It had been a long time, several days, and Carl knew in the back of his mind that this could be a wasted journey. But he refused to give up. He refused to give up on the only person he had ever loved.

The chill Transylvania wind ruffled his hair as his horse galloped into Valeria. He stopped to look around. This place hadn't really changed. It still seemed empty and lonely. It still sent a chill down his spine. It still made his skin crawl. But Carl fought back the tears in his eyes, and looked up at the castle up on the hill above the village. Castle Frankenstein. Carl had suspected he might have to go in there to find Gabriel, but he saw now that he wouldn't have to. The castle appeared to have been burnt out, a mere black ruin against the grey sky.

A sudden shriek pierced the air, and Carl's eyes fell upon a small blonde girl in the square a few metres away, pointing at Valerious Manor, which was slightly hidden behind the think, snow-topped trees. Carl wondered what was wrong, but he saw a few seconds later as a terrible bright blue shape shot into the sky from the Manor.

Jemmy streaked into the sky like an eerie blue bullet, cackling, then dived for the girl. Carl saw only one thing for it- he ran as fast as he could towards the girl and scooped her up in his arms, leaping towards the church. He heard Jemmy hit the ground with a large thud where the girl had been seconds ago, and her angry cry as she soared back up into the sky. Carl placed the girl gently in the doorway of the church, then dislodged his pistols.

Time seemed to slow down as he and Jemmy surveyed each other. She was hanging in mid-air, glaring at him. He was standing a few metres away from the church, a heroic glint in his blue eyes as he pointed the pistols at her.

Then, he fired.

She hadn't been expecting it. She didn't have time to move away, merely turn so that the first bullet hit her shoulder. She wasn't so lucky with the second bullet. It went straight into her heart. A loud scream escaped her lips, and she dropped like a stone to the ground. Carl shoved his pistols away and held the girl tightly in his arms, hiding her eyes as Jemmy breathed her last breath.

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Sorry, I know I haven't updated this forever. Writer's block. I really couldn't write it. But, hopefully I'll get back into it now. More coming soon.