The flames, they...they devoured everything, ignoring the screams of others. Devouring them as well, eating away at their homes...their flesh...their bones...it was a horrible sight...one you wish to unseen, tempted to turn away, but hands forcefully turned you to look at the...glorious flames of God purging sinners. For if they were true children of God, they would not burn; that's what the Bishop and those of the religion fraction would tell you.

But it was wrong...it was completely wrong, you knew it as your stomach twisted inside. So many...burned...because of you. Because of what you did...what you had to do. You wept quietly for them inside as the Bishop and his men looked on with sardonic smiles. Taking pleasure in such a murderous sin, killing was a sin...you were told repeatedly. They told you that...and yet...there was conduction in their words—conduction from their...holy book. The horrendous smell of burning flesh and blood boiling forever would stay with you. Your head hung inside, and everything died.

Ashes of the "sinners" mixed in with the ascending smoke to the skies. Your eyes, you remembered, followed them. As your mind wondered, in its numbness, if sinners they were, why did they float to heaven?

Turning over as you slept, clenching the sheets in a cold sweat. Flop to the other side and again back, echoes of cheering laughter and soothing joy; with the Speakers. Sypha stood by her grandfather smiling; her eyes noticed where you stood and cast a bright smile.

No. No. No!

You wanted her to stay away; she came over and took you by the hand leading you over to join everyone. You wanted to stop, but your legs went, and sheer warmth radiating through you made it seem possible; your stomach twisted, nauseated. Your feet picked up her speed, and next thing found yourself running ahead of her...ahead of everyone with a peal of laughter that could not be contained. Stop and turn around, find a fire ablaze and scream!

Or so you thought.

A pounding on your door brought you back, "Y-Yes?" You respond, heaving, try your best to collect yourself.

It was Sypha. "May! May!" She jiggled the knob, pounding on the door. "May! May open up! May!"

Something was wrong; sprinting out of bed, grab your robe, and by the time you slipped it on, the door broke open. It was Alucard. You frow venomously open your mouth, ready to say something, when Sypha rushes in and snatches you by the hand.

You pull back, "Don't touch-"

She cut you off, "May! The village, it's on fire!"

You went numb, and your eyes widen. What..what did she say? For a moment, the world spun; the village it...it was burning? Paralyzed for a moment, didn't realize how ashen your face had become, Sypha and Alucard did. She took a step you, reaching out slowly, calling your name. Her hand an inch above your shoulder, you snap out of it and rush out of the room and house. Trevor was outside rummaging through everything, frightening the horses, trying to find the weapons. Kicking down things and throwing whatever his hand came in contact with.

"Shit! Shit! Where are they?" He seethed, throwing a small crate.

It smashed in the snow. The horses brayed kicking and buckling in their area; you drowned all that out and stood with a pained stare at the blazing reds and orange contrasting the dark cools of the night sky, releasing a thick cloud of heavy smoke saturating the air of its pungent scent. Coughing, your lungs filling up from it. The air wasn't fully covered by it, the others down below...they were in the center and...and...

You couldn't believe it...it was just...your hands began trembling, vibrating it all through your body. This just couldn't be happening...they weren't here anymore...the bishop and the others...these people they...they weren't sinners. No, it was you...you were the one. You were the sinner; you always were and have been...did they find you? How was it even possible? The others...their screams you could hear from the wind carrying them, hitting your heart cruelly. Every thought raced wildly; you couldn't grab or construct them. All you could do was see...see the many homes...the families...bodies burning and you standing there allowing it to happen because...because...so much red..so much!

"Hey! Hey! Where are our weapons!" Trevor demanded, shaking you for a response, but you gave none. Standing there unresponsive, chin quivering and eyes growing wide by the second, unable to blink. He stopped for a moment noticing it.

Sypha and Alucard came out, instantly, Sypha hurries to you. Just as she reached out to touch you, you break from Trevor and shove him with such force he ended up a few feet away. It stunned him, and you race off to the burning village ignoring Sypha's shouting. Within seconds, careful not to stumble, reach the village.

A unity of fire and chaos surrounded you, burning away the quaint and humble ambiance. You couldn't...you couldn't muster up a single thought as to why or this happened? Everyone around you ran frantically. Screaming into the chill air of night, death looming over, snatching every last breath it heard greedily. Did you...did you this? What verse did you forget to say? Yes, your heart wasn't truly into such a thing, but...but...clutching your robe, knuckles hot white, hold back the building pressuring rising inside. You needed to focus...you needed to...to protect...you...you needed to...

"Miss Aurora! Miss Aurora!" Owen's shouts climbed over the screams, snapping you back; your eyes look among the chaos and find him.

His leg was trapped under a pile of charred rubble, unable to move and defenseless. Tears streaming down his face, and his eyes widen with electrifying fear of a large figure advancing—their large ax, hungry for another kill. Your heart plummeted, and rage ensued. Like a buck, you ran and threw yourself at him, ramming him on the side. Knocking him off course, his weight did the rest.

"Hold on! I've got you!" you drop to your knees, began clawing and throwing crushed and splinter rubble...

Digging for the boy's freedom while trying to block out the howling screams and rising flames that inched closed encircling the area. But, you couldn't, even if you tried. They filled your every core. Every fiber. You nearly became paralyzed twice. But you had Owen and the others to free. They couldn't pay your own sins.

"It hurts," he cried, tears pouring down. There was only so much pain he could take.

You knew and could only cast him a panicked look while trying to soothe him. This all would be much easier if you would just...no!

No!

You couldn't do that...you just couldn't and...

"Miss Aurora! Behind you!" Owen alerted.

It was too late; a large gloved hand swung down and stuck you clear across the face; it felt like a sledgehammer. Your body skipped like a pebble and rolled like a log across the earth. Everything spun and became displaced. The sharp ringing in your ears nearly deafened you. Owen's cries for you faded. You hoped he wasn't...you tried to stand only to have a heavy booted foot to the gut. You nearly threw up. Skidding further across the ground, another kick came crashing you into the hut's wall. Breaking it. Anyone in your position would surely blackout from the surge of pain. Lucky enough for you, that was barely the case.

You've had worse, plus you needed to make sure the others were safe and figure out who..perpetrated this vile act. And when you did...

With a hand on the tree, staggering and slipping, try to push yourself up. But, your bones felt like twigs. Still, you push, with blood trickling, from your new cut on your brow, made it harder to see. And the dark bruise now formed on your torso only heightened your pain. You had to fight...you had too had to fight. You tried again when your attacker charged you. Their weapons draw and ready to smash down overhead, a wailing screaming screeched through the trees, and a ring of fire surrounded you. A heavy fist was thrown from the side and struck the attacker, knocking him back and out.

You fall.

"I've got you," Alucard said, catching you providing support until Sypha came.

She rushed to your side, "Aurora!" She grieved, her hands hovered over you, trembling. "We need to her out of here."

"Let's not forgot about the others." he reminded her. Standing up, using his coat to shield himself from the flames. "The fire is growing."

Trevor ran over, coiling his whip, "Everyone won't get out."

Sypha protests, "It won't work!" He cut her off, "the fires are too large, and most have already been killed or burned. We have her. Let's go."

She looked to Alucard for support, "He's right. We can't. I'm sorry, but it's a lost cause." He agreed to her dismay.

But, she knew it was true, taking a glance around the village...it was nearly eaten and dislocated. There was nothing here. Bodies laid either burned, slashed, or worse. The screams rang all around them; her heart could barely handle the weight. Her eyes drop to you, and her heart wept. This was your home...your place, and yes, she wanted to take you with her. She was glad to reunite with you, and...tears slowly welled, but she wiped them away. Right now, getting you out was more-

"N-No." you muffle a growl surprising them.

Sypha rushes to your side; her heart sighed; you shared no sentiment, your eyes erased her from your sight; all your senses erased nearly everything and everyone from you. Except for the merciless men, soon to get their retribution. Evil must be purged. It must be cleansed by the holiest of holiest; the words echoed in your mind consuming your thoughts, drowning the small voice that kept you tethered. It snapped, and like a broken dam, it gushed out like a torrent. A strong force (like wind) pushed them back. Rendering you free from the vampire's hold. An unholy wail cut through the ripping winds, Trevor punching back another whipped around and was struck back by the blast too into a tree.

Fires began dowsing. The ground rumbled. Lightning crackled in the mashing dark clouds, striking the ground without prejudice. Villagers who stopped and looked were horrified at the sight before them, adding to their fleeing. They weren't the only ones; Sypha's eyes, the size of saucers, stared unable to blink confused, and...you looked...the way you looked...partially stopped her heart; what you were doing did. How did you even learn how to...to do...the men..their curdling screams and contorting bodies twisted and bent unnaturally; in ways that shouldn't be. Bones cracked and snapping like twigs; piercing from their flesh; crimson and scarlet rivers watered the earth. Strange dark-like vines etched on their bodies, matching the eerie dark illuminating glow of your scleras and the same dark markings under your eyes.

Your appearance dropped Sypha's mouth to the ground; you looked nothing like the person she knew; chalk crack-skin replaced your bronze tone; sullen eyes erased your bright golden-yellows; your long and well-kept wine hair now spectral white, bustled and wild. Her eyes couldn't process this...you. From her recollection, you never...looked like this, nor did you act this way. A wave of dark anger calmly settled on your face, with a malice smile that turned her blood cold. Tears rose silently in her eyes against the whipping winds slowly settling. Ringing the screams through the trees, shaking leaves from their security to the ground, and withered when they landed. Mirroring the men, who were nothing but an empty husk, that you just stepped over. Those still there foolishly charged you, Sypha and Alucard sprung to their feet. Attempting to stop them, fail. The minute your eyes turn their way, clench your fist tightly and watch their bodies wither away and fall.

Lifeless and empty.

A preditor to its prey, you had sinners to punish. It was God's will. It was correct. Those against the Holy Lord must and completely face God's wrath. So says the Lord, so says you.

Despite the innocent consequence of your action, you and another would regret it.