Hello everyone. Welcome to the last chapter. This ending is going to be SO amazing and epic, you wont be able to see straight for the next two hours!

Only joking, I'm not that amazing! xD

Anyway, this is indeed the last chapter. I would like to thank anyone and everyone who has reviewed and favorited this fic! It meant a lot to me! I hope you enjoy this very last chapter and remember, my girlfriend (who's username is IBeautifullyImperfectI) is going to write the 'sequel'. She's been wanting to for a while so I'm finishing this up (don't worry, it's not rushed).

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia nor Scratches.

As I sat in the living room alone, I began leafing through the journals and diaries one last time. There had to have been something I missed. A clue I over looked. Something, just something.

The fire crackled in the fireplace lightly as the flames danced around against the wood and the marbled wall behind it. If it weren't for the nagging feelings in my gut and the mask that sat beside me on the coffee table, it would have been a rather comfortable setting. The faint drums and voices rambled on as I silently skimmed through each page to look for more clues on what to do next. Coming across the word 'bone', I paused and looked over the paragraph. Roderich had done his research. The tribe used bones as sacrifices from their killings to 'appease' the spirit of the mask. Was that what Roderich was attempting to do with Elisaveta? It required a bone from an animal and one from a human. There was a lion tooth in the African Shrine and of course...Elisaveta...

The bones were the be ground up and melded together before offered to said mask and the spirits would take it as a peace offering once the ritual was completed. So, if I were to use both teeth, grind them up, somehow melt them into one component object, the so-called 'curse' would be lifted. Is that how it worked?

Huffing, I sat the book aside and looked at the mask. If this is what had to be done, there was no way I could get past it, huh? Not like I hadn't defecated her grave enough as is, of course.

"Best get to it then..."

Walking out of the living room and through the front door, I made my way over to the open grave of Elisaveta and picked up the discarded and forgotten shovel. Gulping, I silently bid her my forgiveness before slamming the tip of the shovel down onto her mouth and breaking a tooth off. I picked it up quickly before heading back inside where the drumming and voices had gotten louder, causing the walls to mentally vibrate in my mind. It must know what I'm doing... I went upstairs, skipping two steps at a time, and made my way to the double doors of Roderich's obsession. Flinging open the doors, I grabbed the necklace with the lion's tooth on it and threw it on the floor, smashing the golden chain into pieces before the tooth fell out. So far so good... From my position, I could clearly hear the drumming now... How could it tell what I was doing? Shaking it off, I scooped up the lion's tooth and headed downstairs where the grinder was in the kitchen. I put both teeth inside and ground them with the handle on the top, huffing from the exertion. Where could I melt-

I glanced over at the stove. Could it still be in working order? If so, I could use the flame from the eye to melt them together! Grabbing a pot, I poured the ash into said metal container before turning on the eye and placing the pot there with a little bit of water. Watching carefully, over a matter of time the ashes melded into a small emerald stone. After letting it cool for a minute I picked it up imideately and rushed to the mask and picked it up as well. Assuming it would rather be on some sort of podium to appeal to it's 'otherwordly greatness', I made my way back to the African room and into the small alcove where I had originally found the mask. Setting it upright against a wall, I slowly laid the stone in front of it before chanting what Roderich had written in the journal. Some African chant that he had heard the villagers singing during their ritural. The air around me quickened, swirling and twirling about my figure as I sat in front of the mask. The drums and voices had gotten louder and quicker as the air became stale and toxic before soon, everything stopped. The air stilled, the atmosphere quieted, the drums had stopped beating, the voices had stopped whistling. The house felt...lighter, in a sense. Lighter now that it's torment had been uplifted.

Smiling, I stood. I had figured it out. I had broken the horrible, deadly curse. And now, all I wanted to do was leave. But the fire...

Remembering I had left the fire still ablaze, I walked down the stairs and into the living room.

Only to find that it was out...

Strange... Did I not leave the fire the way it was? No way could it have been I who had put it out, I was upstairs! Walking slowly over to it, I inspected the fireplace carefully and shivered when I felt a cold draft rush from under it. What was that? Putting my hand down and running it along the ledge, I felt more cold air rush in through the invisible crack. I pushed it lightly. Something clicked. I pushed it again. The logs moved. What was that? Pushing it one final time, the bottom of the fireplace moved away and slid back into the wall, logs and all. I sat there staring in awe. My heart skipped a beat as I looked down the ladder onto the hard cement floor below. What had I just stumbled upon? Clearly this mystery wasn't finished. Was there more to this than I had originally suspected? Gulping, I descended down the wooden ladder as landed as my shoes made a dull click on the cement floor.

Looking around I was met with a cold, damp, dreary room with a single sink and trash. Ahead of me laid a hallway and I could faintly make out a door beyond that. Best to check there then... Huffing a calming breath, I walked down the hall and towards the door. It was locked with a rusty padlock. Rusty being the keyword. It could break easily under the right pressure. Glancing around I smiled when my eyes landed on the sole gardening shovel in the corner near the door. What luck! I quickly retrieved it and slammed it against the lock a few good times before it snapped and fell to the floor and the door creaked open eerily. Here goes nothing...

I walked into the messy room and grimaced at the thick smell of urine and feces. Who could be living down here? To my left stood a lone wooden table with what looked like blood splattered all over the top. Walking farther in, I passed the table and looked at the poor, tattered teddy bear that lay on a rock, also covered in blood. A teddy bear... This couldn't be...! Willing down the strong, every lasting feeling to run, I walked over to a small barred window that had blood dripping and trickling down the wall underneath it. It was still wet.. Below it sat a few pieces of raw meat on the dirty floor. Clearing my throat, I looked toward the hole in the wall that was right beside it. Maybe something was hiding in it. Something of value. Forcing my better judgement to the back of my mind, I slowly stalked towards the hole and gagged as the horrid smells got thicker. As I neared the hole, a loud and menacing growl sounded from inside.

What could that have been?

Squinting, I peered inside and noticed a pair of eyes staring back at me. And animal perhaps? It moved. No, it was bigger than a mere cat or dog. It moved again. Was that a hand?! As I peered in closer a boy, whose height would reach near to my chest, clambered out. I jumped back quickly, dodging the extremely long nails as they aimed for my face. I wouldn't have been so startled if it were for the poor child's face. He was disfigured. And not just disfigured, extremely disfigured. His eye was bulged out, the other was fused shut, his cheeks were enlarged on the left side of his face and his jaw hung limply from his face. Was this..?

I had no time to think as the child attacked again. Running on adenaline and fear, I turned around and ran for the door. Bolting down the hall at rapid speed. Taking a fleeting chance to glance back, I noticed the boy lumbering after me quickly on all fours, drool dripping from his lower jaw. Taking not another minute to stare I quickly climbed up the ladder and ran out the front door, leaving every belonging I brought with me in my room. Dashing towards my car, I kicked the gates open and hopped in and hoped the car would start. I slipped in the keys, turning it a few times as I watched the door. Hopefully that boy couldn't climb ladders. Just as I noticed a shadow moving inside, the car kicked in with a whirring sound and I backed up before stepping on the gas and hauling out of the gates.

That was the last time I ever went back to that house. Never to return, I wanted nothing more than to forget what had happened. I may have not solved the mystery in full but I was done with that house. Now and forever.