breathing.

Tears began welling in Squigly's eyes as she gracefully knelt beside her mother. "Mother...? Mother! Are you still with me? Please wake up, Mother...!" she pleaded as she attempted to gently shake her awake. After some effort, Selene's eyes had gradually begun to open, and she looked up to see Squigly staring down at her with concern. Selene smiled at her warmly, and Squigly had seen that the skull symbols in her eyes were gone.

"S... S... Squigly..." Selene murmured. "Dear... how I've... missed you..."

"Mother... it IS you!" Tears rolled down Squigly's face. "Thank goodness...!"

"Squigly... thank you... for freeing me."

"I... couldn't have... done it alone, Mother. Leviathan... he was with me. He has helped me... through everything..."

"Madame Selene..." Leviathan bowed. "It terribly saddens me that we should meet under these circumstances. Though our time may be short, you can rest assured that I shall always remain by Squigly's side, and shall watch over her in your stead."

"Thank you... Leviathan. I could not ask for... a greater wish... than for my dear... to be happy."

Squigly was then reminded that yesterday had indeed been Selene's birthday. Glancing at her ears, she'd seen that Selene had still been wearing the earrings she had given her. "Oh Mother... this has been... a horrible birthday... hasn't it?" she asked remorsefully.

"Squigly, dear..." Selene coughed. "No day spent with you... could be horrible."

"Mother... I'm so sorry... I never wanted to hurt you..."

"No, Dear. It is me... who is at fault. Please... forgive me for... everything I have put us through..."

Squigly leaned Selene's back up against the wall, and Leviathan coiled around the two as they passionately embraced.

"I love you, Mother. Even in death... I will never forget you."

"I love you too, Sienna. You are... my precious melody."

Squigly felt her breath shorten and her eyelids grow heavy. She continued to hug her mother as she allowed her life to escape her.