It was 11:55 in Schatzberg. On the mountain, Gretchen Mills stood against a long wooden pole, her hands tied tightly behind her back.

"You're sure I'll be alright?"

"Well, I can't say you won't have experienced some psychological changes, but physically, yes. You should be fine." Jake tried to sound reassuring.

"Oh...Good." Gretchen wanted to sound unafraid, but the butterflies in her stomach wouldn't let her.

"Um...I really admire you for going through with this, you know. This is really brave, what you're doing."

"You said it yourself: there's no other way."

Jake glanced at his pocket watch. "It's nearly time. Er...Good luck, Gretchen." He turned to leave.

"Jacob."

"What?"

Gretchen turned her head. "Come closer." Jake did so nervously. Gretchen smiled and kissed him. It lasted only a moment but it felt strangely fulfilling, as though this were something she'd been building up to the last two days.

"You needn't worry about me," she told him, "I'll be fine." Jake stood there for a moment, looking stunned.

"Aren't you the least bit scared?"

"I'm terrified. But that's not important. You should go now. I'd hate to see Balthazar possess you instead of me." Jake nodded, and left.

The clock in town struck twelve. Cold fear swept through Gretchen's veins like ice. There was a sudden wind, and she shivered. Balthazar was coming. She could feel it. The wind got stronger and stronger. Branches whipped about in the wind. Leaves flew about like large fiery clouds. There was a smell of sulfur, and a flash of lightning. There in front of her stood a middle-aged man. Or what was at one time a middle-aged man. The figure's flesh was looking gangrenous. His hair (what little was left) fell to the ground in clumps. He smelled awful. These things were all discomforting, but what scared Gretchen the most were the figure's eyes. They looked as though they were made of fire, as though some inner flame fueled him. There were no traces of good in those eyes, only evil.

Gretchen pressed herself against the wooden pole, trying to save face. She wanted to scream, but she knew it wouldn't do any good. The figure spoke in a raspy, damaged voice.

"You are the sacrifice the village sends?"

"Yes, that I am," Gretchen's voice, to her great surprise, didn't waver a bit.

"Your body is young and strong. That is good. I am tired of these old, weak bodies that are past their prime," Balthazar rasped.

"My...My body is yours, demon. Use it as you need."

"You are more willing than the other sacrifices. Why?"

"I am doing what is necessary to honor my village's agreement with you," Gretchen replied. Cut the small talk and possess me already, she thought.

"Your soul is strong. No doubt it shall be missed. But that is none of my concern. Let us complete this business." Gretchen gasped as the body Balthazar was inhabiting neared her. The stench was becoming worse and worse. Suddenly, demon's body was pressed against her, its mouth clamped on top of hers. The smell of decaying flesh was so horrible that Gretchen wanted to retch, but this instinct was quickly overcome by a white-hot pain flooding her body. She screamed in pain, writhed on the pole.

I must keep my soul, I must keep my soul, I must keep my soul, she repeated to herself over and over, a mental mantra. She tried to keep in mind all the things she had to live for. Peter, Uncle Klaus, her town…Will. Jacob. Mental images flashed through her mind with increasing speed. Gretchen felt sure her body would explode. The ropes that bound her to the pole broke apart, and she fell to the ground, curled up. A new subconscious voice entered her mind, and she knew it was the demon's.

Leave, mortal spirit, it said, I am the master of this body now.

No, Gretchen replied, you are not. I have the blood of Norbert Muller in my veins; blood that is poison to you. Feel it and die, demon Balthazar. I am not afraid of you.

Gretchen's body was suddenly overcome by cold, then heat, then cold again. The temperature within her fluctuated violently.

SUBMIT! Balthazar shouted.

NO! Gretchen shouted back, I do not fear you. YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME! She felt her spirit growing stronger. More temperature changes.

Vile girl! You have infected me! The demon shook its host's body. There was a sound like ice cracking, and all at once everything stopped. There was a slight hissing noise. Gretchen was exhausted. She found it hard to move, and even to breathe. She closed her eyes and saw nothing more. She was vaguely aware of footsteps and shouting as the world dimmed around her.

Gretchen woke again slowly. At first everything seemed a hazy fog. Then her eyes came into focus. Jake and Will were kneeling on either side of her.

"Hello, boys," she muttered. Will smiled. Jake looked overjoyed.

"You're alright!" he exclaimed.

"Why are you so surprised? I thought you said I probably wouldn't die."

"I did, yes. But I...we were still concerned."

"How long was I asleep for?"

"About an hour," Will told her. "You had a terrible fever, but now it's gone."

"I was so exhausted...I couldn't breathe."

"We know," Jake said, "You did stop breathing for a moment. I had to resuscitate you. How do you feel now?"

"Fine. Tired, but fine. Can we go back to the Drunken Steward now?" Will nodded.

"Can you ride?" he asked.

"I think so, if we go slowly."

"Then we'll go slowly. Come on, up you get." Jake and Will helped Gretchen to her feet.

"Thanks," Gretchen hauled herself onto her horse. The three of them turned around and plodded down the mountain towards Schatzberg. Will took the lead while Jake rode beside Gretchen.

"Where were you while I was fighting Balthazar?"

"Will and I were in the bushes behind you. Did it hurt much when...you know...?"

"More than I could possibly imagine. It was like I was being burned and then frozen to death."

"I'm sorry. Nobody should have to go through that. If there were any other way…"

"I know. I did what I had to do. If anything, I should be thanking you."

"For what?" Jake frowned.

"Without your plan, my cousin would have been the next sacrifice. For me, a life without Peter is no life at all. He's practically my brother. It was worth all that pain to save the people I love."

Jake shook his head. "You have got to be one of the bravest people I know."

Gretchen blushed. "I wasn't that brave."

"Your modesty is beginning to annoy me, Gretchen."

"I suppose it was pretty good, wasn't it?" she smiled.

"That's more like it."

They continued riding in silence. After a while, Jake broke the silence again.

"There is…something more I'd like to know," he said.

"What?" Gretchen asked.

"Why did you kiss me back there?"

"I was sure you'd have figured that out by now." Gretchen smiled mischievously. "I know you've got feelings for me, Jacob. You made that quite obvious. I was just…reciprocating."

"I see." Jacob smiled back. "Well, seeing as I didn't catch on the first time, I think you should do it again."

"Oh you do, do you?" Gretchen's smile widened to a grin. Jake nodded. "Well, alright then." She leaned over and kissed him again. "How did that come across?"

"Infinitely better."

"Hey, keep it clean back there!" Will called from in front of them. "Am I going to have to separate the two of you?"

Gretchen just laughed.

In an hour's time, they had arrived back at the Drunken Steward. The town was totally still. Gretchen smiled. She couldn't wait to see the reaction the next morning when everyone found out that Balthazar had been destroyed.

"Will you two be coming in for the night?" she asked.

"We'd better be letting the mayor know what's happened," Will said, "It'd be a shame for Olfer and Peterson to suffer a firing in addition to elimination troubles."

"I suppose I'll leave the door unlocked then," Gretchen said. "That's the first time I've known us to leave it open on All Souls' Eve." She smiled.

"Thanks in no small part to you," Will said. "C'mon, Jake, we'd better tell Schiesskopf what's become of Balthazar."

"His name's Weisskopf, Will," Gretchen corrected.

"Did I say Schiesskopf? Must've been a slip of the tongue." Will winked and nudged Jake. "Let's go."

"Right," his brother replied. He glanced at Gretchen, giving her a goofy smile before taking off after Will. Gretchen waved, watching them until they had reached the end of the main road. She opened the door and went inside the inn, taking care to leave it unlocked.