Bound by Sins of the Past

by Hellraptor

Two years after surviving the events that had bound their fates together, Ethan and Bela are living in different corners of the world. Their newfound peaceful lives are about to be shattered by a mutual foe, bringing them together once again. This is a sequel to my previous story, An Act of Kindness. Slow burn Bela/Ethan, with plenty of violent action and hurt/comfort scenes.

47. The Exorcism of Self

Author's Note: this chapter is likely going to be the most weird one I've written so far! You've been warned.

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Ethan opened his eyes slowly and found himself in an eerily familiar place. Glancing around in a frightful recognition, all he saw was an endless expanse of low-hanging dark gray mist, as far as an eye could see.

Looking down at the 'ground' below the mist, Ethan could not suppress the desire to gulp as he beheld the uneven layers of unmistakable inky black substance, with bulging veins crisscrossing it at random intervals. The 'sky' above was covered by raging storm clouds, with a great many sparks of lightning running through it seemingly both horizontally and vertically. There was no sound of thunder to accompany it. The air felt unbearably heavy, as if an invisible giant hand was pushing down on all who had the misfortune to find themselves in this forlorn world.

This alien place has changed much since the last time he was forced to visit it, yet Ethan had no trouble recognizing it as Eveline's mental prison - his own mind, or perhaps, the only way his own mind could picture itself as. There was no sign of Eveline herself - a particularly grim realization for the man who came to genuinely care about the ghastly girl that once upon a time visited a lifetime of horror upon him.

Of course, Evie's absence, as painful as it was, was not his only concern as he gazed upon the desolate plains that supposedly mirrored his own being. He struggled to recall just where he had been before being drawn into this place. Coming with a blank, Ethan had no choice but to focus on his immediate surroundings, as unwelcoming as they were.

The proliferation of mold was likely a grim reflection of his physical condition, and Ethan was surprised at how easily he found himself accepting it. It would not be a huge shock to him if by this point he was composed of mold entirely, with every healthy human cell replaced by the fungal one, which then proceeded to mimic its original function and appearance.

There were two implications that Ethan could not help but consider. First, somewhat less sinister, was the presence of some kind of an overarching control entity. Ethan knew well what monstrous shapes and gargantuan proportions mold organisms could take once the uncontrollable mutations kicked in. The very fact of his somewhat stable and distinctively human appearance implied that something within was holding him that way; something was holding the reins behind the all-engulfing wave of mold. Ethan found himself dearly hoping that it was Eveline, not gone after all, but merely dormant; yet still present enough to give shape to the amorphous miscreation that was mold. Ethan could simply come for no other explanation for his continued existence as a human look-a-like, otherwise.

Secondly, however, the implications that he was a mere mold simulacrum of a human being was still quite horrific in itself. It's not a simple thing to forfeit one's humanity, after all… though Ethan could draw some comfort from the fact that Bela, Cassandra and Daniela all went through something similar if not the same - yet managed to regain their humanity in the end, nevertheless.

For what truly measures humanity, anyway? Could the distinction truly lie in something as simple as material composition of one's cells… or does it go deeper, after all?

The deeply philosophical musings were interrupted by mockingly theatrical clapping, coming from behind Ethan.

Turning around while desperately pawing at his belt in a bid to procure a weapon to defend himself with, Ethan could not help but take a step back from the sheer shock of seeing another person in this mindscape reality of his - or whatever this place was. There was no weapon to defend himself with.

The features of the man before him were eerily familiar, though Ethan was sure that they had never met before. Tall, somewhat lanky; with his face having a distinct predatory appearance, reminiscent of some birds of prey with its sharp angles and military cut hair on top of his head. Of course, nothing about this mostly ordinary man screamed exotic quite as much as a bleeding gunshot wound, dead in the middle of his forehead.

Noting Ethan's peering at his horrifying and indubiously lethal injury, the strange man merely brushed two fingers across the wound, with blood evaporating just like that, showcasing that neither this man nor this place abided by any laws of reality Ethan has grown used to. The wound itself, nevertheless, remained firmly in place.

"One of your little flies turned out to have quite the bite." The man did not appear overly distraught as he delivered the line in an almost bored tone. Ethan, however, suddenly was able to recall Cassandra randomly shooting at a brick wall as the last moment before he ended up in this mind-prison once again. Perhaps that shot was not that random, after all.

The flood of information that came after that first recollection was instantaneous. Rose, Bela, Alcina and all the others were still in danger while he was stuck here in this crazy place with this freak. "Just what the fuck are you?" Ethan was hardly ever particularly selective with words, and this mind-boggling situation did not smooth that quality. "What the fuck is going on?!"

The strange man just tsked with mild annoyance. Suddenly, at the wave of his hand, the stormy clouds above dissipated in an instant, only to reveal a gargantuan mirror that showed a familiar figure.

Anna, the stewardess from the Duke's ship. An innocent girl, that was, for the lack of a better term, possessed by unfathomable forces that only Eveline had faced directly. A mere waitress, controlled by this insidious force, not only was able to sabotage the once-glorious yacht, but also hid aboard Chris' aircraft - pretending to be just a fearful victim, while in reality planning her next move. The ambush on the French safehouse, where so many lives have been lost and they themselves only survived by a hairbreadth.

Unknowingly to most, somewhere during the peaceful interval Anna had been infected by Evie and that fact helped them prevail against the overwhelming force Replica ambushers had brought to bear against them. Later, Bela had relayed Eveline's account of the mysterious being the ghostly girl had encountered inside Anna's psyche.

He is gone now, but he will be back. He won't stop. He doesn't know how to stop.

When Eveline had referred to the man possessing Anna to Ethan himself, he did not miss the fright that flashed across her eyes as she had mumbled out: a very, very bad man…

Not much could scare Eveline or make her particularly judgemental, due to her own vast experience in horror and misery, as well as a prolonged introspective period that made her reassess her values and goals. That's why Ethan knew that this mysterious man meant business, even if they were not able to get much more about him from the ghostly girl.

Now, however, Ethan stared right at the person who brought so much devastation against him and his friends, it seemed. Ethan's fists clenched, though he knew better than to attack right away - somehow it felt dubious that a conflict in this unfathomable mindscape could be resolved with good old fisticuffs.

"How did you even get h-" Before Ethan could even finish his inquiry, the strange man waved a hand and the image of Anna changed, instead showing what Ethan knew to be the Dragonfly Hovercraft's cargo hold - with the mysterious device that was instrumental in repelling the Replica assault. The device Ethan activated himself.

The man's gunshot wound started bleeding again. Ignoring it, he merely smirked at Ethan before explaining in a conceited tone, "The moment I saw your little band of misfits having a fully functional Wade Projector, I knew it would be an issue." The man turned around, while dramatically raising his hands in a universal gesture of exasperation, "Of course, when life gives you problems, you can always turn them into opportunities, if you work hard enough."

He turned around again, glaring at Ethan with unbridled hatred, "and I've worked very hard to get where I am, Mr. Winters."

At that, Ethan couldn't help but let out a chuckle, while casually mentioning his way, "Yeah, very impressive, ending up dead. Good job. Now get the fuck out of my head and go haunt some toddlers." There was little mirth in the last sentence. Ethan was not about to let anyone get in between himself and his daughter - not out there in the real world, and certainly not in this accursed mindscape.

Waving him off like one would an annoying blowfly, the man let out a scoff, "My mortal shell's untimely demise was merely a setback… your body will serve just as well for what I have in mind."

That finally got Ethan into a belligerent mood, "oh yeah?" As if he would ever give up his own body without a fight.

Apparently finding amusement in Ethan's combative stance, the man let out a nasty smirk, before pointing the father's way. "Indeed."

What happened next tested Ethan's composure to its limit. One second they were face-to-face, almost within an arm's reach. The next one, the very landscape between them expanded and shifted with unbelievable speed - turning the frame of his nemesis into a barely perceptible speck, seemingly miles away from him.

Undaunted and growling in rage, Ethan forced his body into a sprint - with the man's mocking laughter, followed by arrogant monologuing, seemingly coming from every direction, being his only reward.

"I've sabotaged the device you've so carelessly operated, Mr. Winters. Your very soul - if you believe in such a thing - is bleeding. To those that know how to see such things, you glow like a beacon in the darkness - making tricking even death itself possible."

The very notion that his presence now allowed this deadly nemesis to anchor himself to the world of living sent waves of nauseous throughout Ethan's stomach. He came here to save Rose… and not endanger her further.

As if reading Ethan's thoughts - a distinct possibility, Ethan realized, the man let out another chuckle, before noting in a smug voice, "There were no shortage of willing candidates who would volunteer to house my essence, but your body is far more suitable than just some random goon's, don't you think? A father… and his daughter… a reunion to die for."

The horror of Ethan's situation was not lost upon the father, but it only served to spur him on. To his relief, the distance between them rapidly shrunk as he sprinted his way through the desolate, moldy landscape. Ethan couldn't wait to see how this bastard would gloat once he had his hands around his throat.

The man sounded unbothered as he continued his previous thought, "More than merely acting as a lighthouse in a stormy sea, your torn soul provides a backdoor into your mind." Ethan was almost within striking distance, with his fist raised up to wipe the smirk of that arrogant prick's face. He did not appear to be worried whatsoever, "and now…this is not quite your body anymore, nor is this quite your mind…"

With but a wave of his hand, the man nullified all progress Ethan had made towards him, as the father once again found himself far away in just a blink of an eye; his fist still raised in defiance.

"In body, in mind and in soul - you… are… mine."

The foreboding words resonating across this dimension sent a chill running down through his spine, but Ethan's conviction or determination would not be shaken that easily.

"Just like your precious daughter will be."

Now that made Ethan stop dead in his tracks, full blown panic coursing freely throughout his body. The scream of rage that left his lips was barely human, "Don't you dare touch my daughter, you bastard!"

The reply that came his way was enough to cause beads of cold sweat to run down his temple.

"I won't. It's your hands that will do the deed, after all."

Again, the landscape shifted, seemingly putting yet another mile between Ethan and this mind-fragger. The man's loathsome voice kept coming as clear as if he was standing right next to Ethan, however, "I do appreciate a good irony, you know, Mr. Winters. Few could claim to have done as much as you did for your child, yet you will be the instrument of her demise, in the end."

Fortunately, Ethan could feel no exhaustion creeping into his muscles, no matter how much he ran - as befitting a tireless mental avatar, he supposed. Still, desperation slowly started to grasp his heart in its unyielding hold.

"The perils of helicopter parenting, I suppose…"

The cruel jest did nothing but infuriate Ethan further, "Come here and fight me you coward!"

Clearly, the intruder had no such desires, as only more mockery resonated across the landscape, "As amusing as this diversion was, I am afraid I've got more important things to do than to play with you, Mr. Winters. Let us see how well you know the contours of your own mind, shall we?"

No sooner has he finished this sentence than a veiny black wall rushed out of the moldy ground in front of Ethan - almost making the man collide with it. Stumbling backwards, Ethan was all too aware of similar walls conjuring themselves seemingly out of thin air all around him.

For a second Ethan feared being trapped, but as soon as the movements of the walls stopped he could easily tell that most of them had one or two passageways, which were fully enclosed by yet more walls as they twisted into yet more passes. The many passageways went off into the distance, only to randomly end with twists and turns, making this whole place reminiscent of some kind of a labyrinth of mold.

"Fuck!"

Ethan's curse was immediately followed by a burst of action from the man as he did the first thing that came to his mind - to try and scale the wall right in front of him. He wasn't going to play these degenerate games, not if he could help it.

Unfortunately, try as he might, the wall turned out to be too steep and unyielding - he could gain no leverage with his hands and a coating of slime prevented any footholds, making scaling it an impossibility.

Growling in fury, the distraught father had no choice but to enter the labyrinth, doing his best to not forget the last direction he saw that man in as he navigated this insane maze.

Nevertheless, even with his almost picture-perfect memory, it took Ethan what he assumed was around ten minutes before yet another dead-end made him realize that he was hopelessly lost. The twisting passages and uneven walls made sure that his sense of direction - if such a thing even applies to this place - was scrambled beyond recognition.

In a bid to gain any kind of a hint, Ethan screamed as loud as he could, hoping for a response, "I'll fucking kill you, you bastard, I swear it!" He meant the threat fully, however.

The mocking response came, but it offered no respite, as it resonated across the unnatural mold barriers - seemingly coming from every direction at once.

"Someone has already beaten you to it, I am afraid." Ethan could do nothing but slam his hands against the unyielding mold of a nearest wall, crying out in impotent fury. This labyrinth was impossible to navigate. The invader wasn't done yet, however, "I would advise against screaming your empty threats. I wasn't exactly gentle when I tore my way into you… a certain someone might have followed in my steps."

As if summoned, a shadow came to loom over Ethan in the very next second - the man not questioning how a shadow could even manifest in this lightless place - only to vanish again, followed by muffled footsteps.

"It preys on remnants, you see… remnants like you, Mr. Winters."

Somehow, it took Ethan this particular remark to realize that he appeared to be partially translucent. Gazing at his own hands and seeing the contours of a moldy wall through them, Ethan could only gulp in shock and fear. There was no doubt anymore, this vile mind-snatcher somehow managed to assume complete control of his body and mind and if Ethan could not evict him in time, he would simply fade away into nothingness. And then this monster would be free to claim Rose, with no one to challenge him. No one to even guess that the final threat to Rosemary Winters would come from the one who wore the guise of her father. The irony was not lost on Ethan; it's like all this horrid mess with Miranda was repeating itself, just in an even more terrifying and insidious form.

But how could he navigate through this labyrinthine maze in time? And even if he did, how could he put an end to this menace? Ethan was a mere shade of his former self, a prisoner in his own mind… what would it take to break loose? Something told him that simple determination or resolve was not going to cut it this time. Not against this supernatural foe.

"Fuck!"

Another curse left his lips and no sooner than it did, Ethan heard a low hiss coming from somewhere to his left. The hiss was followed by the same muffled footsteps from before and in several seconds Ethan was able to catch a glimpse of a… creature, as it stalked some distance away.

The hideous monstrosity appeared to be at least nine foot in length, with a pale, hairless body and a face not even a mother could love - for it had no face. Like a budget mannequin, it had no eyes, no nose, no mouth, yet it moved directly towards Ethan, or perhaps, towards the sound he made as he let his curse out. Unlike Ethan, however, it was not particularly hindered by the walls of this maze, as its prodigal height and power allowed it to simply leap over them.

As it leapt over one such wall, Ethan had a chance to appreciate the monstrosity in its full unholy glory. Its elongated body appeared malnourished to the point when Ethan wouldn't have been surprised if it was literally just skin and bones moving towards him now. Its deathly pale skin was somewhat reminiscent of a Dimitrescu sibling back in Romania - with none of the appeal. Most horrifyingly, however, the abomination's creepily thin limbs all ended in a single elongated edge - which appeared sharp enough that Ethan had no doubt that the monster would be able to effortlessly impale him with any of them. Even beyond its hideous appearance, however, Ethan found his vision becoming blurry and experienced an abrupt onset of sharp headache as he peered at the creature. Nausea followed soon after.

Somehow, Ethan just knew that this was no mere harmless conjuration of his mind that now stalked towards him. He had no doubts that this monstrous creature posed a deadly threat to his very existence. He would not dare to take this Creep lightly.

As it came closer, Ethan's flight-or-fight instinct begged to be unleashed. Rapidly turning towards the opposite direction, he was about to break into a mad sprint to escape this fearsome abomination, but instead froze dead in his tracks as his keen eyes spotted yet another figure that should not have been here… yet she was.

On another end of a passageway he was looking towards was that mysterious little girl in a red dress. Her depthless black eyes bored into his own, while tiny hands provided what he could assume was an instruction. The left hand was locked into the universal 'stop' sign, while her right hand's index finger was gently pressing to her pale lips. She was not speaking, but the meaning was clear enough.

Stay quiet and still.

Ethan had no idea why this strange girl was here, why she was helping him, or why he should trust that her 'help' was not going to get him killed. With many questions and no time to get the answers, his first instinct was to disregard the girl and sprint away from the ever-approaching monster.

Perhaps thankfully, Ethan did his best to suppress his desire to flee the abomination and did exactly what the girl motioned - stood as still and as silent as he could, even as the muffled footsteps came to end right behind him - with just a single moldy wall left in between the enormous monstrosity and his own fading body. Somehow, its mere presence was enough to sap strength from Ethan's body, leaving him weak enough that he was sure he would not be able to flee even if he tried at this point.

Ethan could sense its head craning forward and down, ending up right over his own and Ethan would lie if he claimed that he was not afraid. He was fucking terrified. Nevertheless, to his credit, the man did his best in pretending to be a statue, even as the monster behind him let out another low hiss, which was followed by a particularly haunting clicking noise. Even as some kind of vile white liquid fell down upon Ethan's brow and trickled down his face, the man remained stock-still. He didn't question where the liquid was coming from.

This horrid experience would surely remain as one the most dreadful ones Ethan had lived through in his strifeful life - if he lived through it, that is.

Ethan was sure that the monster would tear him apart any second now, yet the girl's instructions proved true and after several unbelievably tense moments, the monster departed to search for prey elsewhere.

The second it moved away, Ethan felt strength returning to his weary limbs. It seemed like the creature's mere proximity was enough to drain energy from him. All the more reason to keep his distance and avoid attracting its attention.

Only after the Creep's muffled footsteps and bounding strides over the walls could no longer be heard did Ethan allow himself to let out a breath he was holding. It seemed like his extraordinary composure paid off, after all.

With the monster temporarily out of the way, Ethan was desperate to get back on track, yet even without some terrifying Creep stalking him, the problem of the ineluctable labyrinth remained.

"Good ol' Lady Dimitrescu would've sure come in handy right about now…" muttering under his breath as he gazed at the eight feet tall wall, Ethan had a sudden inspiration to enter the passageway where he had last seen the girl in a red dress.

Moving swiftly but with care, Ethan soon reached the aforementioned passageway, which looked exactly like every other one nearby. Letting out a pained grunt that conveyed both his distress and desperation, the father took the twisting turn, only to find himself in a long corridor that stretched for almost as long as his eye could see.

Sure enough, that weird little girl seemingly waited just for him at the end of it, yet no sooner had his eyes glimpsed her did she dash into an opening, once again leaving Ethan by himself.

Still, having at least some kind of a lead was infinitely better than wandering around this cursed place blindly… unless the girl was leading him into a trap that is. A questionable notion, however, seeing as how she troubled herself with saving him from that monster.

Following the path, Ethan couldn't help but let out a light chuckle at how insane his life has become. It was not enough that his wife had been kidnapped by a monstrous mold girl and the family of brainwashed farmers. It was not enough for the aforementioned wife and the farmer to casually cut his limbs off, only for him to reattach them later. It was not enough that a crazed cult-leader took the form of his wife and stole his child, nor was being chased around the world and falling in love with a bug-vampire. He thought that his wife turning out to be a terrorist bioweapon researcher all along was the final blow to his psyche…

But now he was not so sure of that, as he navigated his own twisted and hijacked mindscape, which was now controlled by yet another crazy fucker and filled to the brim with unfathomable monsters. Could it get any more insane than that? Ethan didn't want to know the answer to this question, though he realized it was redundant, as he made the turn to follow the girl in red.

Another passageway, and this time it was a figure in a black hooded dress that stood in the middle of it. An eerily familiar person in a black hooded dress, with her lithe curves and burning locks of orange that peeked out of her hood.

"Daniela…?" Ethan was understandably cautious as he carefully approached the figure, though she made no effort to turn his way.

"I am so… so grateful to you, Ethan…" Daniela's voice was unmistakable, though it still took Ethan by surprise. The sheer intensity of her voice, as well as her strange choice of words were as unexpected as her whole presence here, "You've helped us so much…" there was both sorrow and hope in her tone, "You've forgiven us and shown us the way forward…"

The woman slowly turned around, allowing Ethan a glimpse of her hooded head. Tears were trickly freely down her pale cheeks, yet the kindest, most genuine smile Ethan had ever seen in his life told him that those were the tears of joy. Even in this dark maze of despair, it made him rejoice in the fact that he had helped Daniela Dimitrescu move forward. Few deserved a chance at redemption as much as she did.

"I will never forget everything you've done for us!"

The exclamation was delivered in a soft voice, yet Ethan had no doubts about its sincerity. Still, the peculiar and unexpected encounter was not yet done, as Daniela extended her slender arms forward, allowing Ethan to spot a glinting object she held in her gloved hands. It was a large green gem, perhaps an emerald, cut into the familiar shape that she used to wear in her necklace - which now hugged her pale neck unadorned.

On its own volition, his hand reached for the gift, but no sooner than the skin of his thumb brushed against it, a gust of ethereal wind blew against them both. Like a sand sculpture, Daniela swiftly dispersed into nothingness, though not before letting out one last gratitude.

"I will forever be grateful to you, Ethan…my brother…"

Daniela might not have really been here, but the gem she left behind appeared all too real in his translucent hand. Something told him that he would do well in holding on to it for now, so Ethan pocketed it.

Slowly, the man started to move forward once again, though the effects of this peculiar encounter were far-reaching. Somehow it was clear to him that Daniela was not truly here - wherever 'here' was - yet a part of her still reached out across reality itself to lend him a hand.

"I'll see you soon, Daniela," Ethan mumbled with a small smile blooming on his face. Nothing made sense anymore, but that made encountering a friendly face all the more encouraging.

The next minutes - if time was even a concept in this dimension - were spent following the occasional glimpses of the girl in a red dress, as she apparently did her best to tease his gaze with only the briefest of appearances before turning a corner and once again fading from view.

Soon, however, Ethan chanced upon a somewhat larger intersection, with a notable pool of inky black tar in the middle of it. There was no sign of the girl, and more than a dozen pathways open to him. Ethan could not help but grit his teeth at the dismaying sight. Perhaps she was merely toying with him all along, eager to prolong his misery with false hope.

Knowing better than to wander into a random pathway, Ethan attempted to search for clues, yet all of the passages looked exactly the same. None of them stood apart from the rest. Unable to outwit this ineluctable maze, the father ambled towards the tar pool, hoping to find at least some hint on its murky surface.

Instead, all he saw was a twisted reflection of himself - a mockery of human form - a mold monster, just like the ones he had seen in the Baker's house. Scoffing at the cruel tricks this place played on him, the man turned away and made a motion to move away from the pool.

He was not prepared when something grabbed at his leg, or when the hardened mold the ground was made of collided with his face as he went down hard.

Grunting in pain and spitting out his own blood, Ethan did his best to struggle against the unexpected attacker. His free foot struck hard against some malleable substance, evoking a monstrous growl - making Ethan hurry all the more in breaking free, crawling away and finally taking a look at his newest assailer.

It was not a mere reflection he saw in the tar pool, Ethan realized as he peered at the monstrosity, now standing over him in all its moldy glory. As if stepping straight from the Baker's boiler room, the mold monster raised its clawed hand for what was likely intended to be a killing blow, only for Ethan to roll away at the last moment.

Frustrated as its weaponized arm impacted nothing but the ground, the molded let out a fierce shriek - and Ethan was all too keenly aware that a low hiss from some distance away was immediately unleashed in response. While a single molded was simply too slow and ungainly to be a real threat, the noises of combat would surely attract a far bigger threat that Ethan hoped to never see again. Since he had no weapons to quickly dispatch the molded, his only choice was to try and lose it in the labyrinth.

Not thinking twice, Ethan attempted to do just that and after quickly getting back to his feet, dashed into the nearest pathway - only to almost run into yet another molded. Stumbling backwards, the man could not suppress a curse as it appeared that he was being surrounded by these freaks coming from every pathway. Unarmed as he was, there was no chance of fighting his way past them; while trying to make a run of it would be the definition of foolhardy, considering their elongated claws itching for his blood.

Moreover, all the growling they did allowed the Creep from before to unerringly pinpoint his location and even as the ring of molded closed in around him, Ethan could see the faceless freak barreling towards them, with the walls of the labyrinth slowing it down only for a second each as it leapt over them.

At this point it could go either way - either the molded would chomp on him, or the Creep would tear him apart. Pity Ethan could not see the outcome where he would walk away out of this intersection in one piece. Not unless a miracle happened.

Utterly cornered, Ethan could not possibly avoid the slashing attack the closest of molded was about to perform.

Expecting this to surely be the end, Ethan reflexively closed his eyes while raising his hands in one last hopeless attempt to defend himself.

When the blow never came, Ethan blinked his eyes open, only to gape at one figure he had expected to see in this place all this time.

Eveline. It was Eveline, in her unmistakable black dress that now stood in between the molded and Ethan, with her tiny hand somehow stopping the monster's enormous arm. The molded did not attempt to resist the girl and instead showed obeisance by slightly lowering its disfigured head. Likewise, the molded's kin ceased all attempts to move toward Ethan and merely awaited command from the ghostly girl. Eveline obliged the mold monsters by pointing her delicate index finger towards the gigantic creep that was almost upon them.

Like loyal dogs, the dozen molded immediately rushed to intercept the monstrosity that dwarfed them in both stature and power, heedless of any risks.

"Evie..?" Even as the molded engaged the Creep, Ethan couldn't help but address the tiny girl he had expected to possibly never see again. She didn't respond.

"Come on, Evie, it's me, Ethan!" Heedless of the atrocious violence happening so close to him as the gigantic abomination fought off the molded, Ethan attempted to get through to Eveline by putting his hands around her slender shoulders. She did not react at all to his touch and slowly began to sink into the moldy ground.

A vicious shriek, followed by a head of a molded flying past him and Ethan knew he was running out of time, yet he still moved around the sinking figure and stole a glance at her face.

Eveline's eyes were completely dead and her face betrayed not a single emotion. She did not look like an energetic and vigorous girl he remembered from yesterday. There was seemingly no life whatsoever left in the husk before him - just a soulless remnant whose only purpose was to control and direct the mold of his body. A mere custodian the true Eveline left behind to keep an eye on the man she had no reason to love… yet she did.

Ethan felt the grip of despair tightening on his heart from seeing what has become of a person who became truly precious to him - almost like an adopted daughter. Yet, the man knew that he could not linger here. Chancing a glance to get his confirmation, Ethan had to suppress a wince as he beheld the Creep tearing a molded it had impaled with both of its drill-arms in two. The abomination did not waste a second in discarding its latest kill - allowing the ruined parts of the molded's body to join its kin on the ground, with only eight more mold monsters still trying to put up a fight against the supernatural Creep. Not that they had a chance - the Creep was much bigger, faster, stronger and with far more impressive natural weaponry to boot - the molded could only hope to slow it down and as ironic as it sounded, Ethan could do nothing but use their sacrifice for his own benefit.

Horrifying Ethan, the Creep's faceless head suddenly spurted a mouth that violently emerged in a gory rush of blood and viscera. The hideous maw immediately opened wide, allowing all to behold its fearsome insides, filled to the brim with lines upon lines of razor sharp teeth. The closest molded even got to experience it all first-hand, as the colossal abomination chomped right on the molded's head, filling the air with mortifying squelching noise that Ethan was sure he would not forget.

Desperately glancing around the intersection, Ethan had but a moment to select one of the pathways before committing to it - procrastination meant sure death, even if the alternative was to blindly wander around this goddamn maze. As his frantic gaze made one last rotation, Ethan thought that he spotted a patch of red in one of the pathways. Refocusing his glare on that particular passage, Ethan saw nothing that would break the absolutely uniformity of moldy walls, yet his choice has been made.

Breaking into a sprint, Ethan once again entered the labyrinth, putting all of his trust into the mysterious girl in red - for what choice did he have?

While the sounds of violence behind him persisted, Ethan did his best to gain as much ground as possible with a mad sprint. The second it ceased, however, Ethan was wise enough to immediately slow down his pace to a much more steady one, making sure that the sound of his shoes against the hardened mold ground was as non-existent as it could get.

The endless twists and turns of this maze would've driven any sane mind into madness, yet his silent guide had shown no hesitation whatsoever as she led the way. Just like before, Ethan could do nothing but quietly follow the elusive girl in red, who still made sure to keep her distance and only show herself for briefest of moments - long enough for Ethan to be able to just barely follow her across the twisting corridors and uneven passageways, but no more than that.

The activity was grating enough on Ethan that he soon started gritting his teeth from frustration and prolonged focus. He was genuinely afraid that if he missed the girl's red dress even on only one twisting turn or a craned pathway, he would be forever lost in the seemingly endless confines of his mind.

It felt like he was following the girl for hours. While he was not tired in a physical sense, the man found himself growing more and more exhausted mentally. How long could he go on like this? Moreover, Ethan was keenly aware that he was becoming even more translucent as time went by - to the point where he could now easily see the black mold walls through the palm of his own hand. Time was running out… for him and for Rose.

Following the girl into yet another twisted turn, Ethan was once again greeted by a particularly long corridor, with nobody in red dress in sight… but one in black.

It was Cassandra, that much was obvious from the sharp angles of her face or the brunette locks cascading down her head. Unlike Daniela's, however, Cassandra's apparition appeared distinctly more threatening with a wicked sickle drawn and bloodied lips twisted into a fearsome snarl. The same haunting sight that tormented him in the Dimitrescu family dungeons, so long ago. Ethan could not help but let his whole frame shudder for a moment.

Seeing no other way but forward, Ethan approached the vicious brunette, though warily. He still remembered well the cruelty she had inflicted upon him, even if he decided to move past it. In turn, Cassandra merely let out a hearty chuckle, though Ethan was not blind to her tense muscles relaxing somewhat; her pose becoming notably less threatening. A breath of relief left his parched lips - he was happy in more ways than one that they were enemies only in their past.

She stared right at him - perhaps through him, even and much like with Daniela, it didn't feel like her speech was addressed to him - more like at him. "For a pitiful man-thing, Ethan is quite remarkable, is he not?"

Her words started as haughty and conceited, yet the last part of the sentence sounded uncharacteristically soft for Cassandra. The 'man-thing' was spoken without derision and his own name left her lips with what Ethan could only infer as affection. The sickle returned back to her side and instead her gloved fingers fished for something in her dress' pocket as Ethan came to stand in front of her. He could even guess what.

"I suppose I owe him one… maybe even more than one…" There was now an unmistakable hint of affection in her surprisingly tender tone.

Ethan briefly considered that it is with Cassandra he has come the longest way. From bitter enemies who wanted to do nothing but to destroy each other, they became true comrades and perhaps even good friends. Forgiveness was a difficult thing to get… yet they both found it in their hearts to move on past their old grudges.

"I guess there are worse brothers-in-law." Her lips relaxed in mirth and Ethan couldn't not help but slightly blush at the implication. Somehow, the horror of the past hours gave way to ease of their unusual friendship. With his fingers brushing against her gloved hand, Ethan gratefully accepted the offered gift - a large yellow topaz, while mouthing a thanks from his heart.

"I'm pretty sure we are even by now, Cass… though I am not the kind to count favors among the family in the first place."

Just like with Daniela, a sudden gust blew against them, and Cassandra's form soon became naught but dust, though her warm smile - directed at Ethan - lingered for a second longer than the rest of her ethereal shape.

When he had almost felt like giving up and letting the oblivion claim him, this encounter was enough to reignite his heart and Ethan found the needed strength to press on. Not just Rose counted on him to succeed, after all. God knows how many others would suffer, were this vile man able to get his hands on Ethan's daughter and the power that was her birthright.

Pocketing the precious gem, Ethan hurried to catch up to his mysterious guide in red; once again, the strange girl faded behind a turn the instant his gaze reconnected with her. It was a peculiar thought that crossed Ethan's mind as he kept following her. Was she watching me and Cass? Did she guide me to her in the first place?

The path continued forward for a while and after several minutes Ethan became aware of the increasing difference between elevation. Peering down from where he was, it almost seemed like he was looking downhill, with multiple rows of the maze's wall now being open to his gaze. Far more importantly, in the distance, he could see a particularly glaring oasis of beautiful, seemingly uncorrupted sand, hiding in the tainted ocean of black mold. A pond of what looked like crystal clear water was in the middle of the oasis and a lonely silhouette of his quarry was sitting next to it.

Peering with effort, it appeared to Ethan that the vile mind-snatcher was deep in mediation. Perhaps he was - Ethan had no idea just how complex controlling someone else's body was or wasn't - but the father could only hope that it would allow him to sneak behind his nemesis. Maybe then he would have a chance to reclaim his mind and body alike.

Moving with an extra spring in his step, it wasn't long before Ethan entered yet another intersection - but this one did not fill his heart with terror of indecision. Beyond the passway he came out from, there was only two others - one, opposite of him, going back into the depths of the labyrinth and finally, the last one, which opened up into what only could be described as a peculiar kind of a boulevard - except the role of trees in it was occupied by sickly, yet evenly spaced mold growths. The low-hanging mist was particularly thick there, obscuring the ground completely.

Nevertheless, that path was a no-brainer, since it led him directly towards the oasis in the distance, with no more maze to navigate. A most welcome change, as far as Ethan was concerned.

Not thinking twice, Ethan proceeded to take a first step towards the opening, though a glimpse of red in the periphery of his vision made him stop for a moment.

Glancing to his right, Ethan was not surprised to spot the tiny shape of the girl in red, leaning from the twist that would lead back into the maze; her intent obvious. Follow me!

The man took a dubious look between the unwelcome confines of the moldy maze and a clear path towards his goal. True, the girl had been helpful in getting him this far, but it just made no sense to follow her blindly like this, not when he could actually see his destination.

"Sorry…" mumbling under his breath, Ethan made a motion to resume his walk towards the oasis, but he did not miss a look of fear that flashed across the girl's black eyes. He immediately felt bad for disappointing the girl, considering how helpful she has been so far.

"Everything's gonna be fin-" Ethan wasn't sure if he wanted to reassure the girl or himself, yet the moment his shoe stepped on the open path of the boulevard, an unbelievably loud crack resonated seemingly across the whole damn realm. The mist underneath him slightly parted, allowing Ethan to frightfully note that the boulevard's ground appeared to be paved entirely of glass-like shards of fragile crystallized mold.

Not even a second passed before a soul-shearing shriek of maddening rage burst forth from the maze's depth. The creature that stalked him was on its way and it didn't sound happy. It did not sound happy at all.

"Shit! Fuck! Goddamnit!" Ethan was not looking forward to meeting that horrifying Creep once again.

It would be impossible to navigate the path forward with this sound-sensitive abomination on his heels. Glancing towards the second pathway, Ethan was not surprised to see the girl gone. She knew he had no choice but to follow her now. Maybe he should've just done so from the start.

Egged on by the furious shrieks of the beast, Ethan truly had no choice but to reenter the labyrinth of mold. The twisting passageways were as unwelcoming now as they had been minutes ago and Ethan cursed his misfortunes out loud, though in a hushed whisper, so as not to attract any further attention. "Fuck…" Thankfully, the monster did not follow him.

Still, while he was prepared for yet another foray into the maze that would last an indefinite amount of time and consist of him chasing the glimpses of the girl in a red dress, he was in for a surprise.

After a minute or so, the shrieks and roars of the creature quieted down and the very next turn Ethan took introduced him to yet another unexpected development.

Swift but wary, Ethan stopped just in time to avoid running right into his elusive guise. The girl in a red dress, who for seemingly so long was perfectly content with having him chase her glimpses around, now stood right in his way; her black eyes were peeking out through the unruly mane of ebony locks. Ethan was unable to suppress a gasp of fright at the unexpected face-to-face.

While appearing human enough from a distance, the girl's depthless black eyes betrayed her distinctly unnatural existence to Ethan. The man took a wary step back, though he was unable to break the established eye contact.

In turn, unbothered by his reaction, the strange girl merely peered at him with what Ethan could only assume was a neutral curiosity - with no malice in her gaze. He knew better than to fancy this peculiar child harmless, but Ethan sensed no ill intent from her whatsoever.

"Hello..?" Ethan's attempt at a greeting was ignored utterly.

Her cold, scrutinizing gaze was more than a little unsettling. While she did not appear outright hostile, there was little to indicate that her disposition towards him was friendly - merely inquisitive, perhaps. It felt like his every secret was laid bare before her all-seeing black eyes and Ethan could not help but consider that he was being judged at this very moment.

Somehow Ethan felt like he was one wrong word or move away from losing her favor. "Do you know how I could get out of here? I've got a daughter, you know…"

Not a word left her pale lips in response; neither did her face show anything but cold indifference. Perhaps the girl was offended at Ethan for not immediately following her along at the intersection and now was reconsidering whether he was worthy of her continued aid.

Ethan knew that he needed every bit of help if he wanted to reclaim his body, "Look, I am sorry, alright? You were right and I was wrong." Again, there was no response to his platitude and Ethan was beginning to grow irritated at this prolonged silence.

"Just what do you want from me!?" The remark came off more heated than he would've liked and the girl immediately swirled on her heel and dashed into a passageway to her right. Ethan did not miss a glimpse of fear that flashed across her eyes at his raised tone. Whether she was afraid of him or merely of his loud voice attracting the Creep was beyond him.

Immediately filled with both regret and fright, Ethan did not hesitate to follow what he rightfully saw as his only lifeline, "Wait, come back!" She didn't respond, and moreover, for such a little thing she was remarkably fast on her bare feet - to the point where soon she once again faded from view as she took the turn at the end of a passage.

"This is ridiculous…" Ethan was not amused, but he continued on the trail, nevertheless. Beats walking back into the maw of that monster. Probably. Hopefully.

Taking the turn, Ethan expected a great many things to greet him - as this enigmatic dimension had no shortages of weird alien geometry or unnatural fuckery to throw at him, yet he was still surprised, nevertheless.

It was not yet another intersection Ethan had entered, but an enclosed yet sizable area that appeared to be some kind of twisted simulacra of a city park - or at least a small part of it. A part Ethan was intimately familiar with, considering all the evenings he had spent there, right after a day of work as a systems engineer in Los Angeles. Sometimes - often in their first years together and far less frequently shortly before her first disappearance - Mia would also join him there - right on that little bench at the edge of the park. Even though this particular bench Ethan now stared at was composed not of wood but of inky black mold - just like about everything in this damn dimension - Ethan could not fail to recognize it.

It was not Mia that was sitting on the bench now, however.

Slowly, carefully, Ethan edged closer towards the bench and its sole occupant, even though his first reflex was to rush and embrace this person in a desperate hug of unbridled affection.

"Bela?" The man's voice was shaky and full of disbelief, even though a logical part of his mind was not at all surprised by her presence here, considering that he had already encountered both of her sisters. He didn't miss the way her black robed dress hugged her slender figure, either. How he longed to grab her in a possessive embrace and never let go.

Just like her sisters, Bela did not appear to notice Ethan, though it was possible that she was simply too consumed in her current ruminations, if her tense posture and contemplating facial features were any indication. Sitting on the bench and staring straight ahead, it appeared that Bela was deep in thought about something important.

Quietly sitting next to her, Ethan gently placed his arm around her shoulder. Expectedly, she didn't react, but Ethan still found a seemingly endless source of solace from this simple act of physical affection. It felt right to share this little bench with a person he cared about so much. Suddenly, the man found himself even more determined to reclaim his body and one day return to this very bench in Los Angeles, with Bela at his side.

"Do you…" her voice was filled with uncertainty and fear, Ethan could tell that much from the very opening of the sentence, "truly believe that we deserve a second chance, Ethan? After everything we have done?" Likely, the question was not directed at Ethan, yet he considered it, nevertheless.

That was the question that plagued Bela's mind throughout this journey of theirs - Ethan knew that much. The weight of the crimes committed by the Dimitrescu family was heavy indeed, perhaps too heavy for her slender shoulders. And the truth is, no matter how much he ached to exclaim his confirmation, he just couldn't do it while remaining honest to himself. He couldn't simply dismiss all the innocent victims the Dimitrescu family claimed over the decades, no matter how much he loved Bela or how much he came to appreciate her sisters or even her mother. Love was a powerful force, which sometimes blinded a person to the truth. And the truth was important, as Ethan came to realize from his bitter experience. It was an equally powerful force that could break or mend even the strongest of relationships. It manufactured trust and in turn, trust - combined with love - could create a truly unbreakable bond that would fill people with purest of joys and most fulfilling of contentment. A relationship based on both love and trust could turn even a dull existence into a life worth living.

Ethan was determined to not repeat the mistakes of his past and be blinded by the love he felt towards another. His heart was still broken by the fateful confrontation with Mia.

Yet Bela had shown nothing but honesty throughout their acquaintance. She had never lied to him, never attempted to deceive him. It's true, she had used him to get rid of Mother Miranda, but even then she was transparent in her intent.

Mia might have had a number of topics she would absolutely refuse to broach - which cost both her and Ethan dearly, as they found out, but Bela did not shy from acknowledging her bloodsoaked past. She did not keep him in the dark.

Still, he could not simply reaffirm her query - for he could not absolve her of her sins, no matter how much he wished to do so. That said, he could do something else. He could dedicate himself - in body, in mind and in soul to aiding her and her family in their perilous path of atonement. Bela deserved that much. Just like the sins of her past earned her the wrath of humanity, her caring nature and selfless deeds won her boundless love, undying support and complete trust of one Ethan Winters, whatever that was worth.

There were no further words exchanged for several precious moments - there was truly no need for them in this strange place where even mere thoughts could float around with no limitations.

Slowly, her tense expression relaxed. A soft smile tugged at the corner of Bela's lips, as if she was aware of Ethan's unspoken answer. Taking her hood down and letting her blonde locks flow down her slender shoulders freely, Bela turned her head his way. A breath caught in his throat as he beheld her radiant beauty. He was afraid to move even an inch, terrified that she would vanish into nothingness like her sisters.

Ethan's heart leapt to his throat as her expressive amber orbs focused on his own gray eyes. Somehow he was certain that she was not looking through him, but right at him as she whispered the conclusion of their unspoken conversation.

"The right path is harsh and unforgiving… but with you at my side, I will not shy away from it."

Ethan did not get to contemplate her words as her soft lips pressed to his own, and in the same moment her gloved hand placed a round object into his open palm that rested at her right knee.

"Don't go!" Nothing but dust and wind was left to respond to Ethan's desperate plea. Just like Daniela and Cassandra, Bela was gone, leaving only a single precious gem behind.

Seemingly at their own volition, tears trickled down Ethan's eyes, even as his hand reached through empty air, desperate to wrap around Bela once more. Of course, he knew what he needed to do to achieve such a feat. To liberate his mind and reclaim his body.

Peering at the ruby gem in his palm, Ethan felt determined as never before to throw down the usurper and reclaim his own self. Far more than just his own life depended on his success.

"Just sit tight Bells… I am coming. We'll get through it all… together."

Gripping the beautiful ruby, Ethan stood up before gently placing it with its two sister-gems. Even without a concrete plan of action, the man was done holding back. He was resolute to give it his all, no matter the odds. Turning around and making a motion to go back to the passageway that led to the intersection, Ethan was not surprised to see a tiny form peeking from behind a corridor's wall. Of course, that creepy little girl was privy to his most emotional moment, as well.

Still… it was not a random chance that she guided him to this secluded spot in this accursed maze, was it? The notion that even his encounters with Daniela and Cassandra earlier were orchestrated by this strange girl appeared even more likely to be the case now.

Did she guide me towards them intentionally? Why? How could it be that she knows her way around here better than I do…? And more importantly, what's her game? What does she gain from it? Such thoughts coursed through Ethan's mind as he made a step to follow this helpful stranger, yet some things are just not meant to be known.

A blink of an eye and she was gone like the wind, yet Ethan had no doubt in his heart as he followed along. Regardless of the power his nemesis possessed, this was his mind, and he would no longer tolerate that bastard's presence in it.

On his way back to the final intersection, Ethan could no longer spy the girl's red dress, yet he found himself confident enough to navigate the maze even without her help, somehow. Perhaps purging his mind of fears and doubts bestowed a certain clarity upon him, or maybe he merely remembered the way back.

Regardless, soon Ethan once again stood next to the pathway that led to the boulevard paved with black glass. The horrific creature that stalked this maze was nowhere to be seen now, but Ethan was certain that it would come running the instant he stepped onto this final path.

Ethan was afraid, yet it was not primal terror he experienced anymore. It was tamed and controlled - the kind of fear that pushed you forward without crippling you. An inexplicable feeling that all things will be resolved in the best possible way gave shocking lightness to his steps.

With little hesitation, Ethan made the first step.

Crack!

The maddening shriek followed the cracking noise instantly. The Creep was angry beyond words - that much was obvious. The chase lasted long enough and it hungered.

Ethan burst into a sprint, with his eyes on his prize - the distant oasis and his quarry next to it. If he could only reach it before the creature caught up to him…

The breaking shards underfoot created a deafening cacophony, but even they could not hope to muffle the beastial howls coming from behind. The Creep was surely somewhere nearby and Ethan couldn't help but take a single glance behind his shoulder. He wished he didn't.

With enormous bounding strides, the abomination was gaining at him with mind-boggling speed; a number of tentacle-like appendages protruding from its slavering maw. The very visage of nightmare, with no mortal able to withstand its presence without the terror gripping their hearts. The insatiable, eternal hunger made manifest - distorting space and time around it and turning even the most stalwart of devotion into a hopeless lethargy.

For all his determination and resolve, not even Ethan could resist the pressure its focused rage exuded. Not even his stout heart could prevail against this supernatural predator from another dimension.

His vision blurred from the sheer horror of his pursuer, Ethan did not see a particularly sleek crystal of mold in his way. Therefore, he could not avoid slipping on it and after that, with his muscles paralyzed by irresistible fright, he could not help but crash into the harsh ground, swirling on his way down and ending up gazing right towards the hideous monstrosity.

The beast was almost upon him and Ethan did the only thing that he knew held a chance of salvation for him. The man ceased all motion, as he lay sprawled on the ground. In turn, the monster slowed down a bit but persisted in swiftly closing the distance, likely intending to unleash its fury upon the location of the last sound it heard.

Experiencing an abrupt inspiration, Ethan hastily made a motion to grab the closest mold crystal from the ground. It was stuck, yet with a frenetic effort, he was able to break it away - only to hurl it with all of his might against the nearby tree-like structure. The creature was mere seconds away from him; its drill-like limbs raised for a decapitating slash.

The thrown crystal shard impacted the solid surface of the mold construct in the next instant, breaking apart in a shower of fragments and accompanied by a thundering crack.

Allowing Ethan's weary heart to experience a moment of relief, the Creep abruptly changed the direction of his rush and slashed at the tree with both of its drill-like arms. Despite its gaunt appearance, the strength in its willowy arms was truly immense, as the moldy trunk all but broke apart from its shattering blows.

Having obliterated the tree-like miscreation, the Creep took a tentative step backwards. From its tense posture and rapidly shaking head, it was obvious to Ethan that the abomination was aware that it was fooled and that its quarry was still somewhere nearby. Other than its erratically convulsing head, the monster stood perfectly still and, considering their proximity, Ethan knew that any sound that could betray his location would be his last.

More than merely not moving a muscle, Ethan did his best to also cease his breathing and heartbeat. Simply staring at the reality-warping monstrosity brought unbearable pain, but Ethan did not dare to as much as crane his neck the other way.

With the cessation of sounds, the beast appeared lost. Snarling in foaming rage, the monstrous Creep shook his deformed head in obvious frustration before furiously slashing at the remnants of the tree trunk next to it, ripping right through its mold structure until nothing was left intact.

For a second, Ethan dared to fancy himself save from the blind abomination, yet clearly the enraged monster had had enough of the cat-and-mouse game they were playing.

Letting out a piercing shriek that was more akin to a battering shockwave, the beast did something that made Ethan's heart skip a beat.

Its arms, which ended into a singular drill-like edge, started to shiver and the beast screeched in what Ethan could only assume was pain. Soon, however, the vibrating drill-like appendage divided into three distinct claw-like fingers, even as the monster's whole frame shuddered in agony. Crimson blood gushed freely between its torn flesh, implying that this process was far from simple for the monstrous creature. It just wanted to get at Ethan that much.

Not wasting a second, the beast used its newfound six digits to brutally claw at its own face, leaving deep gashes in what used to be pristine skin. The monster roared in agony, yet kept at its grim task with unyielding determination. Ethan had a very bad feeling about it, as he stared at the monster in horror. It felt like his own head would implode from the staggering headache, yet Ethan dared not to look away.

The crimson blood flowed freely down upon the crystal shards, yet soon the fruits of the monster's labor were apparent, as two blood-soaked orbs soon blinked frantically, not yet able to perceive the world around them fully.

Getting up from his spot at the ground, Ethan was at the very least determined not to die cowering like a sniveling coward. Of course, it was hard to regain his composure when the monster wiped the blood off its eyes with a single clawed hand, before glaring straight at Ethan with its hateful orbs. There was no more escaping this creature by abusing its blindness, nor was there a chance to outrun this bounding goliath. Considering how easily it dispatched a dozen molded, Ethan did not like his odds in an open confrontation, either…

The creature made a single step forward. It was no longer in a hurry, apparently confident in its ability to dismember its prey at its leisure.

Ethan stood his ground, a grim look of resolve frozen on his face. The horror-inducing aura of this unnatural creature washed over and around Ethan, but the man found an unexpected font of strength in the realization that the chase was over. The primordial fear of this accursed thing remained, yet it was tempered by an instinct no less ancient - that of cornered animal, determined not to go down gently into the night.

Suddenly, an unexpected weight appeared almost as if out of nowhere in the pocket of his pants - the same pocket which held all three gems - the gifts from Daniela, Cassandra and Bela. Overcome by an inexplicable feeling of salvation, Ethan's hand reached for his pocket seemingly on its own volition, but before he could find out what exactly was weighing him down, a slim hand of the girl in a red dress intercepted his own, stopping it dead in its tracks. Her fingers were ice-cold, yet Ethan found himself not repulsed by her touch. Somehow, it radiated solace, instead.

The girl was back, and Ethan was not the only one happy to see her. Seemingly forgetting all about Ethan, the Creep let out a high-pitched shriek of indeterminable meaning, while craning its head and focusing its bloodshot gaze completely on the tiny girl.

A sudden thought flashed across Ethan's mind as he beheld the peculiar sight. It was never after me…

The girl, satisfied that Ethan was no longer reaching into his pocket, took a step forward while breaking the physical contact. The beast's bloodshot eyes followed her every motion unerringly. Ethan was certain that were he to break into a sprint right now, the monster wouldn't care whatsoever. He didn't bother testing the theory, however, and instead watched the peculiar scene unfolding.

The monster made another step forward, crushing a dozen crystals underfoot. The girl mirrored the motion, though her shaky frame betrayed her fright at the prospect of facing the monstrosity. Her tiny body appeared hopelessly outmatched against her gigantic adversary. Ethan had no idea how she expected to best this implacable juggernaut.

Without any warning, the Creep burst into a bounding dash, claws outstretched to grab at the girl. Ethan could only stare, terrified, as its razor-sharp talons pierced through her tender flesh with ease, painting the crystals underneath dark red. It seemed like the struggle ended before it even began…

Clearly exhilarated about finally spilling some blood, the creature let out what sounded like a victorious shriek, before opening its horrid maw wide, probably intent on consuming its victim alive.

"Hah…"

The half moan of pain, half mirthless chuckle left the girl's lips and Ethan realized that it was the first time he heard her voice. The short-lived gasp somehow was able to convey a lifetime of suffering, forcing Ethan to take a step back from the intense sensation of raw despair emanating from the girl. It was almost beyond what he could bear.

Gazing down from the monster's horrifying maw towards his victim, Ethan was shocked to see not the girl in a red dress, but a naked bone-thin woman, with her long locks of black hair obscuring her face completely. The horrific gashes the monster's talons had inflicted upon her malnourished body were bleeding freely, yet she didn't appear to be overly bothered by them. Instead, the woman reached one dainty hand towards the Creep's chest, likely right atop its heart.

The moment her fingers brushed against its skin, the monster let out a new sound, one which Ethan hadn't heard before. It was a clicking hiss, made in a low tone… it almost sounded like a noise of distress to Ethan - if that creature was even capable of experiencing such a feeling.

Yet clearly it was, for the creature now struggled to free itself from the comparatively tiny woman - who in turn wrapped her arms tightly around its midsection, determined to not let go.

No matter how much it shrieked and roared, she held on. No matter how much it tried to shake her off, she held on. No matter what kind of grisly injuries it inflicted upon the poor woman, she held on.

Ethan couldn't help but be astounded at the strange woman's resilience and determination. Even as her own body was sheared in half by a swing of its talons, she did not let go of the monster that stalked her across time and space.

Instead, she started to exude a whitish glow that engulfed her whole remaining frame and seemed to increase in intensity with each passing moment. The Creep appeared to be desperate to rid itself of her, yet for all its unholy power, it was unable to dislodge its would-be victim, no matter how much it thrashed around.

The air around the entangled duo seemed to boil with unconstrained energy. The creature crashed itself on the ground and rolled in animalistic fury. But even as thousands of razor-sharp crystals ravaged her petite frame, the woman held on. The glow she radiated spread to engulf both herself and the creature she was attached to. It was bright enough that Ethan struggled to keep his eyes on it. The heatwave that now reached even him made it hard to breathe, but the aura of pain and enfeeblement the Creep radiated shrunk by the moment. It was an alpha-predator of this little world no longer.

Frenzied with fear, the Creep made one last desperate shriek that shook the very foundation of this dimension. The moldy imitation of trees nearby collapsed, their blackish trunks smashing into the crystal-littered ground, producing a truly deafening cacophony as the shattered fragments flew in every direction. The illumination created by the entangled duo was blinding to the point where Ethan had no choice but to turn his gaze. It was pure chaos.

Suddenly, like it all started, it simply ended. The searing heat and the blinding light ceased in an instant, while the ruined trees and the shattered crystals quickly settled on the ground. Peering at the sight of their last stand, Ethan was shocked to discover that the duo had simply vanished, with nothing but a scorched crater to mark the location of their mythic fight.

In that moment of eerily silence, Ethan realized that for all he has been through, for all the horror he had witnessed, he was but a speck of dust floating in the endless cosmos. Forces beyond his comprehension pursued their unfathomable goals in the darkest corners of the world and he could only pray that he would not encounter them again.

Still, with the mysterious entities gone, a strange kind of peaceful atmosphere settled upon this desolate realm.

Taking a tentative step forward, Ethan felt a profound sense of solace. Somehow, suddenly it felt like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, a weight he was not even aware he was holding all this time.

The man gazed at his hands and a hopeful gasp left his lips. Swiftly, the translucence that afflicted him in this place started to retreat, giving back the original solidity of his form. Clearly, whatever that Creep creature was, it played an enormous part in subjugating his essence. Its mere presence was leeching his willpower, allowing the mysterious man to claim Ethan's mind with no contest… but now?

Ethan sensed newfound energy coursing through his frame and even the bleak landscape all around him appeared to sparkle with vitality. After what felt like an eternity of enfeeblement, Ethan finally felt himself strong enough to wrestle control of his own body and mind from that freak.

Before turning around to confront his final foe, however, Ethan did not forget to lightly bow his head, genuinely filled with gratitude towards the strange woman in the guise of a girl. He knew that she did not have to help him. She did not have to guide him all throughout this insane maze. She did not have to put herself in the Creep's way. She could've simply hid in recesses of his mind and let it obliterate Ethan. It didn't make sense for her to stand in between them, yet she did it… Ethan would not forget this moment, nor her sacrifice.

Finally ready to confront the last obstacle, Ethan turned around and took a step in the oasis' direction… only to end up right next to it. Somehow, he was able to cross the vast boulevard and enter the forbidden oasis with a single step - he was no longer a mere prisoner of his own mindscape. The gentle sand underneath his shoes was a welcome change after the seemingly endless trek through hardened mold ground and the mad rush through the crystal-paved boulevard.

But most importantly, Ethan's nemesis and a subjugator of his essence was almost within arm's length.

The body-snatcher, feeling his presence, left his meditative pose and slowly stood up, while facing Ethan. The expression of disbelief, tinged with no small amount of fear was worth a thousand words to Ethan. Clearly, this man did not expect the true master of this dimension to be able to brave the maze and its guardian to now stand before him.

"What…how is that even possible!?" His voice shaky, the man took a tentative step back. Ethan couldn't help but allow his lips to shift into a smirk. Finally, the tables have turned.

As he peered upon this man, Ethan found himself learning more about his nemesis, as if he could siphon the information from their eye contact alone. Now that Ethan was unbound, this place truly seemed to have no limitations. The boundaries of self did not exist in this mind-scape that they both shared.

Paxton Fettel, that was his name and his history was more bloody that Ethan could even begin to comprehend, even as he tried to take it in.

Ethan was regaining control of his own mind, but Fettel was not yet ready to cease it all. Regaining some of his composure, Fettel clenched his fists while his dark eyes roamed all over Ethan's face, soaking the knowledge of his trek through the maze, just like Ethan himself did with him.

"She helped you?! But why?! It doesn't make any sense!" Fettel started to pace around, clearly in shock from the latest developments.

While Ethan cared not for Fettel's distress and indeed, only cared about expunging the body-snatcher from his mind, he couldn't help but wonder, just who this girl was. Clearly, Fettel knew all about her, or at least something about her. The answer to his quarry opened to Ethan in an instant - as if he was simply able to glean all the relevant information directly from his nemesis's essence.

---

Alma Wade. A Bio-Organic Weapon created before that widespread term was even invented. A being whose very existence was a secret only a select few were privy to. An off-shot of the original Umbrella Corporation's program, deemed lacking in potential and discarded, only to be bought for a trifling sum by Armacham Technology Corporation - who had then gone to achieve much with what their contemporaries presumed worthless. Too much even.

Able to tap into a realm beyond a mortal's comprehension, Alma Wade was impossible to contain, much less control and soon after the true scope of her powers became apparent, the ATC board of directors scrapped the project, silenced every witness and entombed every laboratory that was related to it. As for Alma herself, her body was obliterated, and her very essence shattered into a hundred crystallized pieces that were spread apart all over the world. They wanted to bury everything related to her.

But despite their best efforts, her restless soul remained, stalking the forlorn corners of the world, drawn towards the places where the greatest suffering took place, as it resonated with what her entire existence was - one endless stroke of anguish.

But a generation changed and the fear of the unknown gave way to an opportunity too good to pass. The human greed eventually won over and ATC attempted to salvage the once forbidden project for everything it was worth. Legions of Replica soldiers, connected by the poorly-understood psionic energy were a testament to their hubris, though not quite to a degree as a specimen right in front of him was.

Paxton Fettel, cloned from Alma's own cells, was designed to be a controllable successor of the failed program. Harshly trained from birth and with an arsenal of limited, yet still formidable psionic powers at his disposal, he was to be their ultimate product. Finally, two failsaves - a mental and a physical one, ensured that his loyalty to the highest bidder's cause was to be absolute. When the U.N. Black Ops division purchased his contract, they were assured that his betrayal was a statistical impossibility… and for a long time, that was the case.

For twelve grueling years, Paxton Fettel did the outwardly noble organization's dirty laundry. A nearly flawless asset that could hunt down and silence every witness, locate and dispose of any enemy, seek and destroy all opposition - all the while remaining in the shadows. The body count was truly staggering… but not nearly as the fact that it was kept a secret from the whole world.

His defeat at the French safehouse - a first of its kind - made Fettel reassess his path forward. A cunning scheme was hatched in his insidious mind, a scheme that would lead to this blood-soaked day. Before Ethan and the rest even set foot on American soil, Fettel had already secretly enlisted the help of the notorious Bloodfang in preparation for furthering his goals.

Unfortunately for Fettel's employer and unknowingly to them both, Ethan's and Eveline's own efforts at the Empire State Building's apex floor saw the mental failsafe corrupted, while Mia took care of the physical one. Paxton Fettel was free to then proceed to immediately murder his hapless employer and her circle of closest underlings.

But even his first taste of blood as a free man was just a prelude to Fettel's plan to rampage across the world he hated with every fiber of his being, and were he to gain Rose's power over the mold, none would be able to stop him as he worked on collecting the shards of his 'mother' - only to plunge the world into an age of darkness and death once he was done - a fate it deserved.

---

EVERYTHING MUST BURN

The vision of boundless destruction and immeasurable hatred was so vivid, so powerful, that Ethan was unable to stand his ground. The whole depravity of Fettel's unspeakably cruel upbringing, combined with his overpowering desire to see this world burn washed over Ethan's mind, threatening to drive him insane with madness that has already consumed one of them. The sheer intensity of memories made Ethan consider if this world was even worth saving, if any of them was worth saving. Perhaps he should simply give up and let the so-called villain fulfill his goal. Just let everything burn, with his body - reunited with his child's power, as an avatar of ultimate destruction.

The insanity of it all was overwhelming and Ethan was that close to simply closing his eyes and letting the madness wash all over him, drowning him completely.

The darkness was nearly all-encompassing, yet several beacons still shined in the distance, and none was brighter than that of Rose. How could he possibly let his precious child be consumed by the other man's vengeance? Even if she survived the process of having her powers drained from her, how could he leave her in a world of ruin? Beyond everything else, his duty as a father demanded of him to leave the world a brighter place for those he loved, not to plunge it into eternal darkness.

And that's all it took. The light from those he cared about - Rose, Bela, Cassandra, Daniela, Chris and even Mia, as well as many others he called his friends and family - shone bright, dispelling the darkness of the all-encompassing madness of destruction.

Standing up, Ethan once again faced his foe, who in turn looked like having recovered from his initial shock, as well. "For the life of me I cannot fathom why she would help you, Mr. Winters… but it changes nothing."

Ethan wanted to make a somewhat cliche quip about evil being unable to comprehend good, but with a wave of his hand, Fettel has once again blurred the edges of reality while trying to sent Ethan miles away from the oasis - all the way back to the start of that accursed maze.

I didn't work this time.

His perilous yet enlightening journey through the maze allowed Ethan to reclaim pieces of himself, while finding plenty of reason to keep going. That burning desire to succeed for the sake of his loved ones was amplified and empowered and now acts like an anchor to ground him - right here, right now, right next to the final monster that threatened everything he cared about. There were no cracks in Ethan's resolve that Fettel could exploit this time.

It was Ethan's turn and the father's fist was on a curved trajectory right towards the invader's face.

To Ethan's chagrin, Fettel had no trouble in intercepting the fist with an open palm of his own. In that same moment, Fettel's own strike was caught by Ethan's left palm.

A shockwave of force - a manifestation of their opposing wills - erupted underneath them, rippling outwards far into the distance, as the unstoppable force met an immovable object. None gave way. Ethan's unyielding determination to protect his loved ones was evenly matched by Paxton's insane resolve to see it all burn. Like an untreated ulcer, that unbridled hatred festered for decades and no positive emotion - no matter how bright, could hope to overpower it.

Their will evenly matched, neither opponent appeared particularly satisfied with such a stalemate; though it was Ethan that was particularly struck by the implication that he was unable to overpower his foe even after reclaiming a portion of control.

From glimpsing at his mind, Ethan knew that Eveline managed to banish Fettel from Anna's body by using the fact that his own body was thousands of miles away. Now, with the demise of his body, the entirety of Fettel essence found refuge in Ethan's mind and therefore, it would not be quite as easy to get rid of this parasite this time. Fettel would cling to him with everything he had, for the alternative was to embrace oblivion.

Chuckling at Ethan's realization, Fettel gave him a cruel smirk before mouthing the obvious, "You see the conundrum, Mr. Winters? Neither of us can easily dispatch the other by ourselves… but…" Fettel grinned wide, making unease grip Ethan's heart, "I've been doing this a long time… I know all the tricks there are when it comes to subduing unruly hosts." Not letting Ethan to process his words, Fettel suddenly broke their stalemate by momentarily vanishing from sight, only to appear right behind Ethan, with but a single finger pressed to the back of his head - right where the brain met the spinal cord.

Abruptly all the energy left Ethan's limbs, while a powerful spike of pain found itself wedged into his brain. It's like the Creep was back, standing right behind him. Somehow Fettel was able to replicate the trick behind that supernatural entity's enfeeblement powers.

Letting out a guffaw of pain, Ethan once again found himself collapsing on his knees, simply unable to resist the malefic influence. Fettel was right, even though Ethan managed to regain a portion of control, he did not have decades of experience when it came to invading other peoples' mind and breaking their resistance. Fettel did.

Completely unable to do anything but weakly gasp for air, Ethan had to limit himself to glaring at the invader, who flashed a victorious smirk as he casually strolled past the kneeling father. In the end, all of Ethan's resolve and determination amounted to little more than shaky limbs that only barely still obeyed his commands.

Considering the matter solved, Fettel turned his attention back towards the crystal-clear pond, while letting out gloating that made Ethan grit his teeth in silent frustration.

"Soon little Rosemary will finally be within our grasp. Perhaps I should let you witness our lovely reunion? A father and daughter, going through hell and back to find their way to each other. Isn't that just the loveliest picture?" The bile all but seeped from his words, like a mix of jealousy and hatred.

The crystal pond flickered and in its mirror-like Ethan could see a blank room with a locked door. Gazing into the pond, Ethan knew that it would be a bad thing were that door opened.

For several tense minutes nothing seemed to happen, making Ethan almost forget about the static image in the pond and refocusing his efforts on freeing himself. Unfortunately, he had to cut them short, as the door finally opened, allowing Ethan to glimpse a familiar face.

It was Chris Redfield who entered the room in the mirror, a genuine smile of a loyal comrade and a true friend on his scarred face. His lips moved, and even though the words itself were lost on Ethan, it was clear to him that the captain was conveying a particularly happy piece of news. After a few moments of silent dialogue with an unseen partner, Chris delivered a hearty pat on the shoulder of the person on the other side of the mirror, before taking a step back and motioning for that person to follow. Ethan dreaded like never before where the captain was taking them.

Ethan fought against his restraints of agony and exhaustion with everything he had, yet to no avail. He could do nothing as the corridor in the mirror ended up with another door, which Chris motioned towards. The hand of a person from the mirror - Ethan's own, he had no trouble recognizing - took hold of the handle, revealing a small, moderately furnished room with but a single occupant, sitting on a simple bed that was far too big for her.

Rose.

Turning around, the Ethan-in-the-mirror presumably bid Chris a farewell, before abruptly closing the door in his face and once again reorienting himself to face the child.

In turn, Rose appeared elated to witnessing her beloved daddy, utterly unaware of any potential threat as she rushed to embrace him.

"Rose, no! Stay away!" Ethan's plea fell upon deaf ears, as Ethan-in-the-mirror gleefully picked the child up, ruffled her unruly hair, before placing her on the bed and kneeling in front of her.

"This is it, Mr. Winters. The moment of truth." Fettel's words sent fear like he had never felt before running down Ethan's spine. An utter, all consuming-terror, that made the desperate man rapidly consider every possible course of action he could still take.

Ironically, it was Fettel's own words that ignited a spark of hope in Ethan's frenetic heart as he ran through the possibilities left to him. 'Neither of us can easily dispatch the other by ourselves…'

Perhaps nobody was left at Fettel's side, but Ethan wasn't alone. Somehow, against all odds and contrary to every conceivable law of nature, Bela, Cassandra and Daniela were with him at this very moment - if not in body, than in spirit. All he had to do was reach out for them.

Grunting from sheer agony of his crippled condition, Ethan put his entire being in the act of grotesque effort - edging his limb towards his pant pocket and the three precious gems in it. Perhaps it was not a coincidence that Alma stopped him from reaching towards them during their confrontation with the Creep. Could it be that she was aware of the potential power contained within? Perhaps she wanted him to save them for Fettel.

Though it hurt him beyond words to do so, Ethan managed to put his hand into the pocket and, grasping for whatever was inside, procure an item that felt remarkably not like a trio of gems should.

It was with nothing but wonder Ethan stared at the relatively small item which was now grasped by his trembling fingers - which were bone-white from the colossal effort. Instead of three gems, Ethan found himself with something far more practical for the current situation. An old German pistol, Luger P08 - if his memory of such antiques was to be believed. While the pistol's miraculous appearance, as well as the significance of its model were beyond his comprehension, its purpose was not.

Perhaps feeling the emergent threat, Fettel swirled around, temporarily forgetting about Rose. Just in time for Ethan to draw a bead at his still-bleeding forehead.

Fettel's arrogance and self-assurance was swept away in an instant as his keen eyes focused on the barrel that was now pointing right at his forehead. Utter confusion and mortal fear now dominated his beady eyes. For a man who hated the world as much as he did, Fettel sure wasn't looking forward to bidding it one final farewell.

His tongue anxiously wetted his chapped lips, "Perhaps… we could make a deal?"

Ethan almost laughed at how pathetic this fearsome foe appeared to be when finally faced with his own mortality, though Ethan would lie if he claimed that he felt no pity whatsoever even for this vile man. For all his countless atrocities and numberless crimes, even Paxton Fettel was a mere product of human cruelty and greed. Perhaps even he was not beyond redemption.

Nevertheless, it took truly a lot to finally outplay Fettel and shatter his schemes and Ethan was not going to let it all go to waste by letting his forgiving nature take reigns in this situation. Not this time. Not when the stakes were this high. Not when his act of kindness could cost them everything.

"Go to hell." Paxton's eyes widened in fear but it was far too late to do anything.

The Luger barked out and an ethereal shot carved an unerring path through the air towards its destination. It struck Fettel exactly where Ethan was aiming for and the result was instantaneous.

As if he was a mere glass figure all along, Paxton Fettel shattered into a million pieces that faded into nothingness as soon as they touched the sand beneath them.

Likewise, the pistol that embodied the three sisters, having served its purpose, dissipated into dust that gently joined the sand under it. Unlike the shards of his nemesis, these multicolored dust particles did not fade away.

And just like that, the end of the most fearsome of foes Ethan ever encountered had come. In a way it was ironic, that even though Paxton occupied his spot in the shadows behind the people who had started all this mess, eventually he had come to eclipse them all in the threat he posed - not just to Ethan and his friends, but even to humanity at large.

A moment of tranquility fell upon this dark realm, though it did not last. Fettel's final demise shattered the pond's mirror-like surface and Ethan sensed a powerful force tugging at his essence, while blurring the surrounding dimension. It seemed like he was finally free to leave the prison of his own mind - not as a slave, but as its sole master, as it should be.

Reality beckoned him once more. After the unspeakable madness and horror he had witnessed in this mental hell of his, Ethan Winters was only too eager to embrace the call. He had seen enough nightmares to last him a lifetime; it was finally time to wake up.

---

Author's Note:

Well, I did warn you that this was going to be weird :P

Believe it or not, I actually wrote 90% of this chapter in 2 days (6 hours writing per day - I was really inspired for this one :D), but... once again, the editing part got lost somewhere in between me visiting doctors (finally got that shitty wisdom tooth removed, yay!), assembling a new PC for myself and helping the relatives with their new house.

Anyway, this chapter was meant to be a climax of Ethan's story, with him prevailing over the big bad only due to the precious connections he had made along the way. It concludes (Finally!) the Bound by Sins of the Past storyline, though, like I promised, there still will be a multi-chapter epilogue that will have some wholesome stuff (and maybe a little more smut) :)

As always, any kind of feedback is appreciated and I'll be glad to answer any questions you might have. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!