Here is it. The final chapter of Six's perspective in VLN.

Warnings for this chapter includes implied/reference death and child death.

Chapter 8: Shattered Innocence

Dropping from the vent and landing on the soft carpet of the next room, Six observed to see if there were any changes to the area. She was in the master bedroom, which was placed between the middle and lower floors. It was very clean and nothing seemed amiss. This room belonged to two adults based on the gigantic fancy king-size bed. On rare occasions, Six would visit this room to play and jumped on the fluffy mattress. But she won't be playing today. She was determined to escape with Nona and complete the promise.

Dragging a swirling chair to the desk, the girl climbed up to get access to the window. With all the strength she could muster, she opened the window and looked down. It was a long way before she could reach the ground. Looking back at the bed, an idea came to her mind. Rather than trying to navigate herself to the lower floors, she could make a rope from the bedsheets and go out the window! That would require a lot of sheets, however...

Before she could start, something on the desk had caught her attention. It was an open envelope. Everything in the room had always been clean. Everything except for the letter, which had been covered in dust. Six guessed that the Butler would sometimes visit the master bedroom to clean, waiting for his masters to return. However, since they haven't come back, whoever was left became the new owner of the Nest. Picking up the envelope, pulling the letter out, and blowing the dust off, she read the paper:

To my best friend, Master Edward of the Nest

Edward, I had received your letter. I am so sorry for your loss. Words can not describe such a tragedy nor the grief you must be experiencing. You have my condolences. Words spread that your wife's assailant was a woman. There's a story spreading all over the world of a mad-crazed woman targeting beautiful, young women out of jealousy. It's unknown what's her method of travel, but she was often sighted around the world. A woman with dark hair, jade green eyes, wearing an article of bright red clothing and a veil over her face.

It must be a miracle that your daughter could be saved. However, from what you had explained in your last letter, it would appear that a miracle came with a price. A deadly touch. No children in history had ever had such a fearsome power before, be it good or bad.

Before your daughter's condition worsen, I suggest you find a cure before it's too late. If your daughter continues to grow, I fear her powers might even evolve. A father shouldn't end his daughter's life. I have a little gift in the package that accompanied this letter. Feed her this meat from a mystical fish. It has... special effects that should be beneficial for her.

To find a cure, I suggest you find this vessel out at sea. It should arise once every year, on the first of December. Many people would be escaping from the cold by boarding the ship. Talk to the leader of the vessel. Perhaps the answers to curing your daughter lie there. In the meantime, I would recommend for you to seek out Alister, a butler in search of a job. He should be capable of taking care of the little mistress. Take care, my friend.

Sincerely,

Victor

Looking at the date and year, Six noticed that it had been over fifty years since this tragedy had happened. It would make sense. The Craftsman was an old man and the Butler was middle age. It had her wondering if this mistress was an old lady or not. However, the two monsters would make dolls. And how would she be able to explain some of the furniture that was her size scattered over the mansion? That would indicate that the mistress was younger than her initial impression, possibly a child just like she was. That didn't make any sense.

Staring at the paper, the girl hadn't failed to notice that smeared in red lipsticks were words all over the letter during her first reading. On her second reading, she could see that the words spelled out 'hurry, hurry, hurry!', some even messily streaked the fancy handwriting. Flipping to the back of the paper, Six saw childish squiggles. At a glance, it almost looked like a letter with a recipient in mind. But with the large spaces in between each entry, it looked more like a diary. Scanning quickly of each entry, it seemed like the mistress was trying to replicate the fancy, cursive font from the front. She'd obviously failed, with each record becoming more and more sloppy, but Six could understand the writing enough to read it.

I've been a very good girl, Papa! I promise I had been! Your darling Mu would never lie! When will you come back? I'm starting to get lonely. Are you taking so long because you're trying to find magic to revive Mama? Please hurry then! I want you and Mama to come home! Let's have tea and pastries!

What's taking so long? It has been days! Papa, I don't like the butler, Alister! He won't talk to me! He won't pick me up! I had to do things by myself! When you return home, can you fire him? He served me well and I do like his tellakanisus? His mind-controlling powers. But I don't want him here if he won't pick me up!

Papa... I did something bad. I tried chasing some kids and accidentally tripped. I had touched a kid and they disappeared. The others ran away, calling me a witch. Am I a witch, Papa? Did you know? Is that why you aren't coming back? Is that why you hired Alister? Because he could pick me up without picking me up? Why can't I touch anyone?

No one wanted to be my friend. But it's okay, Papa! I make them become my friend. They no longer had a choice! I had Oliver turn them into dolls! I can touch dolls and can't evaporate them like when they were alive. But they're not dead! Promise! They're all alive and have many tea parties with me! We're happy! I'm having so many friends, Papa! Please hurry home. I've been waiting for a very long time. I want you to stay when you get home. We can have our tea parties forever and ever!

Reading each entry made Six feel a little dejected. It was clear as years passed, the mistress became desperate and lost touch with reality. She might as well lost her mind. Her dolls weren't alive. They were dead. Cold, stretched skin, stuffed with cotton. Hollow eyes that stared forever, any hints of expression were frozen in time. When playing with her 'friends', no ounce of warmth could be touched. It was scary to see the mistress losing her humanity. Staring at the paper, Six felt sad as she empathized with the mistress' longing to reunite with an important person.

I've been waiting for a very long time... For some reason, she could understand that feeling of waiting. Waiting, waiting, waiting... so much for so long until it felt like madness clouding the mind and straining the heart. However, it seemed that she couldn't wait any longer, hence why she was searching. But... what? Was she searching for something? Or was she searching for someone? As much as she would like to try and understand, Six didn't have time. She'll just have to ponder on this on another day. Putting the letter back where she found it, the girl climbed down from the desk. That was enough stalling, she had to escape. Running over to the giant bed, she tugged on the sheet. It had taken a while until she managed to pry it out of the mattress. It wasn't enough, unfortunately. She needed more before she could make a rope out of it.

Maybe there are more somewhere, Six thought as she looked around the room once more.

There was a vent right next to the bed. Prying the cover open, Six quickly went inside. Eventually, the vent grew wider as the metal walls stretched, connected to dull concrete. She couldn't see well in the dark, but her feet felt wood. Deciding that it was better to bring a light, the girl retreated back to the bedroom to get a lantern that was laid on the bedside table. Returning, she placed the lantern on the wooden planks. Turning around, she could see a bed sheet hanging on the wall. She could use that!

A tiny squeak could be heard.

Startled, Six turned around. Relief returned when she saw that familiar sunny yellow. It was Nona! She had fallen into the center of a spider's web! Kneeling over the edge, the girl in white tried to pull onto the silk, hoping to pull Nona to her. Unfortunately, she was already late when the raincoated girl sank further down the web until the silk broke. Peering down, Six flinched when she saw Nona's body collide with a wooden pole, followed by the sound of the older girl's complaint.

"Ow..."

She had fallen more until Six couldn't see her anymore, but she did hear a soft thud. Concerned, Six called out, "... A-Are you okay, Nona?"

She could hear Nona's voice assuring her, "I'm fine. I'll meet with you soon, Six!"

"Mm," the girl softly nodded as she return to her task.

Taking the bed sheet from the wall, she ran off to the large hole and back to the master bedroom. Tying the second sheet to the first, the girl could tell that the length of her rope still wasn't enough. Perhaps the closet will have some spare sheets if she searched there. Opening the closet, to her disappointment, there were no sheets for her to use. However, aside from spare clothes, there was an item that was out of place. A crank. Picking up the item, Six looked around the bedroom to find a winch.

Oh, over there! The girl saw a hole next to a bookshelf that matched the triangular end of the crank.

Inserting it in, she turned the handle. To her surprise and awe, the bookshelf moved! It moved to the side to reveal a hidden room! When she finished fully turning the handle, Six approached the hidden room with caution. Stepping into the cold, dark room which was only illuminated by tiny lamps, the girl could see many books, stacked like building blocks. It didn't look like children's books or anything similar like that. In fact, some of the scrolls and tomes looked ancient. There were many sheets that covered some of the dusty covers.

At the center of the room, there was a book prompt opened, resting on a step stool. Taking a small lamp nearby, Six placed it next to the opened book to light up the pages. On the heading at the top of the first page were dark, bolded words that said: 'Dangerous Magic'. Underneath the heading labeled the writer who wrote this section of the book. Apparently, it was written by a doctor named Saimin. Curiously, the girl read what was under the heading.

Envy magic. A particular type of magic that isn't well known for it had never been documented. Therefore, I've taken it upon myself to write what I have known so far. From what I have observed, there was once a family who was in possession of a pair of scissors. These scissors have been in the family for a hundred years, eventually becoming sentient and connecting with each new master as it serves them. These scissors could cut anything seamlessly. However, if it cuts the skin, the slits could never be healed.

I've noticed many new abilities the scissors possess after their current master had become corrupt. It desires to please its master. If the blade mutilates the skin, the victim's soul would remain trapped in their bodies, left to fulfill the master's command. If a person dies, their soul shall depart but their bodies shall harden into wood. I believed this is a result of envy magic.

However, there was another effect envy magic had. Should the scissors penetrate the victim's body from outside the master's homeland, upon death, the corpse will fail to transform into wood. Many of the victims that I've witnessed were adults or children. But it had been rare for the master to attack a woman with child. In fact, I feel safe to say that she was the first. While the mother will die from her wounds, it is possible her child will survive. If there was a chance the mother was stabbed in her abdomen, the blade would reach the child through the womb - imbuing it with jealousy. The scissors themselves are used to erase the enemies of its masters. Therefore, I believe as a byproduct, the survived victim will have powers and abilities that function like the item. Becoming more durable and surviving more easily compared to normal, average children. Durable, but not invincible. However, the main power this child could possess would be a deadly touch. The power to erase through a simple touch - something others should steer away from.

One of the key traits of a person imbued with jealousy is the color of their eyes, being jade green, matching the eyes of the master the scissors serves. However, there are possible other changes to the feature. As I wasn't able to see the child, that is all I could speculate.

After reading the page, Six slowly backed away. Tilting her head back, she started to think. So the mistress was cursed because she survived the stabbing her mother was afflicted with. She could have been a normal child had such a calamity never befallen the previous mistress of the Nest. The child became delusional, believing that the people she was waiting for were still alive.

The child once known as 'Mu' slowly lost her humanity over time. Deluded, the mistress continued to wait. However, she got bored and wanted friends to keep her company. She couldn't touch living people without dissolving their bodies and leaving their clothes behind. With her delusions growing more, she had those dolls as her friends to accompany her. She was fooling herself, pretending to herself. The girl called 'Mu' had become a pretender.

So the Pretender couldn't move on. She had trapped herself, clinging to eternity and unchanging...

Six didn't know how to feel with this information. It made her feel... Shaking her head, she left the hidden room. At least she knows how dangerous the Pretender was. She'll have to make sure not to meet her then. Despite she hadn't seen her, the book had given her a clue. The Pretender could be identified with her eye color and other distinguishable features. If she does cross paths with the young mistress, she'll be ready to run in the opposite direction. Returning to the master bedroom after grabbing as many sheets as she could, Six began working on her rope.

After tying the last sheet to the previous one, the girl tug on each knot to make sure they were secure. Satisfied with her work, Six tied her rope to the end of the curtains before climbing back up to the desk to toss her rope outside the window. Seeing her work fall out the window, it greatly reminded her of the story about a girl with long hair, trapped in a tower. A hint of a smile flashed to her face. She won't be needing anyone's help for this part. Giving one final tug to make sure it was safe, the girl made her slow descent down the mansion. Climbing down, her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight. She had been inside the Nest for so long that being outside felt unfamiliar. It was refreshing in a way. Against the urgency of her situation, Six wanted to have some peace enjoying the pleasantry of being outside as she safely made her way down the rope.

~oOo~

Summertime felt so different compared to winter. The air felt warmer despite the Nest was located on a high cliff. There was some wind, but the breeze felt cool and not freezing cold. Slowly but eventually, the girl made it to the ground. Feeling the coarse dirt against her soft feet brought a frown to Six's face. It had taken weeks for the cuts on her feet to heal after she had awoken on the upper floors of the Nest. She still didn't know where she was going before arriving at the mansion or how she even got there.

That doesn't matter anymore, keep going, Six firmly told herself.

The girl walked forward, ignoring the pain in her feet for walking barefooted. Hopefully, with time, she would get used to the feeling that it wouldn't hurt as much. Finding a single path, Six followed it. Passed the stone statues, the garden, and a little maze, the girl found the gates.

Before she decide to open the metal doors, the young child searched around the Nest to make sure there were any other possible exits. It had taken her a long while until she eventually made a full circle back to the gates. She had been walking to reserve her energy in case she would have to run. It did well in conserving her energy, but it had wasted a lot of time in her opinion. Sighing, the girl stared at the gates. The double doors were the only entrance and exit to the mansion. There was no other way.

She tried pushing on it, hoping to get it open. Despite Nona hadn't gotten out yet, Six hoped to get the gates to open so that the older girl would know that she was here. Plus, she wanted to help Nona in any way she could, even if she wasn't directly present. However, feeling that someone was approaching, the girl instinctively dove into a bush. She didn't dare take a peek, but she could hear the angry grumbles of a child. It was most likely the Pretender. And she sounded angry with the way she opened and slammed the gates shut that it made a clanging sound.

After waiting for a few minutes to make sure that the Pretender was not near, Six took a peek to glance around her area. She was alone. Shuffling out of the bush, Six resumed her task - opening the gates. However, she was too light to open the metal doors as she pushed her weight to it. She needed help.

"Six!" a voice called out.

Turning around, the girl could see her friend! However, she was being pursued by the Butler! Frantically, she pushed at the doors again, silently pleading for them to open. Eventually, Nona came through, pushing on the gates at the same time Six pushed, busting the doors wide open. Running ahead, Six eventually stopped near the electric fence. There was a lever above that could shut the electricity down, but she was too small to reach the ladder to turn it off.

"Six, give me a boost!" She could hear Nona calling out to her.

Giving a nod of understanding, the moment the girl in the yellow raincoat caught up, she hoisted her into the air. Very soon, the electricity that surged through the fence disappeared. To Six's surprise, when Nona came down, she held her hand and began to lead the way, pushing the fence open. Taken to a ditch where there was a single narrow beam to get across, the little girl felt herself being pulled to the front, given a gentle push on the back to continue forward. Getting over her shock, Six determinedly made it to the other side. Running passed the splintered logs, she rushed to the rope bridge.

Having crossed safely to the other side - even running a little bit more, Six began to slow to a stop, feeling her stamina dwindling as she panted. Though she could advance further, she wanted to make sure Nona was okay. Turning around, all she could see was the girl in yellow before her vision suddenly grew dark. Six had fallen onto the ground, seized by unconsciousness. There was an aching pain in her head. What was she hit with? And how?

"Six!" Someone was calling for her, sounding very panicky. Who? Who was calling out to her? They sound very desperate.

Ah... that voice... Nona? Regaining a bit of her consciousness back but not fully, Six could feel the older girl was shaking her shoulder, trying to rouse her.

"Six! You have to wake - Ah!"

Wake up? Why does she have to wake up? Six could barely register the retreating footsteps, sounding fainter and more distant. Was Nona leaving her? Why? It took only a second until her eyes snapped open. The Butler! Ignoring the dull pain in her head, the girl in white gingerly got up. Despite the temptation to check behind her, she didn't. Nona was already at the barn.

Words stuck in her throat as fear of being caught loomed over her, Six couldn't call out to the older girl. She just ran, hoping to catch up. Reaching out her hand, she silently pleaded, Wait, Nona! Don't-

Unfortunately, her friend did exactly what she feared. She had shut the door. Reaching to a halt, Six pounded at the barrier. She would cry out to let her in but the adrenaline coursing through her entire body left her in shock and speechless. The only noises that she could hear were the sounds of her tiny fists hitting on the wooden door. So many feelings were storming in her chest, however, she ignored them. The Butler could be here any moment! He could catch up! Risking it, she turned around, seeing the middle-aged man trying to reconstruct the rope bridge to get across. She couldn't stay. If she does, no doubt the Butler would stop her and do whatever he plans to do once he caught her.

Abandoning the door, the girl dived into the thorny briars, trying to find an alternative way at getting out. As she wandered through the prickly shrubs, avoiding the needle-like thorns, those feelings that she was ignoring a moment ago resurfaced. Why did Nona lock her out? Didn't she see her trying to catch up? A cynical thought came into her mind.

She locked you out because you would slow her down. She wasn't your friend like she claimed to be.

Six could feel that presence once more. It was there, now tormenting her mind - always following her wherever she goes.

No, that's not right! She didn't know! Six tried to reason. She just made a mistake!

That was right. It was a mistake. If Nona hadn't intended to help her... if Nona wasn't her friend, then she wouldn't have stopped trying to wake her up when she had collapsed. Plus! By the time Six had regained consciousness, the older girl was running to avoid getting attacked by the Butler! It was better that way... It was best if at least one person got away than risk neither making it. Still...

Six's heart throbbed a bit. Despite it wasn't her intention, when Nona had slammed the door and block it from the other side without hesitation, a tiny part of Six felt like she was rejected. It was that same feeling with the other kids at the Nest. However, unlike those previous rejections that were more obvious and decided long ago, this one felt... hurtful in a bigger way. It was something Six didn't expect and it had happened without the intention of causing harm.

Shaking her head, she squashed that hurting feeling. It didn't matter. She shouldn't wallow in it. She needed to reunite with Nona. Otherwise, the promise wouldn't be complete. Pressing through the last tangle of thorns, Six made a descent down the cliff, taking the only path that was in front of her. The girl was tired, her skinny legs were starting to shake. Though resting would do well after running from the Butler, Six refused the idea. She couldn't stop now! Slowing her pace a little to recover some energy, she lightly ran, turning around the corner.

To her surprise, she saw someone familiar and relief settled in her mind as she called out, "Nona!"

The girl in the raincoat was scaling down the cliff. However, she was descending really fast. Tilting her head back, she gasped, understanding why now. There was a child in a fancy green dress, a few feet away from Nona. Six had never seen the girl before, but it was clear who the unknown child was. With her silvery-white hair and green eyes, there was no mistaking the identity of the girl. It was her! The Pretender! One touch from her and her first friend would disintegrate! Too distracted with her thoughts, she failed to hear the cracks forming on the ground beneath her until the air was taken out of her as she fall.

"Six!" She could hear Nona yelling her name, fear present in her tone.

Luckily, Six had grabbed onto the twisted root that protruded from the ground. Her grip was already weakening as she slips lower. Below her were jagged rocks. If she lets go, she'll die for sure. Fortunately, a tree trunk had fallen, courtesy of Nona. Swinging herself to land on the wood, Six ran to the end of the trunk. She stopped minutely, looking down at what was happening below her to keep track of everything. The Pretender had closed the distance between her and Nona by a lot. The girl in yellow was near the ground. Once her friend had reached the lower cliff, Six ran ahead, adrenaline pumping through her veins once more. Only this time, it wasn't from fear of being caught, but urgency for a friend's sake. Nona couldn't outrun the Pretender for long. There has to be a way, and there was! There was a boulder up ahead! She could use that! Six knew she couldn't push the boulder by herself. She wasn't strong enough. Gazing down once more, she could see there was nowhere left to run. The Pretender had reached the grounds as well. She has to act fast! Now! Taking a long plank, she wedged it between the boulder and the ground, trying to pry it loose and push it over the edge.

Nona was already at a dead end and the Pretender was catching up! Six had to hurry up or Nona would be killed! Struggling as she gathered as much strength as she could muster, the young girl managed to tip the boulder by a fracture. Hurry, hurry, hurry...! With one final push on the end of the plank, the boulder loosen and rolled off the ledge. Hearing a definite crash, Six dropped the plank of wood to check on her friend.

Nona was facing the cliff with her arms covering her head. Turning around, the older girl looked at her dead pursuer before looking up at Six. Elated that she saved her first friend, Six smiled at the girl below her. Nona returned the happy expression with a smile of her own.

Alas, the Pretender wasn't dead as the two girls assumed. Everything happened too quickly. Nona fell off the cliff right when the mistress of the Nest lunged at her. Too soon, both friend and enemy were claimed by the sea.

No! It wasn't... that... no!

Tears fall from the lone survivor's eyes. Her first friend's life was in her hands... her first friend's death was on her hands. Nona who had smiled at her before dying... Six wondered if the older girl now hates her. As she bitterly wept tears of sorrow, her heart was breaking and fracturing more than before. Her head drooped in despair. Somewhere inside of her, she realized.

Something was being born.

We finally reached the end of VLN, but this isn't the end! Oh no, it isn't! We will be seeing things from Nona's perspective soon. Until then, stay tuned.