Squigly leapt up and landed a kick on Black Dahlia's side that Leviathan punctuated with a tail jab. Black Dahlia responded with a high kick from her silhouette, nailing Squigly in the chest and knocking her back. She then spaced herself further and peppered Squigly with skull clusters; avoiding the attack, Squigly ran at her and, upon getting in close, was hit with an ankle sweep by the silhouette and tripped onto her back. Leviathan reacted quickly and formed his tail into an ax, and swung it into Black Dahlia's severed leg, making her stagger and howl in pain. Squigly stood back up and Black Dahlia growled and swung her arm toward her, but she alertly ducked out of the way and responded by bowing her head and allowing for Leviathan to bathe her in his flame. After recovering, Black Dahlia promptly retaliated by striking Squigly in the stomach with flying skulls, and Squigly grunted and made a strategic retreat.

Black Dahlia summoned more corpses and flung them at Squigly, but Squigly sidestepped out of their way and directed Leviathan's tail into the ground; the tail tunneled through the ground and reemerged underneath Black Dahlia, stabbing her in her sensitive leg stump, critically damaging her. Black Dahlia hissed at Squigly and responded in kind by having her silhouette strike her from below. After taking the blow, Squigly came at Black Dahlia and landed a strong double punch as Leviathan jabbed her. Black Dahlia groaned and attempted to bash Squigly with her gun arm, but Squigly once again evaded and knocked her away with a spinning kick-stab to her chest. As Black Dahlia paused to catch her breath, Squigly and Leviathan noticed that her movement was becoming sluggish and her attacks were becoming slower and less powerful; sensing that she was nearing defeat, their morale was highly boosted, and they smiled confidently and held their ground as they braced for her next attack.

Black Dahlia hastily collected herself and summoned her minions, commanding them to swarm Squigly. The minions charged at Squigly and managed to get some minor hits in on her, but she and Leviathan escaped them and beat them all away with a spinning tail whip. After taking care of them, Squigly and Leviathan began building up for an attack as Black Dahlia inundated them with skulls. Leviathan shielded Squigly from them as she ran at Black Dahlia and attempted a jump kick, but Black Dahlia swatted her out of the air with her gun, sending her crashing down onto her backside. Black Dahlia then raised her gun arm to club Squigly while she was on the ground, but Squigly swiftly interrupted her attack by having Leviathan unleash an immense fireball at her leg, with their low vantage point allowing for a direct hit. As Black Dahlia reeled, Leviathan stood Squigly up and smothered the tip of his tail in fire, and Squigly got in close and stabbed it clean through her stomach. Black Dahlia screamed and hunched over as she began heaving and bleeding out.

Dangerously close to death and unable to put up a fight for much longer, Black Dahlia drew back from Squigly and speedily retreated to the edge of the battlefield. Squigly gave chase and used Leviathan in an attempt to snag her, but had been unsuccessful as Black Dahlia remained on the evasive, no longer bothering to attack and diverting all of her remaining energy into fleeing.

"Urrgh... to think, you actually had the nerve to call ME a 'frightened little girl'!" Squigly huffed, growing increasingly frustrated by Black Dahlia's constant retreating. "Stop avoiding me and get over here, Skullgirl! No matter how much you run, I WILL destroy you!"

Squigly's bold proclamation made Black Dahlia stop and turn to face her, hovering in place at the opposite end of the battlefield. "...You want to finish this? Fine then! Let's FINISH THIS!" She shouted back, spreading her arms in a beckoning manner. "Come on then, hit me! Hit me with all you got!"

Squigly became disconcerted over Black Dahlia's sudden apparent surrender, feeling that she was potentially being set up for some form of surprise attack; nonetheless, she tensed up and made her way toward her, flaming fist outstretched. As Squigly rapidly closed in and prepared to land a punch, Black Dahlia smiled and abruptly summoned a single minion, using it to shield herself. Squigly's hit forcefully collided with the minion's chest, causing her to stumble and trip backwards, greatly disoriented. Keeping her guard up, Squigly gathered herself and looked up at the minion standing between her and Black Dahlia; recognizing the corpse, her and Leviathan's jaws flew open with a gasp, and their eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"M... Mother...?"

Standing before Squigly and Leviathan was none other than the corpse of Squigly's long-dead mother Selene, wearing the exact same outfit she had worn at death. Her body shuddering and her mouth agape in horror, Squigly slowly stood back up and inspected Selene's decayed body: her clothes were tattered and stained with dried blood, her arms were barren of flesh, her skin had rotted into a grayish-blue, and her hair had become stringy and light gray, and riddled with bald spots. Her face was frozen in a blank, half-lidded expression with a patch of skin missing from her right cheek, and visible on her body were all the scars and punctures that she had sustained from her fight with Squigly 21 years ago. Confirming the corpse to be that of her mother, Squigly placed her hands over her mouth and began choking up, rendered speechless and paralyzed with anguish over Selene's ghoulish state. Leviathan, however, became passionately enraged, and glowered disgustedly at Black Dahlia, ready to reduce her to ash.

"Odious fiend... what manner of sordid tactic is this?!" he snarled. "Employing a facsimile of the madame as a shield? This is deplorable even for you!"

"Oh, this corpse is no fake..." Black Dahlia chuckled. "The zombie standing in front of you is what genuinely remains of that tone-deaf bitch Selene."

"B-but... no...! How is that possible?!" Squigly's voice wavered. "I... I was the only one who remained after that night! Y-you yourself said so...!"

"That's what I'd thought at least. I don't know how she did it, but that nun had managed to retrieve your mother's body, then gave it to me to add to my zombie army right before you barged in and killed her," Black Dahlia explained. "Despite her failure to kill you, at least with this she's proven to be of some use to me."

"Grrr... craven Medici, I'll see you BURN for this!" Leviathan thundered, eyes glowing hotly. "You will cease desecrating Madame Selene's body and remove her from your control AT ONCE!"

"You want her...?" Black Dahlia floated out of reach, levitating Selene's body alongside her. "Here, then... TAKE HER!"

Black Dahlia suddenly sent Selene's body hurtling into Squigly, blindsiding her and knocking her onto the ground. Heavily traumatized, Squigly helplessly remained on the ground as Black Dahlia lifted Selene back up and sent her flying at her again; this time, Leviathan formed a shield around Squigly and protected her from the hit. Black Dahlia's assault persisted, repeatedly picking Selene's body up and using it as a projectile, and Leviathan continued shielding Squigly from the onslaught as she stayed on her back, her mental and emotional stability being worn away with each attack from her mother's corpse. Knowing that Leviathan couldn't protect her forever, she gulped loudly, took a deep breath, and stood back up to confront Black Dahlia, who had been hovering high in the sky with a malevolent grin.

"L-let my mother go, Skullgirl! Release her body and let her soul rest in peace!" she said as assertively as she possibly could. "You have nothing to gain from abusing her like this! Her life... her life is already over!"

"Her life? Psh, what do I care about that?" Black Dahlia scoffed, standing Selene's body back on the ground. "Did you already forget, girl? You pitiful Contiellos have NEVER had any value to me. Your mother is now my undead puppet, and I will do with her whatever I damn well please. She is nothing more than a zombie slave... and soon, you will be just the same."

"You... y-you will not break me...!"

"Maybe I won't... but she will!"

Selene's corpse suddenly rushed at Squigly and leapt onto her, and Squigly couldn't bring herself to put up a resistance as it wrestled her to the ground, possessing a disproportionately high amount of strength compared to Black Dahlia's other undead minions. Up in the sky, Black Dahlia looked down at Squigly with a wicked smile and made Selene's body lift her up by her pigtail, holding her head up to its knees. Squigly winced in pain and attempted to pull her hair free of the corpse's tight grip, all while adamantly refusing to attack it. As she struggled, Selene began kneeing her in the face repeatedly, and though she was in agony, she'd felt no choice but to endure the attack and continue trying to break loose. Not permitting his host to suffer any further, Leviathan shut his eyes and stabbed his tail into Selene's chest, sending her body stumbling back and breaking Squigly free. After recovering from the assault and standing back up, Squigly gasped in shock and looked to Leviathan, whose face was awash in regret.

"Leviathan...!" Squigly's mouth was wide open. "You... you attacked my mother?!"

Leviathan hung his head. "...I deeply apologize, my lady... it pained me to do so, but I saw no other option. Your mother was being made to cause you harm, and it is my sworn duty to protect you... from anything and anyone."

"It is also your duty to obey my orders, is it not?"

"It is indeed, my lady."

"Well then I'm ordering you not to attack my mother, under ANY circumstance!"

"B-but Miss Squigly, we must–"

"NO, Leviathan! Do NOT hurt my mother! We will... we will have to overcome her through some other means... but we will do absolutely no harm to her body. Understood?"

"...Yes, my lady..." Leviathan sighed. "As you wish..."

As she and Leviathan were talking, Squigly didn't notice Selene's corpse coming at her again, and was ambushed by a punch to the back of the head. As Squigly was stunned, Selene attempted to follow up with jabs and kicks to her body, but Leviathan coiled up and readily blocked all of the hits. Squigly recovered and, rather than putting up any kind of offense, hastily ran from Selene, uncertain of how she would go about 'winning' this fight. Black Dahlia looked on in amusement and levitated Selene's body, sending it soaring toward Squigly at high speed. Even with the aid of Leviathan's tail fire, Squigly couldn't outpace the airborne cadaver for long; she slowed down as she began to tire out, but before she could catch her breath, Selene's corpse careened into her, shoving her onto the ground.

After getting Squigly on the ground, Black Dahlia commanded Selene to stomp on her chest and kick her in the stomach. Squigly curled into a fetal position and clenched her jaw as she withstood the attack, both her breastplate and Leviathan's shield granting her protection from the blows. Leviathan desperately wanted to ensnare Selene's body to at least give Squigly a chance to stand up, but he ultimately chose to obey her command and grudgingly refrained from attacking it, instead placing all of his might into holding out his defense.

"My lady, we... cannot possibly continue like this!" Leviathan frantically spoke up, straining against Selene's assault. "I urge you... PLEASE defend yourself and begin striking back against Selene! Or if you will not, please permit ME to do so in your stead!"

"No... Leviathan..." Squigly grunted, barely managing to speak in between kicks. "We will not... come against my mother. There must be... another way."

"But Miss Squigly, right now your mother is but a mindless undead, and if we cannot remove her, then we have absolutely no hope of defeating Dahlia! I know that it will be painful, but there truly is no other–"

"I can't, Leviathan... I'm sorry. I do not care that she is just... an empty shell under Black Dahlia's control. I still refuse... to fight her."

"But the fate of the very world rests with us! We've come much too far to be bested here!"

"We will not be bested! We will destroy the Skull Heart – but not at the cost of my mother... undead minion or not! ...Please understand, Leviathan, I just... I cannot bring myself to hurt her... not again..."

Leviathan was heavily conflicted by Squigly's orders, which had been in direct opposition to the ones he'd received and swore to uphold from her father. Though he was torn on whose word to obey, he eventually concluded that his current host's wishes must take priority over his former's, regardless of how misguided he thought them to be.

"...Very well, Miss Squigly. I can respect your concern," Leviathan wearily gave in. "However, we cannot just lie here and do nothing as your mother's body lays into us! We must take some course of action!"

"Right! Get us away from her so we can begin formulating a plan!"

Leviathan responded with a nod, then dropped his shield and attempted to pull Squigly away from her undead mother's unrelenting attacks. The two didn't get far, however, as Selene kicked Squigly flat onto her back the instant she was left exposed. Before Squigly could even get the chance to lift her head up, Selene placed a foot down firmly on her neck, pinning her down. As Squigly squirmed underneath Selene's heel and racked her brain for a nonviolent method of dispatching her, Black Dahlia hovered closer to her and laughed maliciously, reveling in her physical and emotional distress. Highly incensed, Leviathan snarled and spat a string of blazing fireballs at her, but she had been just out of his reach and evaded them all. He groaned in disgust at his failure to hit her as she hung in the air above him and Squigly, looking down at the two with a derisive smirk.

"Aww, what's the matter, little girl? Something getting you down?" she asked with exaggerated mock-concern. "I'd known you to be a weak little rodent, but even I'd expected more fight out of you than this."

"Grrr... shut up and release me this instant, you coward!" Squigly shot back as she attempted to lift Selene's ankle. "YOU'RE the weak one if you're forced to defeat me with such dishonorable tactics! Remove your grip on my mother and face me YOURSELF!"

"I already told you, brat: your mother is now part of my zombie army, and she will stay that way until I no longer have use for her worthless corpse," Black Dahlia sneered. "Besides, if she's such a problem to you, I don't see why you don't just kill her. You HAVE done it before, after all..."

"W-w... WHAT?!" Squigly gasped, thrown off by Black Dahlia's insidious remark.

"That's right, girl... I know what you did. I know you killed Selene – you took her life just as I'd taken yours. You love to hold yourself up as so righteous andpure, when really you're no better than ME! But then again, at least I'd never do something so twisted as murdering my own MOTHER!"

"B-but... but I don't... I-I didn't–"

"Speak not another word, you contemptible cur! I'll not have you poisoning my lady's mind with such vile lies!" Leviathan snapped at Black Dahlia, then turned to the visibly shaken Squigly with a supportive look. "...Do not take in the Skullgirl's falsehoods, my lady. Remember what I'd told you in the cafe: you did not end Madame Selene's life. Dahlia is seeking to weaken your spirit with her rabid aspersions – we both know that it was in fact SHE who murdered the Contiellos!"

"Let the girl think for herself for once, worm!" Black Dahlia tersely retorted, turning to Squigly. "Yes, I exterminated the rest of you cockroaches, but I never did anything to Selene; hell, the most I'd ever done to her was make her watch as I sent a bullet through your eye. I never once broke her skin – it was YOU who gave her all those scars! Look at her right now... every single blood stain on her clothes is there because YOU put it there!"

"B-but I... I was–"

"There ARE no excuses! Own up to what you did!"

Squigly began to sweat and tremble underneath her dead mother's foot, her conscience breaking under pressure and her emotions churning tumultuously. She desperately tried to rationalize what she had done to Selene, but Black Dahlia's verbal barrage had left her too distraught to think or speak clearly. Leviathan could sense that Squigly was under great duress and mired in grief, and tried his hardest to reaffirm and reassure her.

"Miss Squigly, I beg of you... please take to heart what I am about to say," he began. "You did NOT kill your mother, but you'd in fact freed her soul from the clutches of the Skull Heart! She herself acknowledged this with her dying breath! If you choose not to accept my words, then at least accept her own!"

"But who was it that BROUGHT her to that dying breath?!" Black Dahlia interjected, giving Squigly a harsh glare. "There's no more running from it, girl! Admit it NOW! ADMIT TO KILLING YOUR MOTHER!"

Squigly whimpered and convulsed on the ground as Black Dahlia's scathing words bore into her troubled mind, overriding everything Leviathan had told her and everything she'd thought she knew. Eventually reaching a point where she could no longer contain the growing sorrow and guilt within her, she spontaneously threw up her arms and exploded into tears.

"Alright! I admit it! I-I did it!" she wailed. "My beloved mother... I... I KILLED HER! I KILLED HERRRRR...!"

Squigly's outburst made Leviathan gasp and Black Dahlia grin. Leviathan let out a downhearted sigh and began to console Squigly, dismayed at being unable to reach her and too preoccupied with her to notice Black Dahlia gradually drawing closer to them. As Black Dahlia hovered just a few feet above them, she had Selene's corpse take its foot off of Squigly's neck. Squigly was too emotionally crushed to stand back up, and sat up on her knees with her face buried shamefully in her hands.

"So... the truth has finally come out: you killed your own beloved mother," said Black Dahlia, snidely. "Well girl, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"...W-what I did was... unconscionable. I... I am a monster..." Squigly mumbled, interrupting her crying. "Please, Skullgirl... release my mother. I cannot bear the sight of what I've done to her. That memory is... too painful..." As she continued to sob, Leviathan gave Squigly a fretful look and attempted to becalm her by tenderly stroking her hair.

"That's right, girl... keep crying. Keep crying over your mother's death – the death that you are responsible for," Black Dahlia coldly spoke, ignoring Squigly's plea. "You know you can't win... that would require you killing her all over again. There is no other option left for you: you must atone for what you did to her – here and now."

"H... how do I... do that...?" Squigly shakily asked, lifting her head up slightly.

"There is only one way to redeem yourself for what you've done to Selene," Black Dahlia ominously began. "You must end your own life, and become one with her in my undead army. Reunite with your mother. Become a zombie alongside her."

Squigly gave no discernible reaction to Black Dahlia's suggestion and continued kneeling despondently with her eyes to the ground. Leviathan, however, was appalled and outraged; he sorely desired to set Black Dahlia aflame, but he chose to disregard her for the time being and instead gave his full attention to his emotionally fragile host, determined to dissuade her from the Skullgirl's morbid proposal and encourage her to live.

"Please, my dear... your life is far too valuable... please do not throw it away," he urged her, positioning his head closely beside hers. "Resist the Skullgirl's torment and continue holding out hope. You've nothing to atone for, and you are not a monster. No matter what, you must keep fighting!"

"Don't listen to him! You KNOW what you have to do, girl!" Black Dahlia shouted down Leviathan. "Look at your mother's rotted corpse – take in EVERYTHING you'd done to her! You can't possibly live with your guilt, and you know it! Do the right thing: finish my job for me and just KILL YOURSELF!"

Squigly looked up at Selene's upright, motionless body and felt a deflating sensation as she gazed directly into its vacant, glassy eyes. After a few seconds of staring mournfully at her undead mother, she'd felt as if something deep within her had suddenly shriveled up and faded away, and turned back to Leviathan with a defeated expression and tears collecting in her eyes.

"Leviathan..." she somberly began, "...I… I am done..."

"'D-done'? W... whatever do you mean, my lady...?" Leviathan worriedly asked.

"I am done living, Leviathan. I want to return to sleep... forever. I am grateful for your service to me, but you are now... relieved of your duty. Please... exit my body at once."

Leviathan's heart sank upon hearing his host's dispirited request. "Miss Squigly... I am sorry... but I will not do that," he replied, gently but firmly. "I will not abandon you, and I refuse to give up on your life. It is my duty to obey your orders, yes... but this is the one order that I can never obey."

"But... b-but..." Squigly sputtered, Leviathan's refusal plunging her deeper into despair. "...J-just... JUST GET OUT OF MY HEAD, YOU DAMNED PARASITE! Obey my command and leave me RIGHT NOW! Let me die so I can return to my MOTHER!"

"My mind will not be changed, my lady. Despite what you may be feeling right now, I assure you that you will pull through this... and as you do, I will be right at your side."

"Why won't you listen to me?! ...Why won't you just let me die...?"

Squigly broke down in tears and hysterically threw herself onto the ground, drained of all will to live. Leviathan knew not to take offense from her outburst and continued consoling her. As he lightly caressed her head, something peculiar about Selene's body suddenly caught the corner of his eye; after turning to and keenly examining it, he noticed something on it that instantly brightened up his expression, and he began pulling Squigly's arm to coax her into getting back up.

"...My lady! My lady, look to your mother!" he ecstatically spoke. "You'll not believe what I've just discovered!"

"I can't, Leviathan... the sight of her ravaged body is too much for me to take..." Squigly sullenly replied, remaining on the ground. "Please... don't subject me to even more pain..."

"Trust me, my lady, this is sure to put a smile on your face!" Leviathan insisted. "Please pick your head up and look at her just once more!"

"...Al... alright..." Squigly relented, gathering her little remaining strength and slowly sitting back up, then reluctantly peering over the body of her mother standing closeby. She winced in confusion as she scanned Selene's body from top to bottom, unable to locate the feature that had caused Leviathan such astonishment.

"What exactly am I supposed to be seeing, Leviathan?" she asked, becoming frustrated.

"You've not noticed it yet? Look a little higher, my lady!" Leviathan eagerly replied. "Look to her ears!"

Squigly followed Leviathan's direction and looked to Selene's ears, which had been mostly concealed by her mop of brittle gray hair. Squinting hard, she suddenly noticed something shimmering from underneath them.

"There is something on... her ears...?" she asked with growing curiosity. "Leviathan... uncover them, please..."

Leviathan promptly obeyed and lightly brushed Selene's hair back over her shoulder to uncover her ears, and Squigly gasped in awe upon seeing them: hanging from Selene's lobes were a pair of platinum treble clef earrings – the very earrings that she had received from Squigly on the night of their and their family's deaths. The sight of them still fully intact caused Squigly to begin misting up as she remembered the embrace she had received from Selene that night, elevating her spirit and causing a faint smile to form on her lips. Seeing Squigly form a smile had given Leviathan a smile of his own, and he readily seized the opportunity to impart to her some much-needed encouragement.

"Madame Selene's earrings... they've retained their luster, even after 21 years. Just like her love for you, they have indeed survived death itself," he thoughtfully spoke as Squigly gazed warmly at Selene's body. "My dear, you need not return to your mother... because she'd never truly left you. Her spirit has been with you in everything... and like your gift to her, it will never fade."

"...Mother..." Squigly sniffled as tears gently streamed down her cheek. She slowly rose back onto her feet and kept her watery eyes focused intently on Selene's expressionless face, her feelings of shame and remorse beginning to lift.

"Squigly... I want you to recall when Selene herself was the Skullgirl," Leviathan continued. "Do you remember how the Heart had completely enveloped her body and mind, and how determined we both were to break its hold on her, at any cost?"

"Y... yes..." Squigly quietly answered. "I... remember..."

"Well, right now, Selene is once again being held in bondage by the Heart... and just as before, she is crying out to us to liberate her from its grip. She is yet again in dire need of release."

"Release...?"

"Yes, my lady. Are you beginning to understand now? You must stay alive so you can give your mother's soul it the peace it so urgently needs. You are the only one who can help her now... and that is why you mustn't give up on living, and see your life's purpose through to its end."

Leviathan's words repeated in Squigly's head as she began to think back to the final embrace that she and her mother had shared after her destruction of the Skull Heart, bringing peace to her clouded mind and soothing her aching heart. Her spirit steadily returning, she stood up straight and looked up at Leviathan, resolving to do whatever it would take to free Selene.

"I... I understand, Leviathan..." Squigly spoke as she dried her face. "...I realize now what I must do."

Leviathan nodded, and Squigly turned back to Selene's body and slowly proceeded toward it. Black Dahlia exhaustedly floated near the ground and looked at Squigly with growing confusion as she stopped and stood directly in front of Selene, staring at her frozen face – neither she, Leviathan, nor Squigly herself had known for sure what Squigly was about to do. After a brief, tense moment of standing meditatively in front of her undead mother, Squigly shut her eyes and took a deep breath, then stretched out her arms and wrapped them around her, capturing her body in a tight hug. Leviathan smiled and nodded to himself, while Black Dahlia snarled and attempted to command Selene to attack; discovering that her telekinetic powers had now been inexplicably ineffective over her body, she discreetly retreated, highly perturbed and stewing in frustration. Squigly ignored Black Dahlia as she blocked everything around her out and concentrated solely on embracing her mother one final time.

"Mother... I'm so sorry for what I did... and for what I have to do," said Squigly softly, pressing the side of her head to Selene's chest. "I promise you... I will give your soul its much needed rest. I... I love you, Mother."

...Squigly...

"Wha...?"

Squigly reopened her eyes as she suddenly heard a familiar voice whisper her name. After glancing around and bewilderedly shaking her head, she recovered from her startle and closed her eyes again, assuming to have imagined the voice and returning to her embrace.

...Squigly...

"...M-Mother...?!"

Squigly looked up again; this time, she was not only certain that she did in fact hear her name being spoken, but had also recognized the voice as none other than Selene's herself. In great shock, Squigly glanced up to Selene's face with wide, eager eyes, but had seen that it was still blank with its mouth still rigidly shut. Positive that it was indeed real, Squigly concluded that the voice she had just heard had been speaking directly into her mind, and turned to Leviathan with joy.

"Leviathan! My mother... she is alive!" She spiritedly proclaimed. "I... I'd just heard her voice in my mind! She was calling out to me! Y-you'd heard it as well, hadn't you?"

"Now is not the time to trouble yourself with what I can hear, Miss Squigly; if you are truly perceiving Madame Selene's voice... then right now, your main concern should be responding to it," Leviathan replied rather cryptically. "Go on, my lady... answer your mother's call."

"...Alright, Leviathan." Squigly nodded, then turned back to Selene's body and resumed hugging it. "Mother... I can hear you. I'm... I'm listening..."

...Squigly... my gracious, loving daughter... it is so nice to hear your voice again.

"I feel just the same, Mother..." Squigly breathily responded to the tender, melodious voice that reverberated in her mind. "If only you knew how much I've missed you..."

Squigly, dear... please know that I have always been with you... and that I always will be. ...I know that your struggle has been difficult... but you need to stay strong, for me and for everyone depending on you. Please do not falter now... you are so very close to achieving your purpose. You have the power within you to succeed... and I have the utmost faith in you.

"Mother... I'm... I'm so sorry... for taking your life..."

No, Squigly... you did not take my life.

"B-but... but Mother–"

Listen to me, Dear... when I revived you... I was already dead. Though I still drew breath, I had died in the moment I'd lost you and everyone else I loved. After succumbing to the Heart, my soul had become trapped in a monstrous prison. You did not kill me, Squigly... you'd freed my soul from that prison... and I could not be more grateful to you for doing it.

"But Mother, it had to have been me! If it were not me who killed you, then... who...?"

The one who had taken everything from me... the one who left me no further reason to live... she is the one responsible. You have nothing to atone for, Squigly... my blood is solely on her hands. Please, Dear... put my soul at ease, and prevent her and the Heart from ever doing to anyone else what they have done to us.

"...I will, Mother... I swear to you, I will. Her and the Heart... I will obliterate them both...!"

Thank you, Squigly... I have no doubt that you will. I will now leave you to do just that.

"L-l-leave?! Wait, Mother! Please don't go!"

The time has come for you to continue your fight... so I must leave you, but only for now. You shall have my blessing as you bring this tired struggle to a close.

"Mother... thank you so much for saving my life. I couldn't have continued on without you. ...I... I will miss you..."

Worry not, Dear... as I have told you... I will be with you always.

Squigly was then startled by Selene's body as it suddenly began emitting a brilliant blue glow. She tightened her grip on it, fearing that it would soon be gone.

"Farewell, Mother. ...I love you..."

I love you too, dear Sienna. Farewell... my precious melody...

Selene's body began to rapidly disintegrate in Squigly's arms, and Squigly observed with sorrow and continued holding onto it until there was nothing left of it. After it had completely vanished, Squigly slowly placed her empty arms back at her sides and gracefully dropped to her knees, casting her eyes to the ground and weeping silently.

"Mother..." she solemnly sighed, mourning her mother's departure. Tears beaded down her face as she stared reflectively at the ground, eventually being interrupted by a light tap on the shoulder from Leviathan's tail. Squigly raised her head and looked up at Leviathan, whom she'd seen smiling down at her comfortingly.

"Leviathan..." Squigly swallowed her tears. "My mother... is she free now...?"

"Yes, Miss Squigly. Undoubtedly so," Leviathan answered. "You've done her a tremendous kindness, and she is most assuredly thankful to you for granting her soul rest."

"She is? B-but I didn't even do anything! What... what makes you so certain?"

"Because, my lady... just as Madame Selene's body had begun to wither in your embrace... I'd witnessed a smile form across her face."

"She was... smiling...?"

"Yes, my lady... I am quite certain that she had been smiling down on you in the very moment she left you. As I have told you before... though her body is gone, her love for you will never fade."

Squigly let out a wistful sigh, then wiped her tears and gave Leviathan an optimistic smile. "Leviathan, please forgive me for... what I'd asked of you, and for how I reacted when you refused me. In that moment, I... I wasn't myself."

"You needn't be forgiven, my lady," replied Leviathan. "I fully comprehend what you'd been made to endure – you were hurting, and needed to air the grievous emotions you'd been burdened with. I am just beyond thankful to see that you've come around."

"Leviathan... thank you for staying with me and never losing faith in me. ...I truly would be lost without you."

"But of course I would never abandon you, Miss Squigly! Perish the thought of me doing anything of the sort. It is as I've said before... we shall be inseparable."

"Le... Leviathan..."
"Now then... what say we bring an end to this 'Skullgirl' ordeal?"

"...Ah! ...Yes, let's indeed!"

Leviathan nodded and helped Squigly back onto her feet, and Squigly took a deep breath and steeled herself up, readying herself for battle both physically and mentally. She and Leviathan turned to Black Dahlia, who had been facing away from them and hovering listlessly above the ground a distance away, still fatigued from her prior damage and left wholly dumbfounded by what had just taken place with Selene. Looking back to Squigly, Black Dahlia suddenly became tense and hastily stood alert as she noticed her and Leviathan priming to attack, and shot them a contemptuous scowl. Squigly returned her deadly look with a fiercely determined glare, and as she assumed an offensive stance, she realized that all of the injuries she'd previously sustained seemed to have been miraculously healed. Fully reinvigorated, Squigly balled her fists and grinned confidently as she prepared to finish off the Skullgirl once and for all.

"YAAAARGH! You're still... ALIVE?!" Black Dahlia bellowed, grinding her teeth. "WHY... WON'T... YOU... DIIIIIE?!"

"I already told you, Black Dahlia... nothing you do to me will EVER keep me down!" Squigly shouted back. "The Medici curse upon my family... the Skull Heart's curse upon this world... they will both die with YOU!"

Squigly furiously charged at Black Dahlia and landed a powerful jump kick to her chest. Black Dahlia grunted and stumbled backward, and immediately upon regaining her footing, Squigly sharply followed up with rapid jabs to her stomach as Leviathan breathed fire onto her leg stump. Black Dahlia yowled as she took the ferocious dual assault, too weakened to defend or mount a counterattack. She frantically attempted to retreat, but before she could escape them, Squigly and Leviathan struck her in the side with a fiery spin attack, chaining it into several aerial tail stabs and finishing with a downward thrust kick. Just after landing, Squigly pounded Black Dahlia with a double punch, then crouched and executed a pivot kick while Leviathan wrapped around her leg and jabbed his tail into her waist. The two were relentless in their attacks, hammering the Skullgirl with hit after fierce hit as she grimaced in pain, given no opportunity to retaliate.

"...GRAHHH! You goddamn zombie shit! I hate you AND your fucking whore mother!" Black Dahlia managed to blurt out in between hits. "Be glad my gun's busted, cause if it wasn't, I'd put a bullet STRAIGHT THROUGH YOUR–"

Black Dahlia's tirade was abruptly cut off by a blazing uppercut directly to her mouth. Squigly wore a satisfied smirk as she and Leviathan continued their onslaught, crouching and landing a low kick-stab on her leg. Squigly then quickly sprang back up and hit her with a swift ballet kick to her side, following it with another double punch to her stomach that Leviathan accentuated with a strong chomp. As Black Dahlia staggered and groaned, Squigly leapt up high and grasped Leviathan's tail in both hands, swinging it forcefully into the side of her head. Black Dahlia was left stunned, and after landing, Squigly stepped back and braced herself as Leviathan began charging an attack, enshrouding his head in purple flame. Right when Black Dahlia came out of her daze, Squigly dashed and jumped toward her, grabbing hold of Leviathan's neck and aiming his head at her; getting in close, Leviathan released his charge and nailed Black Dahlia in the chest with a fireball so incredibly powerful that it blew her clear across the battlefield, leaving her on the ground with no strength left to remain airborne. Black Dahlia panted and lay exhaustedly on her back as Squigly and Leviathan jetted over to her, and she snarled up at them as they stood over her, grinning eagerly.

"My lady, the time has finally come!" Leviathan enthusiastically declared. "Are you ready?"

"I AM ready, Leviathan! Let us do away with this demon!" Squigly fervidly replied. "Please take the lead!"

"With gusto! Black Dahlia, prepare yourself for..."

"The Grand Finale!"

Leviathan coiled his tail tightly around Squigly's body and bent his neck over her face, and suddenly became cloaked in a magnificent golden light. Black Dahlia watched with rising unease as Leviathan began to transform in an instant: his neck grew larger and wider, taking on the form of a heavily-muscled torso out of which two burly arms sprouted, and his head increased in size and length, gaining two tall, pointy horns and a huge, monstrous jaw lined with razor-sharp fangs. Rows of disjointed ribs formed underneath his massive torso, his pulsating tail split into segments around Squigly's body, and sharp, imposing spines erupted from his elbows and all along his back. Blue energy began crackling around him, and Squigly tilted her head back as he fully assumed his heightened form and rose back up as an enormous, beastly dragon, announcing his might with an earth-shaking roar.

Black Dahlia stared up at Leviathan in stunned horror as he proceeded to use his newly-acquired arms to pick her up off the ground, clenching her waist in his gigantic right fist. As she struggled in his grip, he grasped her gun arm in his left fist and, with one swift jerk, tore it completely out of its socket. Black Dahlia screamed in agony, and blood spurted profusely out of her shoulder as Leviathan slammed her back down to the ground with extreme prejudice. Leviathan then winded his arm back and, with all his might, hurled Black Dahlia's arm into the sky; the arm was sent flying at incredible speed, soaring like a meteor past the wreckage of the cathedral and disappearing into the night.

Black Dahlia hissed and writhed in pain on the ground as blood pooled around her, barely able to move with only one of each limb still intact. Leviathan gaped his fearsome maw and began building up energy in his throat as Black Dahlia looked back up at Squigly with wretched disdain.

"Fine then... do it!" she spat at Squigly in between labored breaths. "Go on, kill me! Kill me JUST like you killed your mother!"

"...No," Squigly unflinchingly replied, making Black Dahlia's expression turn in confusion.

"N-n-no?! What do you mean, 'no'?!" she anxiously questioned.

"I did not kill her... she died when you robbed her of her will to live. It was you... YOU killed my mother!" Squigly fiercely asserted, pointing her finger in Black Dahlia's face. "It's ALWAYS BEEN YOU!"

"W-what?! How'd you – but I... urgh, you little–"

"I have finally given peace to my mother's soul... but I am going to send YOURS straight to hell, JUST WHERE YOU BELONG!"

Squigly's hair billowed and she began levitating slightly off the ground as energy crackled violently around Leviathan's mouth. Black Dahlia panicked and futilely attempted to crawl away, but her missing limbs greatly hampered her attempts to escape. With no hope of living, she trembled in fear and timidly looked up at Squigly as her and Leviathan's eyes began to glow piercing white.

"One last thing, Dahlia..." Squigly's voice boomed, her blindingly bright eyes staring down at the bloody, cowering Skullgirl. "...I've made my wish."

Squigly leaned her head back, and Black Dahlia winced and shielded her face with her gloved arm, bracing for a painful end.

"Inferno..."

"Of LEVIATHAN!"

"NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaughhhhh..."

Leviathan had unleashed an intense beam of light from his mouth that engulfed Black Dahlia's entire body, and she'd let out a loud, excruciating shriek as she was vaporized within seconds. After firing off the devastating attack, Leviathan reverted to his usual serpentine form and Squigly regained her footing, and they both glanced down at where Black Dahlia had lain just a few seconds ago; in her place remained nothing but a faint, smoldering ring of ash, with the Skull Heart floating dormant in its center. Squigly and Leviathan finally allowed themselves to relax as they gazed at the glowing Heart in front of them, letting out deep, contented sighs.

"The struggle... is over..." Squigly calmly whispered, with Leviathan nodding in agreement. "At long last... it is... truly over."

Squigly and Leviathan were about to approach the Skull Heart when they both glanced over to the far side of the otherworldly battlefield and had seen Filia and Samson still lying unconscious on the ground. The two decided to disregard the Heart for the time being and hastily rushed over to them to lend their aid. Squigly began to fret upon reaching them, carefully kneeling down beside Filia and inspecting her body for signs of life. Her and Leviathan's concerns were thankfully alleviated when they had noticed her breathing shallowly, though she still appeared to be out cold, with Samson sprawled out lifelessly underneath her head. Fraught with worry, Squigly placed her hands around Filia's shoulders and gently lifted up her back in an effort to rouse her awake.

"Filia! Filia, wake up!" Squigly lightly shook Filia back and forth for a few seconds. "The battle is over now, Filia! We can leave this awful place! Please open your eyes!"

"Samson, you will not be put to rest here! I know you – you are stronger than that!" Leviathan joined in. "You and Miss Filia must awaken posthaste! Just this once, please listen to me, Samson!"

"...Relax, bonehead... we ain't... dead yet..."

Squigly and Leviathan simultaneously gasped – to their exceeding elation, Filia and Samson were gradually starting to come to. Filia blinked her eyes and moaned softly, and Samson's tendrils began taking shape again. Squigly and Leviathan looked down at Filia and Samson with overjoyed smiles, and Filia blearily returned Squigly's warm gaze as she continued to hold her up.

"Oh, thank goodness! That is certainly a tremendous relief! ...Although, I would have to consult a coroner to be sure, as it were!" Leviathan jested lightheartedly.

"Ha ha ha. Reeeeal funny..." grumbled Samson. "Just cut the crap and... help us up, will ya?" Leviathan chuckled to himself as Squigly carefully stood Filia back onto her feet, wrapping her in a gentle hug right afterward.

"Thank you... Squigly..." Filia smiled as Squigly released her, she and Samson still a bit woozy. The two managed to stay upright despite having little energy left, and began surveying their surroundings, discovering them to be relatively barren. The only thing they'd seen of note was the Skull Heart hovering ominously in the distance, the sight of which evoking an astounded gasp out of them both.

"The Skull Heart...! It's... it's ours...!" Filia spoke in hushed excitement. "Squigly... you did it! You... you won!"

"The whole world won, Filia. Because of us, never again will anyone be made to suffer the Heart's terrible curse," Squigly responded. "This never would have been possible without your and Samson's aid. Leviathan and I give you both our deepest thanks."

"Indubitably, my lady," Leviathan agreed, turning to Filia. "Miss Filia, Samson, your alliance with us has been integral to this success, and as my lady has said, we are both eternally grateful for all you've done. The two of you are true paragons of loyalty and courage."

"Aww... thanks, you guys," Filia smiled. "Samson and I were glad to be of help. Right, Samson?"

"I gotta admit, kid... this whole deal was pretty fun, and it felt nice doing something 'good' for once," Samson conceded. "Leviathan, Squigly... thanks. For a dead girl and a worm... you guys are alright."

"You are quite 'alright' yourself, hairball..." Leviathan playfully responded.

"...Well that thing's gonna be no use to us just standin' around," Samson commented awkwardly after a brief, sentimental pause. "Let's quit wasting time and get this shit over and done with, huh?" The other three murmured in agreement, and Squigly helped support Filia as the four of them began making their way back over to the Skull Heart.

As they walked, Squigly noticed that Filia's expression had faded from bright and cheerful to dreary and depressed, appearing ready to burst into tears at a moment's notice. "Filia? Is something troubling you...?" she asked with genuine concern.

Filia put on a strained smile and feigned enthusiasm. "N-no, Squigly! We're finally getting rid of the Skull Heart for good! This is a... a happy moment for all of us! ...It's just..."

"Yes, Filia?"

"To be honest... this is kinda, well... bittersweet for me..." Filia glumly admitted, dropping her facade and hanging her head. "I mean, I'm glad you finally got back the Heart, Squigly, but... now you have to... 'leave'. I'm just... I'm just preparing myself to... say goodbye, I guess..."

Squigly sensed the melancholy of Filia's tone and began to feel deeply sympathetic for her. Realizing what she would soon be putting her through, Squigly searched herself for a way to ease Filia's sorrow. "...Well then..." she began, having come to a decision, "...I suppose I have no choice: I simply cannot destroy the Skull Heart – at least, not yet."

"Not... not yet...?" Filia bewilderedly asked. "What do you mean, Squigly?"

"Filia, if I destroy the Heart here and now... I will die here, and you will have to take my body from here and bury me again..." Squigly dourly explained. "I cannot allow that to happen. You are my dear friend, and I refuse to put you through any unnecessary grief."

"Well then... w-what are we gonna do now...?"

"We are going to take the Heart from here... and bring it to a place where we both will feel comfortable destroying it – the only place it can be destroyed."