Sorry for the sudden excitement and immediate disappointment at the lack of a new chapter, but I figured I needed to announce more officially that I am MOVING and will need to take a short hiatus.

It's super crazy and I'm very excited to be buying my first home with my husband, but- for anyone who's moved, it's super hard to be creative while shoving your whole life into boxes and my stress levels are through the roof. xD

I am still working on the next chapter, but I'm not totally sure when I will post it. (Updates to come on Tumblr and Twitter)

I think in the next few weeks I'll be done moving and packing and then subsequently unpacking, and then The Strength and The Sight will resume. The chapters may end up being shorter though, because almost my entire family is graduating from high school/college in my home state so I'll have to fly back and forth a few times as well.

Basically, life is busy, but in a good way. To check and see if I'm back from my hiatus, check my Tumblr or Twitter (both under the username Inkwell-Intrigues) In the meantime, here's a very in-progress sneak peek at the next chapter!

Once the Beast has chosen its prey,

No light can penetrate the dark of day.

The Underworld's influence takes control,

And turns the soul to Evil and Vile, a corrupted whole.

- Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Misery of the Mad Doctor -

"...I'm afraid I'll need to leave you for a little while, Mugman. The others in the Colosseum need care as well. Stick to the notes and what I've told you, and if you ever have a problem, use that spell I taught you, okay?"

"Yes, Ma…"

"Hey, don't worry, okay? The hard part is over. He's in the Iron Lung. He's stable. All you have to do is keep him comfortable. You're more than capable of doing that. You'll gonna do great! I promise."

Ginette's optimistic face fell the moment the door closed. The day had barely started and she already needed a drink. It was hard to believe that just last night she'd been possessed by a divine spirit, her eyes opened to the most frightening thing she'd ever seen: The Soul Vault.

To make matters worse, her body was in shambles. It was so sore that even breathing hurt, and Ginette couldn't show it. If her body language piqued the Devil's curiosity, the jig was up. This double agent bullshit was far too stressful for her liking, something not even her strongest whiskey could fully numb.

Shit. Speaking of- Chalice, the child warrior was coming to see her tonight. Ginette had done a terrible job of hiding her distress after returning from the Soul Vault, and the ghost knew something was wrong.

"Is… Is there anythin' you wanna tell me? You seem pretty shaken up."

"Tomorrow. I'll tell you tomorrow. Tonight? I drink."

What would she even say to the girl? Ginette couldn't back out of being Chalice's vessel, it was far too late for that. And what about Cuphead and Mugman's strange appearances? What did any of it mean?

As Ginette descended down into the dungeons, she pulled a book out of her pocket: The Long Lost History of the Calix Animi. At this point, Ginette didn't trust anyone, especially not Chalice after yesterday's stunt. It was time for her to do some research of her own.

"Hold still, okay? I have to draw some blood and compare." Ginette said, gently gripping the Baroness's arm as the barely conscious woman struggled against her syringe.

Ginette wasn't entirely sure why she even bothered to talk to the Baroness and Djimmi, it wasn't like they could hear her. But, it did make her feel less alone on the long days she spent down here meticulously monitoring their progress.

Placing the latest sample of blood under her microscope, Ginette let out a sigh of relief. There was a notable lack of the serum's poison in today's blood sample. They were healing, albeit slowly.

Pouring the rest of the blood into a small vial, Ginette inserted it into a machine. Now she just had to wait for the rest of the blood's readings to process, then she could begin devising a treatment plan. Thankfully, the machine was terribly slow, giving her ample time for her own research.

Furtively glancing around as she opened up The Lost Lost History of the Calix Animi, Ginette delved back into what was becoming an increasingly fascinating history lesson: A mysterious prophecy leading to the beginnings of a warlike cult and the Devil's retaliation in the form of genocide. The lone survivor of said genocide becoming the Calix Animi Order's foretold savior. The war for the Inkwell Isles, the Calix Animi's pride leading to the downfall of her order and her subsequent death, and, of course, the stories of the legendary ghost wandering about the isles as a spirit.

It felt so strange to be one of the few to know the stories were true. To know that the Legendary Chalice was not mere myth. She was real and an immense threat to the Devil. No other could send the King of Hell into such hysterics as Chalice could.

"Doing some light reading, are we?"

Ginette nearly dropped her book, leaping to her feet, and clumsily bowing. It was the Devil!

That's all for now! Stay tuned and I will see you all when I return!