Hello, my vampire reviewers! Lilith here.
I hope you guys had a lovely Christmas holiday. And excuse me for not posting something new for several weeks. The holiday got in the way; it was more important at the moment.
Anyways, s**t has hit the fan right here, and I am quite sure that someone among my reviewers is gonna start crying and pleading me to not let the token innocent girl become a monster. Try and convince me otherwise, I dare you.
Regardless, without further ado, hope you guys enjoy!
Constructive reviews are welcome. Rude comments are not.
I own nothing except my OCs.
Read, leave me a review, but no flames.
Chapter 25: Innocence Lost
With Jane safely out of the house under the protection of their cousins, Mary does not deny feeling a twinge of relief at the idea that one sibling will be out of harm's way for the harsher days that would follow. But on the other hand, she couldn't shake the negative vibe that she still has one sister who is in danger as much, if not more so, than she is.
But who will come after Mina, and for what gain? To kill her? Or something worse than that?
Right now, she doesn't have a clear answer. However, she does have guesses that would need confirmation with the right information.
So far, she understands that Caroline forcefully was turned into a vampire because of Xaldin, especially since she did cause his drive for vengeance against her due to rejecting his advances rather rudely. Jane was bothered deeply by Marluxia's lustful pursuits, which might as well have been a similar behavior to that of a predator against women. Mary herself is targeted by Saix, it seemed, because she uncovered a small portion of their dark secret before whatever they really intended for them was fulfilled. And then there's Mina…Perhaps Xemnas has other plans for her that none of them know about, and they have to uncover what it is.
Either way, while the days and the nights roll on, nobody is safe from the night creatures that are roaming around the civilized world. They'll have to find the location of the vampires' hiding place and purge said location of the impurities brought on by their pursuers, hopefully forcing them to relocate elsewhere.
Mary groaned wearily as she sat down on the bed. "God help us on this one. If anything happens to Mina – whether it is a death undeserved or the transformation into a creature of the night – I would never forgive myself…"
It was very late at night, and most of Twilight Town has succumbed to humble silence to allow the weary to rest for another day. As seemingly peaceful as the dimly lit atmosphere is, the faint traces of mist and the dark shadows entwining the streets gave off a foreboding sense of dread for what force might be lurking in the deep corners left untouched by the warmth of the lantern lights.
From inside the safety of the house, Mina could easily observe from her bedroom window that the environment has become both a beauty and a terrifying place to be. Although she hoped that she and her family are safe behind the doors of her cousin's abode, something within her couldn't shake off that there is something sinister coming tonight and it really didn't help that she learned about vampires from Professor Eraqus as well as the horrible truth behind the torture her family was caught in the middle of. It made her shudder at the thought of being targeted for reasons that not even she knows, more so since she's already experienced the unsettling feeling of someone desiring her in a certain way that made her uncomfortable. What will become of her the moment any form of company she has is not within her vicinity?
However, not long after she had turned away from the window and started to settle into bed, a sudden chill crept down her spine, warning her that something is watching her. Although hesitant, Mina slowly looked back – only to find that a thick fog arose from the dark shadows and a familiar face emerged from the vapors to greet her.
For a moment, there was an eerie silence as Xemnas kept his gaze focused on a frightened Mina Chastain. As the only living soul in the room and nobody else within vicinity to know about this, she didn't know whether to attempt to run out of the room for help or to try and convince him to leave her alone. But given how she repeatedly allowed him to worm his way close to her, and considering how he would continually speak to her in ways that give off the impression he was trying to either seduce her or to seize her love, any chances of intending to drive away the same person who both intrigued and unnerved her simultaneously was rapidly losing its grip on her young conscience. If she didn't know any better, it would be safe to say that she unknowingly invited him into preying upon her as a parasite would to their compatible host, with her about to fall into the territory of the latter if she doesn't decide what to do about her situation.
But the opportunity to choose her options was desisted altogether when Xemnas raised one hand to her and made slow beckoning gestures to her, compelling her to come to him. Sadly, despite her unease, she found herself unable to resist his overwhelming power.
"Your sister and her cohorts attempt to play their brains against my own. But even if they do have the smarts to stand against me, they still know nothing," he said with oozing confidence, "But for tonight, you, my best beloved one, will be flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood, and in time my companion."
Mina tried with what little willpower she had left to attempt any form of protest, at least something vocal, but try as she could, she was unable to defy the control the man was able to inflict upon her. The most she could do is bear witness to her body inviting the unintended visitor to her, rendering her in the most vulnerable state she has ever been in. Then, whilst trapped by invisible strings, she watched as this pursuer shifted her off the floor momentarily and moved her efficiently to her bed, where she was now powerless to the stranger who preys upon her in a manner that she was never prepared for throughout her life.
Within mere moments, a strong, stinging sensation crossed her entire system after feeling the piercing against her tender skin, sending the feeling of both unbearable pain and excruciating pleasure throughout her body. In the midst of this, she couldn't help but detect the unavoidable feeling of her life being drained away from her, experiencing the inability to resist the force that has trapped her in a disturbingly aggressive limbo in which she was tragically unable to escape from and incapable of fighting back. Despite going through the seemingly long, grueling mixed reception of the invasive force against her, however, what originally felt like almost several incalculable hours ended with her throat being released from the torment of the intrusion. Even so, the pain from the puncturing against her skin and the persisting nausea over her excess physical weakness continued to linger long after the sensation had passed over a period of…minutes? Hours? Given her position, it was too difficult for her to piece together how long she had to endure the horror.
Just when she thought her nightmares have passed, Xemnas had a way to remind her that his intentions were far from done; Mina was compelled to watch as he raised a finger closely to his throat and sliced it open, allowing his own blood to slowly trickle out of the open wound. Then, with nary a single moment to understand what was happening now, she felt her body being heaved up with ease by his other hand until she was practically cradled far too close for comfort, if anything like an infant to the mother; and then, as though he had meant for her to do so, she was unable to stop herself from making contact with the wound and – oh, how repulsive of a night terror this was! – swallowing the unclean substance that she was apparently being offered for unholy sustenance from a being not of the civil world she had once known.
As she was trapped in this compromising situation, Mina felt him embracing her in the most ardent way, unyielding to the possibility of the sins he had performed against her.
Also, she could hear him whisper to her with obsession, "You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one…forever."
In the early reaches of morning, Mary couldn't shake off the feeling that something wickedly evil has happened in the midst of the night. She didn't exactly know what, but that unrelenting vibe was there, warning her that she had to find the answer.
Without the slightest hesitation – especially after the hellish experience of learning about the Woman in Red and uncovering the corruption of her eldest sister – she instantly crept out of her bedroom and proceeded through the hall to her younger sister's chambers. Although she knew that Mina has had it pretty rough after all that she has learned, she certainly hoped that the horrible truth hadn't caused her to have nightmares. But then again, if she did, she would've told her so as a good sister normally would have.
However, upon reaching the door and knocking on the door to let her know there's someone here to check on her, Mary detected right away that there was no response. Uncertain about it, she knocked on the door again. No answer.
"Mina…? Are you alright?" she asked as she cautiously opened the door.
Once she pushed the door wide enough to examine the whole room, the first thing that Mary saw was the pale, limping form of her dear sister Mina, her head tilting over to the side as her arms and legs appeared to have gone limp from physical weakness. Immediately, she hurried over to investigate what had happened and – to her greatest horror – she found that her neck had two puncture wounds directly within the vicinity of the jugular, and that there were small streaks of blood coming from both the throat wounds and tiny streams barely oozing out from her lips, but the latter certainly didn't seem to be her own.
"Mina, what happened to you?" Mary demanded to know.
Her sister tried her best to talk, but she couldn't even form the words, for she was much too weak to respond.
Realizing the desperation of the situation, Mary called out as loud as she could. "Terra! Cousin Terra, come quickly! Something's wrong with Mina!"
It didn't take too long for footsteps to echo through the halls until Terra arrived on the scene to investigate what was the matter. But the instant he saw the deathly state of Mina, he immediately hurried to her aid, vying to understand what went wrong without his knowledge.
Not long after this, Professor Eraqus and his apprentices arrived on the scene to find out what went on and what the problem is. It didn't take long for the professor to catch on the fearful look on Terra's face as Mary looked on with dread as to what rendered her younger sister into the wretched condition she is in.
"Mina is very weak. There is barely any pulse in her," Terra noted as he examined her, "She still lives, but only just."
All the while Mina was being examined by sister and cousin, Eraqus opted to analyze the situation of the victimized maiden laying helpless to her compromised position. He could tell from the start that she was unquestionably pale, her skin having lost some of its peachy colors and her drastically reduced physical ability rendering her in such a vulnerable state. However, upon closer inspection, he discovered the two punctures against her neck as well as the trickles of blood against her dulled lips. If there was one thing the professor can confirm, it's that the poor child has now become the newest victim, which begs the question as to who among the Chastain family's tormentors caused her suffering.
Mary noticed the professor's examination and admitted, "I saw those wounds on her, too. Do you think one of those vampires did this to my sister?"
Eraqus nodded gravely. "She has lost a great deal of blood, that's for certain. She will have to be given a blood transfusion if she is to have any chance to survive. Hopefully, the blood of a healthy subject will be powerful enough to ward off the unclean sin committed on her." He turned to his pupils. "Aqua, Ventus, search our supplies, and bring the transfusion machines. We must act quickly!"
Mary was baffled at this. "What good will that do? Has such a dangerous practice ever been tested for efficiency?"
"True, such a practice is still in infancy, and we have yet to understand how the blood in every man can be catalogued for medicinal reasons," the professor replied as he propped Mina up to prepare the area, "However, given the serious crisis your family got caught in the middle of and the deadly stakes to ensure the survival of the rest of your kin, this is a necessary evil we will have to risk if we are to save Miss Mina's life for as long as we have life within our veins."
Just as the professor explained this to Mary, Ventus and Aqua returned with a small machine and the necessary equipment that can control the flow of blood from one person to another. Now the only thing that had to be stressed is who would be the willing participant on donating their blood to attempt saving Mina's life.
"Now we simply require a healthy subject for the procedure," the professor spoke again, "Who would comply with risking their life to preserve another's?"
"Let me try and help this time. As a doctor, I think it would be wiser to let someone with more vigor to assist in the procedure before we try anyone else," Terra offered, not wanting to take any chances with other people's blood first.
Mary grew worried about that. "Are you sure, Terra? We don't know if this will succeed; much less not cause her death."
"That just may be so, but if I can help my family just a little bit, I'd rather take chances at expending my life if it can save Mina's," her cousin insisted firmly, "We can only hope that she could take it before we can confirm whether she is safe."
As much as she wanted to protest about it, Mary couldn't refuse her cousin's desire to aid in providing a temporary solution as both a cousin and a doctor in the family. The most she could do was watch anxiously as Ventus injected one syringe point into Terra's open arm while Aqua prepared Mina's arm for the transfusion process, only suffering a degree of nausea as she observed how the thick red substance was slowly being drained from her cousin into a small core of the mechanism where it would proceed through another tube into Mina's arm under the surveillance of the professor.
All the while, she could easily notice how everyone was cautiously awaiting for any positive results from the process; as Terra started to feel the symptoms of lacking blood and began to rub his head from dizziness, Aqua was there to comfort him and quietly let him know that they're almost finished with the transfusion. Ventus waited for the rest of the blood to enter Mina's system before he started to detach the needle from her arm, carefully making sure that any remnants of blood didn't spill around the bedding; in the meantime, Professor Eraqus handled the rest of the procedure and helped tend to Terra's pricked arm so that it wouldn't bleed any further after how much he had donated in a pinch. Not long after they finished the transfusion, there was a slight movement coming from Mina as she slowly starting regaining her senses, trying to understand what was going on around her.
Mary couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as she held her sister as close as she could be allowed to.
"Are you alright, Mina?" she asked gently.
"Mary…? What's going on?" Mina asked, confused as to what everyone is doing. "I don't feel too good…" Then, she looked down at her arm and noticed that it had been bandaged, and then looked around a bit to see her cousin and the professor nearby. "Professor…Cousin Terra…Can you tell me what happened?"
"I meant to ask you the same question. Your sister found you weakened from loss of blood, and needed help saving your life," Eraqus answered her, "Mina, I understand this is a difficult, possible awkward situation for you, but if you can remember what became of you in the midst of the night, we might be able to help in any way we can."
For a few fleeting moments, Mina thought over the proposition silently as Mary waited for her to give an answer for them. But then, a horrified shock of realization crossed her face as she processed everything she had seen upon regaining consciousness.
"Oh, no…he did this! I should've known why he did this to me…" Mina gasped shakily.
Aqua turned to her, perplexed. "What do you mean by 'he'? Do you know who was here last night?"
"Mina, please tell us. I don't want to lose another sister," Mary pleaded.
She swallowed a little before she recalled all she knew. "It was…in the middle of the night, when I was about to go to bed and rest. But then, I saw a thick fog covering the windows without warning and out of the mist came…him! I don't know how he was aware of everything that had happened, but he had some form of awareness of what all of you were doing over the course of the past few days." She shook her head grimly. "I have no idea why, but no matter what I tried, I had no power to break away from the control he inflicted over me. As I remained helpless, unable to escape, he leaned in close and…Good Lord, help me…I could feel my life being pulled out of me, the painful sting stronger than anything I've ever experienced! It felt like I've been falling into this nightmare for so long." She paused. "But that wasn't the worst of it: after all of that, I watched as he sliced his own skin, making an injury on himself, but the next thing I knew was that…" Horror crossed her face as she realized what he had done to her. "Oh, no! That's what I ingested! He made me intake his blood! What do I do now? What will happen to me, now that I've been victimized as Caroline did?"
As Mina slipped into an emotional meltdown from the horror of what she was inflicted with, Mary could only sit close to her, stunned at the fact that she was unable to prevent her younger sister's horrific experience after all she had done to purge Caroline's corruption and save Jane from succumbing to a similar fate. Now what could she do to rescue her little sister from the clutches of those damned monsters? For once, she had no idea what she could possibly do to hasten the demise of the vampires that torture them so.
"Miss Mina, did you not know who attacked you and endangered you?" the professor questioned the poor innocent.
Mina rubbed her tears out before she replied, "Yes…yes, I did know him. It was Xemnas, the owner of the castle, Hollow Bastion, the very same man who traced our path to Twilight Town after we left the castle."
Terra paled at the news. "Xemnas…if only I'd known he was responsible for endangering my family!"
"You wouldn't have known about that, Terra. They meant to only pursue the Chastain sisters, nothing more," Aqua assured him, "But after what we've done to attempt interference, it's clear that none of us will be able to escape the hunt."
"Maybe, but there's still a chance for Mina," Ventus promised, "If we find Xemnas and destroy him, she will be freed from her curse."
"True, but it does leave us with one dilemma: how we will be able to locate Xemnas and his servants, and what it will take to destroy them," the professor warned, "Unless we know what their master's motive for engaging in his deadly games, we cannot take too heavy a risk with our lives, especially since we now have Mina's life on the line." He paused a moment. "…Perhaps the answers to our puzzle lies in the origins of this devious creature, the reason behind his succumb to the damnation of vampirism. Surely something in his lore can answer all the questions our sly demon has left to us."
"Try our cousin's library. I found one such book that spoke about Xemnas, I recall," Mary suggested, "You could examine the history in it from there, if you so wish."
Professor Eraqus nodded, suspecting what she might've known. "I am quite certain that might be the case. Until we have further knowledge about the matter, we'll have to settle things within the house." He turned to his apprentices. "I'll need one of you to hurry out to the markets and purchase as many garlic flowers as you possibly can, and bring them back here posthaste. Whoever opts to stay behind must see that Terra recovers his strength, perhaps offer Miss Mary and Miss Mina something to console their fears and grief while they're at it?"
Somehow, Mary had the niggling reason to believe that the professor suspected she knew much more than she initially let on; perhaps he only implied that he had his ideas, but didn't want to call her out on it since she personally didn't want to drag her family into more trouble than she already had done.
In any case, as both Ventus and Aqua got busy to assist the family after this waking nightmare, she figured that she might as well make the most of her situation and help her sister and cousin to the best of her ability until she can participate in the pursuit of the Hollow Bastion vampires so that she can purge her family of the undead abominations that have plagued her sisters for too long. But there is still the concern as to what will become of her sister, Mina, if they fail to destroy the vampires; if nothing is done to save her, she knows that her younger sister will inevitably be condemned to live as an un-dead like those fiends became all those ages ago, leaving only her soul to be saved as a last resort.
Still, as a sister, and with Jane placed in hiding until the terrors are over, it has become Mary's responsibility to do everything and all in her power to help the professor and her cousin track down the vampires and end their reign of terror. She has to stay strong and keep her head together, for Mina's sake at the very least.