Chapter 4-1 Alice Winters

Alice and Hilda made their way from the Beneviento Estate, walking down the mountain path then took the elevator to get back to Claudia's grave. Despite being back outside for some fresh air, Alice was still reeling from the events she experienced in the Manor. While it may have just been hallucinations from the flower pollen, it still reopened the mental scars of the events the visuals were based off of. Reminding the Winters how much she lost throughout the years.

Hilda was walking ahead of Alice, the child's spirits were still high despite what occurred with Beneviento. After all, she didn't see the things Alice experienced. "Almost there, Alice!" Hilda called out as she walked down the path as they passed by the tombstones. She turned back to look over at the woman, noticing Alice was hugging herself as her eyes were transfixed on the ground. "Are you alright?" Hilda questioned as she noticed how Alice was dazed in her walk.

Alice could sense Hilda was worried so she tried to reassure her. "I'm alright, Hilda. I'm just trying to clear my head."

"Are you still shaken about the stuff you saw in the house?" Hilda questioned, referring to the illusions.

Alice nodded again, before speaking. "I know it was all in my head, but everything felt so real. The voices, the belongings from me and Ethan, even the smell of…" She trailed off, realizing she was starting to overshare. She didn't want Hilda to know what kind of trauma she had to experience at such a young age, no one should learn the kind of terrors of Raccoon City. Her eyes landed back on the child as something was stirring in her mind. "What hallucinations did you experience?"

Hearing the question only made Hilda raise a brow. "I never saw any illusions. Everything was the same for me. All I saw was you going throughout the house, looking scared at times. It was only when you were chasing Lady Beneviento with those shears I had to stop you. Which is odd because you didn't hear or see me most of the time before that…"

When Alice learned of this, she was the one who became baffled. "Wait… you didn't see any visions yourself?"

Hilda shook her head. "None that I saw." She then continued on the path to get to the Duke and Ethan. Alice was silent, as it didn't add up. According to what she learned, anyone who had been exposed to the pollen of that flower would have seen things based on their memories. It happened to her, and according to the notes in the greenhouse, it affected the Gardener as well. With that information… Why didn't Hilda get infected? Maybe the pollen didn't work on children? There weren't any notes that Donna used the flowers on the orphans. But there were hardly any bread crumbs of clues in the Estate about her personal life and thoughts to begin with. There was no use questioning it further, so Alice had to focus on getting to Ethan and tell him they found another piece of Rose. Once they crossed the Suspension Bridge, the two headed down the pathway and made it back to the Ceremony Site.

The older of the siblings was pacing back and forth next to the caravan. He gave himself a self-hug while rubbing his arms not for warmth, but to ease himself. As soon as he heard the gates opening, his head whipped around and saw the two girls coming out. "Thank god! You two are safe." He let out a breath of relief, pleased to see that they managed to come back out with no injuries. When he noticed his sister, Ethan saw how pale she was which concerned him.

He didn't ask right away, as Hilda came up and took out the flask that was taken from House Beneviento. She presented it to Ethan with a smile. "We got another flask, this one has Rose's legs."

Ethan grabbed hold of the flask, looking it over. Though the glass was foggy, he could still feel his daughter inside. At least they had half of her now, as morbid as it sounded. "Daddy's here Rose, you'll be healed soon." He promised, holding the flask close to his chest. Alice walked over to him, somewhat glad to see he was doing better. At least one of them was stable enough in this hellhole. Ethan looked over at Alice, noting her exhausted expression. He wanted to ask, but Alice didn't want to share any details.

All she cared about was finding the rest of Rose, the other Megamycete sample and Mia. Then for her, Ethan and Hilda to escape this Village. "So, where to next?" Alice looked over at the child, since she would know the answers.

Hilda hummed as she took out the Four-Winged Key that they used to unlock Donna's area. She grabbed the part with the unborn fetus at the motif of the key, combining the pieces together. The Winters and Duke watched as she tinkered with the parts, making the fetus be surrounded by the black wings, creating the Four-Winged Unborn Key. "Yes! This must be the key for the Reservoir!" Hilda declared.

The Duke smiled as he admired her enthusiasm "Salvatore Moreau is the Lord that rules that part of the Village. And he is not the only monster in those waters to worry about."

Alice looked at the merchant when he said that. "At least I have an idea of what to expect. Come on Hilda, let's get going." Alice urged.

Ethan turned towards the child, speaking up. "Why don't you go ahead and open the gate, Hilda. Alice will meet you there once I speak with her." Alice raised a brow at Ethan when he said that, as if she was offended. Hilda was none the wiser and nodded, heading to the opposite side from where Donna's gate was. The same symbol from the new key on the wooden boards. Once she was out of earshot, Alice waited for him to say more. Ethan approached her as he had that brotherly look on his features. "Alice… what happened?" Ethan asked.

"Ethan, I'm fine." Alice stated nonchalantly.

"I didn't ask if you were hurt!" He corrected her. "You look like you've seen a ghost. What happened in that place?"

Alice waved her arm at him. "It's nothing, Ethan." She tried to head over to the gate.

"Alice!" He reached over and grabbed her arm, much to her dismay. He tried to keep his temper under control, despite how he was glaring at her. He wasn't trying to be angry, but he knew something was upsetting her and he wanted to know. "Look, I have been kept in the dark about a lot of things. I was lied to by my wife. I was lied to by someone who I thought was my savior. The last thing I want is for my sister to lie to me! And yes, I know that's hypocritical, but I am allowing you to take care of this as I stand by! If I'm not going to be part of your plan, then at least tell me what you went through so I can comfort you! Because I want to try and make sure you don't go through this alone, like I did."

Alice pulled her arm away from him, yet his words stuck with her. Of course he wouldn't want her to go through this alone, because he made that mistake and it affected him years later. Not to mention, they both went through the same pain on that day. With a heavy sigh, she spoke as her eyes were downcasted. "I… I saw hallucinations. It was part of Beneviento's power." She explained. "I kept hearing and seeing things that weren't real… mainly of mom."

That made Ethan jump slightly, becoming more concerned. "Alice… what did you see?"

"I… heard her voice over the radio. When she got the job at the Umbrella Pharmacy. The messages she left on the phone when the outbreak happened… It made all of those memories come rushing back." Alice held herself as her face painted agonizing features. All of that trauma from the past came back from the things she saw in the Estate.

Ethan took a step towards her, as he saw how timid she became. Alice rarely showed any vulnerability to people, especially to Ethan. He couldn't blame her, since she tried to be strong after the death of their parents, but it was a tragic event that left the both of them in an unstable state. "Alice… I'm sorry I wasn't there." It was all he could say.

"It was just a hallucination." Alice retorted.

"Alice, you just witnessed the death of our mom all over again. I'm not letting you continue after reliving that."

"I don't need rest." Alice barked at him, becoming annoyed yet again. "I just need to collect the rest of the Mold Samples and Rose's Flasks. I'm already halfway there."

"You're not the only one with military training! I am more than capable of taking care of myself!"

"Tell that to your chewed up hand." Alice remarked as she pointed to what was left of his fingers.

He looked back at the injury only to scoff. "I'm still alive…"

"I was put in charge of this mission, so I'm the one that should handle this." She told him, heading towards the gate.

"Alice!" Ethan grabbed her shoulder, trying to keep her from going. She was growing frustrated with this fighting, since there were better things they could be doing with this time. Ethan tried to calm himself, as he was not good at explaining things when he was upset. "Look, I know you want to help me, and I'm grateful. Honestly, this is the kind of break that I wanted. But if you keep going in alone, it will just affect you in a negative way up to the very end. I speak with experience." Ethan admitted, which was true in more than one regard. "Please, I made the mistake of going into a hellscape alone before and I regret it every day. It affects you even years later, at least this way we can carry that burden and the weight will be lighter."

Alice looked at Ethan, hearing him out. Though she still felt betrayed by her brother as he left her in the dark for many years, he could see how he was being genuine with her and tried to sympathize. She relaxed her muscles, allowing him to speak more after he took a breath. "I know I haven't been completely honest with you, and I know it seems like I left you behind and kept secrets from you. But it was the worst mistake I've ever made, because it only made you believe I stopped caring about you. But I never did! I wanted nothing more than to see you last night, that's what I was looking forward to the most! I don't want to lose you to this Village. I already lost Mia and I've lost Rose… I don't want to lose the last piece of my family."

The younger Winters managed to finally meet her brother's eyes. Her agitation melted as a calm demeanor replaced it. Even though she was hesitant with this idea, she was more open to it after hearing her brother's words. After what happened with Beneviento, an extra set of hands wouldn't be the worst idea. But, she needed to make sure this was what he wanted. "You don't have to protect me…"

"This isn't about me being the big brother for you… it's about sticking together as a family. Something I've lacked doing for you. Please… I have been kept in the dark about many things just like you. I want to be a part of this! I already am after I stepped foot in Louisiana." He was now using Alice's words against Chris on her, showcasing their sibling similarities.

Even though Alice knew it would be suicide to take her brother along, especially with Miranda and the other Lords already knowing his capabilities and history, they were in too deep to turn back now. Plus, he didn't deserve to be put on the sides much longer than he should, when it was his family in danger. This was just as much his fight as it was hers. And she was certain that if Ethan was left here unsupervised, he would just go on his own and cause more trouble. At least this way she could keep an eye on him. Reluctantly sighing, she finally gave in. "Alright… if you really want to help, then you can come with us. But," she pointed at Ethan sternly. "Don't do anything stupid and follow my orders."

Ethan gave a shrug. "You're the boss." He joked, which made her shake her head. At least he didn't argue, so Alice wouldn't complain. With the two of them and Hilda, they would be a bigger target for the Lords and Miranda. Hopefully they could make up for it with combined combat. The siblings headed over to the wooden gate that the child was at, decorated with the symbol of a baby inside a golden ring, surrounded by four black wings. She had already unlocked the doors, so they began to walk through.

"So Hilda, any advice on how to survive the Reservoir?" Ethan asked the child.

"Well, most of the monsters that are said to live there tend to hide in the waters. So we should avoid the river. Though, that's easier said than done, since this part of the Village is known for being close to the dam, which holds the water from the river on the mountain side." Hilda explained.

"Meaning we'll most likely encounter them regardless…" Ethan sighed as they walked down the pathway. There were many houses already, and they could see a small river up ahead.

"You got your weapons on you?" Alice asked.

"A handgun and shotgun, with plenty of ammo." He told her.

"Well, it's something." Alice remarked. The three stepped further down, coming to a small house near a fence that separated the water. So far, there was no sign of any monsters, which hopefully meant they could find the Flask and Fungal Root before drawing the attention of the Lord who lived in this area. Hilda hopped along the bank in a playful manner. She stopped on one foot as her head jerked in alertness.

Ethan noticed this and was slightly confused. "Hilda?" He called after her, taking a few steps towards her.

Alice saw the look on the child's face, and knew what it meant. Hilda ran over and grabbed the hands of the Winters, dragging them to a small house that was close to them. They hurried inside, taking shelter while Hilda hid under the window frame. The three remained quiet as Hilda kept her hands over their mouths. While Ethan appeared baffled, Alice knew this meant something was wrong. A loud howling was heard from outside, causing the three to have their blood run cold. It wasn't a Lycan scream, this one was louder in volume, and sounded more animalistic. Shuffling was heard outside, followed by the grunts and snarls of a canine-like creature.

After what felt like forever, the noises began to die down. Hilda still seemed on the defense, while Ethan decided to be the one to investigate. He peeked his head out from the doorway, looking in all directions for the source of the cries. He took a few steps outwards, believing it was safe at first. His guard was lowered, he didn't sense the creature that was rushing over to him until it was too late. When Ethan turned, all he saw was a large, harry monster with claws for hands and feet. It approached and toppled him, growling with its muzzle and hungry pale eyes. The Winters shouted as the creature was on him, gnawing sharp teeth to try and get the flesh. Grabbing the shotgun, Ethan aimed it right at the creature, shooting it in the face a few times. While it did stagger the beast, the monster remained determined to get meat.

Alice saw her brother in a bind and acted quickly. Taking a few arrows and putting them in her crossbow, she aimed at the feet. The ammo pierced the skin, making the creature howl in pain and forced to pull back as blood seeped out of the paws. Ethan took the chance to get up and stagger back to the house. Once inside, Alice barricaded the door with a nearby bookshelf. The three heard the creature outside snarl and growl as it circled around the house where the food was. Hilda knelt down at Ethan's level and looked him over. "Are you alright?"

Ethan grunted as he managed to get on his feet. "Somehow… what the hell was that thing?"

"A Varcolac, they mostly resign here in the Reservoir." Hilda explained.

"Are they a different type of Lycan?" Alice questioned as she approached the two.

"Kind of, they are more animalistic though and don't have as much intelligence as the Lycans. So they rely on hunting and devouring everything in its path." Hilda added.

"This Village just throws one curveball B.O.W after another…" Alice sighed in annoyance.

"Let's just hope there's only one of them…" Ethan prayed. He began to look around the house they were in, since they were mostly trapped for the time being. It appeared more like a shack as the only furniture were shelves, benches, a table and a dresser with a lantern glowing on it. It didn't take long for Ethan to notice a male body leaning against the drawers of the dresser. He and the other two crowded around the figure, while Ethan leaned down and checked the man over. He placed his fingers on his neck and waited a few minutes for the verdict. "He's dead… based on how cold his skin is, he's been like this for a while…" Ethan stated.

Hilda leaned down to examine the man, as she seemed remorseful. Ethan noticed a sheet of paper on the man's lap, which he picked up and began to read out loud. 'The wounds are severe. I won't last much longer. I can hear it shuffling about outside. It barely flinched when I shot it. I feel like it's toying with me. That… isn't a wolf. Still, I won't lie down like a dog! If I can get to the old watermill, I can stop it. I can protect the orphans and you. It's so close… Damn, I'm so cold. My legs won't work. I'm so sorry Luiza. Please forgive me.'

As Ethan finished reading, he looked back from the note to the corpse as he put the pieces together. "Wait… this guy knew Luiza… he must be…"

"Vasile…" Hilda answered before Ethan could finish his sentence. The adults turned to the kid, as she kept her eyes on the corpse. "He was Luiza's husband…" She explained, which made sense why the note was addressed to the woman.

"He must have gotten attacked by that monster and sought refuge here…" Alice realized.

"Luiza did say he was going to get the other orphans. That must have been when he ran into that thing." Ethan theorized.

Hilda knelt down and placed her hands in that payer position, then began to chant. "Great ones of the past, hear my voice of reverence. I call to thee unto this request so you can deliver this poor soul into the hands of our God. For as the midnight moon rises on strong wings, let his suffering find peace at the light. In life and in death, we are connected eternally. May you be reunited with your loved ones that have passed before you."

Ethan heard that payer as it reminded him of something. "That prayer… I've heard it before…"

"Apparently that's the prayer Hilda uses to send someone who died to their god. In this case the Megamycete." Alice explained. "Where did you hear it from?"

"Back at Luiza's house, but the phrasing was different." Ethan explained.

Hilda stood back up, finishing her prayer. "What do we do now?"

"Vasile's note mentioned the watermills. Do they have a function here in the Village?" Ethan asked the child.

"This part of the Village uses the windmills to generate power to the dam that holds the water." Hilda elaborated.

"Maybe that's where we have to go to find the root and flask." Alice believed. Ethan nodded in agreement, but the howls of the Varcolac outside indicated how close it was.

"We won't get far as long as that thing is still around. We have to take care of it." Ethan urged.

"How? You saw what the note said. Even if we combined our weapons, it might take most of our ammunition just to keep it down." Alice pointed out.

"There's got to be some way…" Ethan began to look around the rest of the shack, searching for anything they could use. He saw a side room with a desk that held crates full of chem fluid, rusted scrape, gunpowder and metal scrape. "Hmm… this could work…" He smirked, beginning to tinker around with the materials. Alice and Hilda approached from behind, after a few minutes to see Ethan holding up some circular mines and pipe bombs. "These should do!"

"Are you thinking of going out in a bang?" Alice mocked.

"No, but that thing will." Ethan smirked. "I can distract it with these. Normal bullets may not affect it, but some explosives should at least give me a chance."

"You think you have enough?" Alice asked.

"Hopefully, I'll have to trap it though. If it's more animalistic, then that means it won't be as smart. While I'm distracting it, you can head deeper into the Village and see if you can find the flask and root."

Hilda stepped forward to ask the important question. "But how will we get past it?" Alice looked around until her eyes caught the attention of a red and yellow ladder. Curiosity got the better of her as she went up the steps with the other two following behind her. Alice climbed up the rooftop, being able to see the houses of the east side of the Village.

"This could work…" Alice grabbed her grappling hook as she already had a plan. "Hilda, can the Varcolac climb up buildings?"

"I don't believe so." Hilda answered.

"In that case, Hilda and I will use the highground to get past that creature."

"Then I'll stay here and distract it. That way, if it sees you, it will be too focused on me to go after you." Ethan added.

"Are you sure you'll be alright to take it on your own? You just got jumped by it."

"This time, I'm more than prepared." Ethan reassured her. "Besides, if I can survive the Molded and Lycans, I can survive this." Though Alice believed her brother was a bit incompetent with what he was getting into, it was the only way they could press forward. Even though she hated to be splitting up so quickly, she had to trust that Ethan would be capable of handling himself. Hopefully once he took that creature out, he could meet up with them and they could locate the Root and Rose together. With his ammunition, Ethan jumped back into the house and exited the building, distracting the Varcolac by throwing a pipe bomb at it. When it went off, the beast howled in pain, turning to see Ethan and taking the bait. He led the monster far away enough from the girls to give them a clear path. Alice took out her grappling hook and shot it so it held onto the roofs. Holding onto Hilda, she swung from house to house and went deeper into Moreau's territory. Alice recognized part of this area since it was the first thing she saw when entering the Village. They landed near the end of the river, now that they were far away from the monster they could land on solid ground.

If they followed the water, it should take them to their destination. As they walked in the shallow river, Hilda looked back over her shoulders as she expected to see Ethan, but there was no sign of him. "Do you think he'll be alright?" The child asked.

Alice reassured Hilda. "Ethan may have his string of bad luck, but I'm sure he's capable of handling that overgrown wolf." The younger of the Winters sniffed the air before covering her nose in disgust. "What is that awful smell?!"

Hilda scanned the shores of the river bank, going over to what appeared was green pussing goop that had a powerful aroma coming from it. "It's Lord Moreau's enzymes that he controls. They're very dangerous if you get close to them, especially when they pop."

Alice processed the warning, as they had another obstacle to deal with. "Well, if this was left by the Lord, that means we must be heading in the right direction." She turned to the right to see a wooden gate post with the symbol of a mermaid above. One of the crests from that mural in the caves to symbolize the Lord. "Huh… looks like this is our path." Alice realized, taking out her sniper and loaded it before aiming the barrel at the wall of enzymes. "Stay back." She warned before pulling the trigger, firing off a couple of bullets at the barrier. It took three bullets before the bubbling pus spewed out gasses then began to deteriorate into the ground. "Not that strong of a wall…" Alice stated as she was about to put her weapon away, only for Hilda to jump and hold Alice's sleeve to pull her back. The older of the two heard the faint sounds of screeching, looking over to see bubbles emerging from what was left of the goop, spilling out a black substance. At first, she believed it was just some of the puss from within the air chambers. It wasn't until the shapeless slugs began to move, which caught her off guard, as they wiggled and crawled over to Alice and Hilda. "What the hell?!" Alice took immediate action, shooting at the small enemies. Despite killing some with bullets, they kept coming and were latching onto her boot. Alice squirmed as she felt them crawling all over her body, being disgusted by these creatures.

Hilda looked around to find a way to get them off of Alice. Her eyes saw a bunch of candles that were lit near the gate. The child reached and grabbed a few, then tossed them towards the swarm. The flames landed on the bodies of the slugs, causing them to scatter away in a blink. They left Alice's legs and retreated towards the river to dive into the water. She panted as she watched them go, then turned to Hilda. "Thanks for the save."

Hilda smiled up at Alice, then looked back at the shallow stream. "I didn't think the Leeches would be awake during this time of the year…"

"The Duke was right, there's more than just Moreau in this part of the Village we need to worry about." Alice realized, remembering the Merchant's warning. And if what Donna mentioned about Moreau being unstable was true… they were in for quite a fight. "Let's stay close, the last thing we need is to get separated, especially when we meet the third Lord." Alice advised, beginning to make their way up the narrow pathway covered in slimy walls, while keeping her eyes open for any threats.

"Moreau isn't that bad," Hilda tried to explain. "He just suffers from self-esteem issues because he doesn't feel he lives up to the title of Lordship or Mother Miranda's approval. But I think he's more capable than he believes."

"Well, when you see him you can tell him that yourself." Alice told Hilda with sarcasm. They managed to get to a clearing with a large windmill that was boarded up by a metal gate supported by stone bricks. Alice had a feeling that is where they had to go next, so she headed over to the door and tried to open it. After a few pulls and tugs, there was no budging the frames. "Why do none of the gates just open around here?" She sighed, trying to find another way around. Her eyes noticed a red and yellow ladder over the bricks of the gate. It was covered by the slime, so Alice stepped back as far as she could, that way the leeches wouldn't come after them if they pooled out of the ooze. Using her sniper again, she shot at the wall and watched it evaporate. To her relief, there weren't any leeches in those sacks, but she had to remain careful from here on out.

They headed over to the ladder, realizing now that many of the steps were missing. "Of course the ladder would be broken…"

Hilda looked up at Alice and suggested, "I can get over there if you boost me up and unlock the fence on the other side."

Alice raised a brow at the child. "You sure you'll be okay?"

Hilda nodded, though Alice was still worried, it was the only way she could see them progressing. She went over to the wall and cupped her hands together, bringing them down as low as she could. The child headed over to Alice and used her hands to jump up, grabbing the ladder and climbing onto it. She hopped over the wall and went to the fence. It was pretty easy to unlock, and she managed to open it for Alice to walk in. "Piece of pie!" Hilda smiled up at her. Alice returned that look, watching the girl head towards the Windmill. Alice saw a small shack with a familiar Labyrinth inside with barrels and bags surrounding it. There was a glass case underneath a model of what looked like a Water Wheel Puzzle, but it needed its own ball.

"The Water Wheel Labyrinth!" Hilda pressed her face to the glass as she looked inside. "This one must have Moreau's treasure!"

"I'm sure that ball is around here somewhere, but we should focus on trying to find Rose's flash and the Root first." Alice reminded the child. Hilda seemed disappointed, but without the ball she couldn't play the game anyways. They continued to the Windmill, finding the entrance. "Guess we're going in." They ventured inside, seeing the turning pillar that controlled the rotation of the fan blades. Alice could see a table with a lit lantern and a typewriter next to it. There weren't many details in the structure, though one thing that stood out was a sign bolted to the wooden wall that read: 'Reservoir Elevator'. A stairwell led down to some shaft, which was where they were being drawn to. Hilda and Alice headed down the rock-filled hallways, having to take many turns before they finally came to a small room covered in muddy-dirt. Alice approached a wooden elevator with a single glowing light bulb, taking note of how fragile it appeared. "This doesn't look secure…" She mocked.

Hilda looked around the room, being awed as it was easy to impress her child-like mind. "Huh… I've never been down here before… But I believe these are the Mines."

"Mines?" Alice repeated.

"Yeah, the Mines were used to help control the water before the dam was created." Hilda explained.

It was an interesting fact, Alice admitted. If she was a Lord of the Reservoir who preferred to hide out and not be seen, the Mines would be the best place to settle. Hopefully that was the location of the Rose Flask and the Megamycete Root. Of course, they had to get down there first. Heading into the small shaft, Alice reached over to the yellow-taped lever and pulled it. The girls began to descend downward, taking a while as the ride was slow. Alice was reminded of the elevator ride from House Beneviento, but at least the creep factor wasn't as bad. Though she could have done without the smell and enzyme walls.

Once they made it to the bottom, it felt as if they were in the center of the Earth. The walls had wooden support beams to keep the structure together. The floor was wet with mud puddles everywhere, with light fixtures around every corner. It didn't seem like anyone had been down here in quite some time. There were two pathways: a narrowed one to the right and a larger area to the left with an iron barred gate. Alice went over to the gate, seeing there was an outside area for her to explore. She tried to open it, but the door would not budge, making her sign in annoyance as she was becoming tired of having to unlock doors before progressing. "Locked… Hilda, could you pick this for me?" Alice requested, turning around to find the young girl. Only for her eyes to not see her anywhere. "Hilda?!" She called again but got no response. That child really had a bad habit of running off.

Alice looked around, until a flash of green caught her eye which was heading down the tunnel of enzymes against the walls. She followed the kart tracks and tried to keep away from the puss. Some leeches scurried around, but Alice was able to easily outrun them since they weren't in a big group. Though the smell was getting to her nose, she used the shawl to cover her face and pressed on in the dark and damp cavern. She took a right only to meet a dead end, though she found some stairs leading upwards. Alice readied her weapons, in case she would have to face a battle and protect Hilda. Water dripped from the stalactites from the ceiling, as bags of trash mixed with the foul odor of the mucus walls increased the disgusting scent. She climbed the creaky stairs to a platform, seeing a wooden structure covered with drapes and rugs. The sound of static could be heard nearby, a noise similar to a television. She was on edge, carefully crawling through a small space between two enzyme walls. When she made it out on the other side, she was able to see inside the shack through an open window.

Alice kept her mouth shut as she saw a hunched over figure in a black cloak, wearing a crown of bones on top of their head. They were watching the static of the screen in the corner, as if waiting for something. No doubt about it, that had to be Moreau: the ruler of the Reservoir and third of the four Lords. Green eyes managed to gaze at something on a pedestal that was just at arms reach of Alice. Stretching out her arm, she grabbed the yellow flask and quickly ducked down so that she wouldn't be seen. Once she was under the windowsill, Alice examined the flask and saw on the parchment that it contained Rose's arms. A smile graced her face as she had collected most of her niece. There was only one flask left and they could piece together the baby. Still, Alice knew that the journey was not over yet.

She jumped out of her thoughts upon hearing a noise inside the hut, it sounded like someone was… puking? She didn't want to look up and see, but she could hear the Lord. "Oh, Mother Miranda… If it's for you, I'd do anything!" He moaned. Alice felt like she was going to vomit just listening to him. The guy didn't sound like he was in a stable condition based on his voice. Then again, the Duke did mention he was a being of twisted flesh, so she didn't even want to imagine what he was like underneath that cloak. With the flask in hand, Alice didn't see a reason to stay any longer. If she could avoid a fight with Moreau, she would take that opportunity. She got on her hands and knees and began to crawl away…

"Whatcha doing?" Alice froze, hearing the child's voice. She mentally cringed as she prayed that it wasn't her, but had to be sure. Peeking up to look inside, Alice could see Hilda was staring up at the Lord, which made her face go pale. How the hell did she get inside that shack?! And why was she so close to Moreau?!

The Lord looked over at the child in question, but wasn't hostile. "Oh, you shouldn't be here. This is no place for a kid." He warned her.

"I'm alright, besides, I'm not alone. I have a bodyguard." Hilda reassured him. "I was just curious what you were doing here alone in this shack." Alice didn't know what was worse: the fact that Hilda was having a conversation with Lord Moreau or that she allowed this to happen by not keeping an eye on the child.

"Oh, I'm guarding a piece of Mother's special flask." Moreau explained. "Mother is trying to get her baby back, so she gave me a flask to look after." Alice was caught off guard by that, as she realized the Lords were aware of what Miranda's true goal was. Still, something that didn't make any sense to Alice: why would Miranda chop up Rose if she was supposed to be a vessel for Eva? Now that she thought about it, it seemed weird she would separate the body parts if they were so valuable. The more Alice thought about it, the more it didn't add up.

"It must be a tough job, huh?" Hilda asked.

"It is… but if I don't do it, the others will laugh at me. They always think they are better than me." Moreau stated in a sadden tone, before looking at the ground.

Hilda sympathized with him, giving a small smile his way. "I know how that feels. The other orphans always mocked me because I was different. They even said that I would never get adopted because of it." Alice was surprised to hear Hilda's explanation of her life as an orphan. Then again, considering what the fate for those that got adopted were, Alice believed she dodged a bullet. Though to a child with no parents, any kind of love was better than none at all. "It hurt," Hilda admitted. "But at the end of the day, they're just words. And besides, I don't care if you aren't like the other Lords. That's what makes you special."

Moreau gave Hilda a twisted smile as he pulled his cloak back, revealing his face to Hilda who was not at all frightened or disgusted. "You're a kind child, but I'm the most flawed out of all of them… Mother said so herself."

Hilda shrugged. "So? All of the Lords have their flaws. Lady Dimitrescu can't fit through doors without crouching down. Lady Beneviento has trouble speaking, so she uses Angie to voice her opinions. Even Lord Heisenberg is pretty stuck up and doesn't have any manners. And he dresses like the town fool instead of nobility. Though that last bit was from Lady Dimitrescu herself." Hilda admitted. That made Moreau laugh as he felt somewhat better. Alice couldn't help but be baffled as she watched the scene, not realizing she had gotten up and was exposed. The fact Hilda was having a civil conversation with one of the Lords, a member of Miranda's court who was guarding a piece of a chopped up child. How could Hilda be so calm and caring despite what these mutants were capable of?

"Anyways, you managed to keep that piece safe so far, right? Especially since Lady Dimitrescu and Lady Beneviento got theirs taken already." Hilda pointed out.

"Y-Yeah… yeah! I am doing a lot better than them if I've kept my piece-" The fish man turned towards the pedestal where the flask was, only to see Alice who's face had drained of color. So much for not being noticed by the Lord.

"Uh… hi there…" Alice merely waved, as the shock and anxiety was spiking through her. What was she supposed to do now? Attack him? Run away? Talk with him?

"Alice!" Hilda ran over to the Winters, climbing out of the window and hugged her legs. "Sorry for running off, but I found some gem fragments and had to collect them. Then I found Lord Moreau." She explained, not seeing the looming threat as the fish man walked over to them.

"W-Wait… you're the one collecting Mother's special flasks?" Moreau questioned as he put the pieces together. He wasn't as dumb as he looked after all.

"Would you believe me if I said no?" Alice joked, though that didn't seem to work.

"Y-You can't! If you take it, the others will laugh at me. And Mother will be disappointed." Moreau told them as he sounded like he was choking up, clearing becoming desperate.

Alice admitted that she felt sorry for Moreau, much like Donna, he seemed to only be serving Miranda out of blind devotion. But even after being betrayed they didn't have much of a choice since it was all they knew. "Look, I have nothing against you. But my niece needs to be fixed, I'll leave you alone and won't harm you as long as you let us go. Besides, your other siblings are getting their flasks taken, so you won't be the only one." Alice tried to make him feel better, mostly to distract him as she was stepping away from his hut.

"No! You can't leave!" Moreau warned them. "Mother will only be upset once she learns what you are doing."

Alice tried to ignore him and his warning. It wasn't like he would be the only one to suffer Miranda's wrath just for failing her, all the other Lords were losing the flasks. And the only one really in danger of Miranda, were Ethan and Alice. Hilda still seemed like she was being civil with Moreau, despite his threats, if you could call them that. "I'm really sorry Lord Moreau, but Rose is only a baby. She doesn't deserve to be part of Mother Miranda's ritual. I know that Mother Miranda misses her daughter, but there has to be another way."

"But you can't leave… I can't go back to Mother empty handed…" Moreau begged.

Hilda was the only one who seemed to be hearing his pleas, as Alice tried to get out of the situation, but the child had a light in her eyes. "Technically, we still have to search for something else in your Reservoir, so we're gonna be here for a while longer." When she heard that, the Winters stared at the child as she did not like where this conversation was going. "So, how about we play a game?"

Moreau perked up then repeated what she said. "A game?"

"Yeah! Hide and seek! Alice and I will go around the Reservoir and try to find what we need. If we manage to find what we are looking for and leave your area, we win. But, if you manage to catch us, you can hand us over to Mother Miranda with the rest of the flasks. After all, if you were to not only bring the missing jars of Rosemary back to her, as well as the people who caused her trouble by taking said pieces, surely you'd be seen as the best of the four Lords if you can manage that out of your siblings. And Mother Miranda would also be very happy with you, she'll have to give you the praise you deserve."

Alice remained speechless, looking between the child and the third Lord, who pondered the idea and began to smile. "She would… wouldn't she?"

Hilda nodded. "But, you have to catch us first before we leave your land. And you also have to give us a head start. After all, if we just hand ourselves over to you, it wouldn't leave too much of an impression with Mother Miranda. Giving us time to run and chasing us yourself would make it more believable."

"Ohhh, you're not only a kind child, but a smart one as well!" Moreau complimented her. Alice wasn't sure what part of this conversation was terrifying. The fact Hilda basically turned this into a game where their literal lives would be on the line, or that Lord Moreau was actually buying this idea and accepted it. "When should I start chasing you?" He asked her.

"Well, go over to the corner, close your eyes and count from one to fifty. When you're done counting, then you can start hunting us down." Hilda instructed.

Moreau nodded vigorously, then wobbled over to where the TV was and used his thin arms to be raised over his eyes. The Lord began to count. "One… two… three…" He slowly lifted his head up to look back at the girls as Hilda was pushing Alice away.

"No peeking!" Hilda called out.

"Sorry!" Moreau apologized as he turned back to the corner and continued to count. "Four… five… six…"

Alice and Hilda headed down the stairs, through the small crawl space and back to the hallway with the tracks. The Winters glared at the orphan, not amused with the stunt she pulled. "Hilda, what were you thinking? You sold us out to one of the Lords!"

"Not technically, I was only giving him the chance to catch us. We already know how to get back, and once we get the Root in this area, we can leave." She tried to explain rationally.

"Still! A hide and seek game?! I already dealt with that when I went up against Donna." Alice complained. Though at least this time she wouldn't have to be dealing with possessed dolls. Then again, they didn't have a rotten odor on them.

"It was the only way to buy us time. Plus, you don't want to face Moreau when he goes into his monster form." Hilda told her.

Alice sighed, still hearing Moreau counting. "Seven… eight… nine…"

As much as she hated the idea of that mutant following them, it was better than just outright fighting him in a small corridor. It would have been awkward and hard to fire without them getting blasted. "Don't worry, Moreau is very slow so we can always outrun him." Hilda reassured the older woman. "Of course, if we are in the water while he's in his monster form… we're doomed." Hilda didn't sugarcoat that sentence, which made Alice realize what Moreau's strength was. In other words, they would have to stay on land for a better chance of survival.

"Ten… Eleven… Twelve…" Moreau was still counting while they had not made much progress in where they had to go. There was nothing else they could do other than play this game. At least they got the Flask, now all that was left was the Megamycete Root.

"Alright, let's find that root and try to outrun Moreau while we can." Alice declared, heading down the rail tracks with Hilda by her side. The bundles of enzyme walls were manifesting rapidly, spewing out leeches from the puss pockets as the creatures tried to climb after the two. Alice grunted as she tried to hold them back with the bullets and arrows she had, but they were not as effective against the bigger groups. "Shit, we have to get out of these mines!" Alice stated, running with Hilda further down the path. They tried to go back to the elevator, only to see the pathway was blocked by the leeches and mucus walls. "You've got to be kidding me…" Alice huffed.

Hilda looked around, seeing the iron gates but the leeches were swarming through. So it was probably best not to go there at the moment. The child grabbed Alice's hand, trying to find another path. Moreau's voice could still be heard throughout the Mines, as he was getting closer to fifty. Hilda noticed a stairwell to her left and took it, as they were on a wooden walkway. Alice shot a few loose boards hanging on the walls so they could walk across, they continued on until they found a ladder and climbed down into another tunnel. "Hurry, he's almost done counting." Hilda warned.

The tunnel was as dark and damp as the rest of the Mine, with dead fish laying on the ground. There was an outside of an open area with some light coming down. The walls were decorated with boards but most of the cave was of rocks and dirt, with a muddy field and some grasses. They headed out from the caves and walked into the area, seeing a run-down small shack and a dead tree with hanging sacks in the shape of bodies from the branches. It didn't seem like a bad area, but Alice kept her guard up. As the two explored, they wondered what secrets could be kept hidden in such a place. Alice didn't trust any of this, it felt like she was being watched. Though at this point it shouldn't have been a new feeling to her.

Hilda, being the explorer she was, marveled at the dreadful sight. "This is so cool! I've never been this deep into the Mines before!"

"There's probably a reason for that." Alice stated as she had her weapons at the ready. The child skipped over to the shack and looked inside, following the light of the lantern next to a bulletin board. There were some pieces of paper of news articles and rare fishes, but the one thing that caught Hilda's interest the most was a key hanging on a pin. She reached up and grabbed it, as Alice approached. "Looks like a key for a vehicle like a car or boat…" Alice realized as she saw the design of it.

"Well, the villagers in this part of the Village use boats for their fishing. Maybe that's what it's for!" Hilda realized.

"In that case, it might come in handy." Alice noted, as a vehicle like that would help them travel around the Reservoir faster. And it could help them outmaneuver Moreau as well. Alice noticed something else in the shack, sitting in the corner on a chair was a yellow taster gun. The Winters went over and grabbed hold of it, the weapon being no bigger than her back. She knew exactly what it was and her eyes lit up as she held it. "A Spark Shot! Now this will come in handy!"

Hilda looked over at the toy-like gun, confused by the appearance. "It's a funny looking weapon."

"It's a taser and a gun combined." Alice explained, checking the cartridge over. There were some volts inside, not a lot but it would be enough for now. "It will take a while to recharge after use, but it does pack a punch." With the items in hand, Alice figured it was time for them to leave and continue on. The moment their feet stepped out of the hut, Hilda gasped as her body froze. Alice turned back, noticing the expression on Hilda's face. That only meant one thing… sounds of hissing were heard around the cavern. Alice quickly readied her gun, as the monsters were nearby. Feet scurried above, as the woman saw shadowy figures crashing on the wooden walkways. She prepared herself for some Lycan killing, but didn't expect what these B.O.W's were.

They were four, large and buff looking monsters with the anatomy of a human, but with amphibian features such as bumpy backs, slit eyes, large and long claws for hands. She didn't recognize these creatures, or knew what they were. Though based on their appearance, they looked like a European leaf-toed gecko since their skin was dark yellow and brown. The reptilian creatures hissed at Alice, as they all ganged up on her. The Winters hadn't seen B.O.W's like these, but she couldn't waver now.

"Stay in the shack, Hilda! I'll take care of these overgrown geckos." Alice stated, holding up her UK Webley as she was ready to fire. The child went back into the hut to barricade the door, trusting Alice would deal with these monsters. Aiming her handgun, she pulled the trigger and fired the bullets. Despite being large creatures, they were able to dodge quickly and jump pretty far. They had much more agility than the Lycans, Alice realized. In a blink, they jumped in front of her and slashed her with their claws. She pulled back, grunting as she tried to keep shooting bullet after bullet. Even when she managed to get a critical hit, they weren't staggering or showing any sign of injury. Even after shooting one five times, they weren't slowing down. Alice had to empty all of her bullets and most of her arrows just to finally kill them. These monsters were tougher than the Lycans, and Alice didn't have a lot more ammo to take on the other three.

She was running out of supplies, and she doubted her and Hilda could outrun these creatures in such a confined space. She looked around the area, trying to come up with a new strategy. All she could use now was the Spark Shot, but she didn't know how effective it would be on their skins. She thought it would be useless… until her eyes caught the broken dock with some wood and boats in a body of water. It was only knee deep, but the water would be a good conductor. With a plan in her head, she headed over to the water and lured the monsters. Luckily, they were dumb enough to fall for the trick, as Alice managed to get the remaining three in the pool. She quickly got out and aimed her new weapon at them. With a clear shot, she pulled the trigger and watched the wire fly from the barrel and land on one of the reptiles. The electricity flowed through the lines and not only did it shock the one it attached to, the current flowed throughout the pond and fried the others. The monsters hissed in pain as their wet bodies collided with the shocks of the volts, making sparks fly.

Once Alice reeled the lines back after using up the charge, she watched them fall in the water as their limp bodies floated on the surface. She panted, finally managing to drive them to their deaths. It took a lot out of her, but at least they wouldn't bother them. "Finally… bunch of overgrown lizards…" She shook her head, turning on her heels to head back to the shack. "Hilda, it's okay. It's safe now." She called out.

The child peeked from the window, looking over at Alice before darting her eyes around the rest of the area to scan for any more potential threats. She didn't sense anything, so she hurried to push the bookcase from the door and quickly ran out to meet up with Alice. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… they were a lot tougher than I thought." Alice admitted. She was a bit dirty and banged up, but she would survive. "Can't believe this area has so many monsters…" Between the giant wolves, the leeches, Moreau himself and those giant lizard humanoids, this whole section of the Village was becoming a live zoo.

"Duke wasn't kidding about there being more than just Lord Moreau to worry about." Hilda noted.

"Let's find that Megamycete Root and get out of here as quickly as we can." Alice declared. She headed out with Hilda up the ladder, crossed the walkway then turned and went down the stairs. As they made it back, Moreau's voice could be heard throughout the Mines.

"Where are you? I'm gonna find you…" His voice echoed off the walls, but it sounded close.

"This way…" Alice whispered to Hilda, taking her hand and going out the pathway of the iron bars. The gate was now open, and they could walk out without any of the leeches covering the ground. Once they were through, they found themselves out of the Mines and onto a snowy pathway. Mountain ledges were on their sides, with a few gravestones on Alice's right. There were also large windmills ahead, and more summit terrains with trees. Rigid wooden fence posts and fallen branches were on the edge of the pathway, overlooking a flooded area. "This might be the worst area of the Village yet…" Alice noted.

"This whole area was flooded years ago, so most of the homes had to be built above the water." Hilda explained.

"Hopefully the Root and Ethan are up ahead. I also hope Ethan didn't run into Moreau…" Alice prayed that her brother was safe. He may believe he can handle himself, but based on how he hardly survived Louisiana and the Village so far, she wouldn't hold her breath. Still, they had to press on. She followed Hilda down the path, heading to a house and walking onto the porch. The inside was a mess, blood splatters on the furniture, books and bottles were scattered across the floor. Fishing poles leaned up against the wall, not phased by the state the building was in. Alice guessed the people who lived here must have relied on fish for their main meals. There was a note on the table, so Alice went over and read it, wondering if there was any information she could gather to help her.

'Hans is dead. He didn't come back yesterday and was last seen over near the deep end. We tried to warn him. No one should ever go near the deep parts of the waters, no matter the circumstances. That's where that giant fish swims, and will devour anything on the surface, boat and all! Anyways, we were given the orders to not fish for a while. Thankfully, our bounty will last us until the end of winter, once the ice breaks. As for Han's boat key, put it in the shack in the Mines. His boat managed to survive, I just have to find someone who wants it.'

A giant fish? Such a creature was living in the Reservoir? Then again, given what Alice had seen so far, she shouldn't have been so surprised. Was this creature another one of Moreau's experiments, or could it have been related to the Lord himself? Hilda did mention Moreau had a monster form… "Alice! Look!" The child herself called as she pointed to a wooden boat. It was a fairly simple one, with an engine in the back. Taking out the boat key from the Mine, Hilda inserted it into the machine. It took a few turns, but she managed to get it to start up.

The Winters smiled as she hopped into the water craft. "Not the best mode of transportation, but it should get us across the Reservoir." She went to the back while Hilda sat up near the front.

"Do you know how to steer?" She asked the older woman.

"I'm not an expert, but I learned back in Louisiana." Alice reassured her. She had to remember the controls first, and test out how to move. Once she knew the basics, they were off. The boat had only two speeds: slow and fast. Hilda kept a lookout on the front while Alice moved the handle so they could go in their designated direction. They headed through a cavern covered with rocks and more of those slimy enzyme bundles above the ceiling. Once they came out to the opening, the first thing they saw was a large, rusty arch with ladders and railings. "What's that?"

"That's the dam of the Reservoir! It's what keeps this area flooded." Hilda explained. "It's usually open during this time though, so that the water doesn't get too high. Looks like they forgot to open it this year."

"I can think of a few reasons as to why that is." Alice muttered to herself, heading to another cave area where a wooden dock was waiting for them. "Looks like this is our stop." The older woman drove the boat up to the stairs leading up a walkway. A lantern hung on a post to help light the way. Once the vehicle was stationed, Alice was the first to hop up on the boards. Hilda followed after grabbing the boat key. They walked along the planks and up a few steps, until they noticed a fort before them. Crates and boxes lined up outside of the entrance. Plastic draped over the door with a light shining in as wood and iron shutters held up the support. "This looks promising." Alice noted, walking up to the tent. "Wait here, I'll check inside." Hilda nodded at the command as Alice headed through the door.

Upon entering the space, she could see a few light sources hanging from the corner of the room. Microscopes and suitcases lined the tables, with notes scattered on the surfaces. Different tools as big as shovels and little ones like knives and scalpels. There were even some radios and a computer on a bench to her right. "This looks like a research post…" Alice hummed. Did this place belong to Moreau? Then again, there was no sign of his presence here. She looked over her shoulder to see a plant specimen in a bowl, wiggling its twigs and branches. It appeared to have been part of the Mold. She stepped further inside the area, turning to her left to see a large Root sticking out of the water and boards, wiggling slowly as it pulsated with the fungal abilities. She stepped closer, pleased to have found what she was looking for. "The third Root…" She couldn't believe her luck, finding it right here in this facility. This was probably the quickest she had located the Roots so far.

The younger Winters suddenly felt her communicator ringing, signaling someone was calling her. Pressing the button on her headset, Dr. Anastasia's image appeared on the small screen. "It has been a while since we talked, Miss Winters. I wanted to make sure you weren't dead."

"Sorry for not keeping in touch, but it is hard to be stealthy if I'm on the phone." Alice retorted.

"Well, that is fair." The Doctor mused. "How is your mission fairing?"

"I've located the third Megamycete Root and was just about to collect a sample."

"Which means you only have two more samples to collect. And it's only after lunchtime. You might just be the only punctual person that I have worked with yet. As well as competent and sufficient. Maybe I'll consider giving you Redfield's job when this is over."

Alice couldn't help but wear a grin at that remark. Even though she wasn't interested in working as a field agent for the BSAA or the Hound Wolf Squad, she would like to put Chris in his place just to teach him a lesson. And working with Dr. Anastasia was a plus, since she liked her. At least one of these agents knew what they were doing. "What about your search for your family?" The older woman asked.

"Well, I managed to meet back up with Ethan. He had a run in with the Lycans and Lords upon arrival." Alice explained.

"What was his damage?" Anastasia asked.

"Well, he got chewed up and lost some of his fingers on his left hand. And he had to outmaneuver some death games. But he's still alive."

"Well, that's the important thing now, isn't it?" She mused. "Any sign of Rose and Mia?"

"We have Rose… but not all of her." Alice tried to explain.

"I do not mind riddles, but I prefer to know their answers."

"It's hard to explain, but somehow Miranda turned Rose into a crystal and separated her into four pieces that are contained in flasks. Each one is being guarded by one of the Lords."

Upon hearing that, Dr. Anastasia raised a brow, surprised but not horrified. "Crystals? Oh dear…"

"You know something?" Alice questioned.

"It's possible the reason behind Miranda's actions to Rose is part of her ceremony. I managed to decipher the mural you sent me. Along with the notes, it seems to be connected to her ritual in an attempt to bring Eva back."

"So she wants to chop up the vessel her daughter is supposed to be in?"

"She is going to put the pieces together to revive Rose and summon Eva into her." Anastasia added. That didn't make sense to Alice, why would Miranda split apart the vessel her daughter is supposed to be in? What kind of purpose would that serve? "How many of the flasks do you have?" The Doctor questioned.

Alice snapped out of her thoughts to answer. "We got three of the four, but even if we can get them all, we don't know how to fix Rosemary." Alice admitted. "I know I told Ethan things would be alright, but I can hardly wrap my head around this…"
Anastasia remained silent for a moment, taking notice of Alice's words and tone. The scientist managed to finally say some encouragement to her agent. "While I was reviewing the mural and looking over the notes, I found a common element that ties into the chalice."

"Chalice?" Alice repeated.

"The Giant Chalice, which is seen in the center of the image. From what I gathered, it's apparently a key element used in rituals held at the Ceremony Site. There are four square slots which seem like they could hold some items."

"Square slots… you think that's where the flasks would go?"

"Well, I doubt they are there for show. The Giant Chalice was used for rituals involving the Megamycete. So, if Miranda plans on using Rosemary Winters to bring Eva back from the mold colony…"
"She would need to place the flasks into the Chalice!" Alice came to the realization.

"I still need to do more research, but I suggest placing those flasks into the Chalice when you collect them all. It might be the only way for you to get Rosemary back." Anastasia stated.

Alice wasn't sure what to think of this situation. There was still a lot she didn't know about this Village or how things worked in terms of this ceremony Miranda was planning on doing. Then again, she didn't have a lot of options, and they already had most of her niece. It was only a matter of time until Miranda found them and would attempt to get Rose back herself. Alice shouldn't be worried about the hows and whys, if there was a small chance of it working in their favor, it was the only lead they could follow. "Alright, I know where the Ceremony Site is. Once we find the last flask, we'll put them in there and hope for the best." Alice declared.
"And as for Mia Winters, any progress on revealing her location?"

Alice shook her head. "Nothing yet, but there's still some areas of the Village left to investigate. I'm doing my best to keep the hope strong, for Ethan's sake."

"Sometimes hope is all one can have to strive forward." Anastasia remarked. "Well, I will let you get back to work. Good luck, and keep staying alive." With that, the Doctor was gone and Alice was left alone.

The younger Winters wasted no time in her task. She grabbed out the tools and scraped a large chunk of the Megamycete Root, storing it in the container labeled 'Moreau'. Now she just needed the last Root and the sample from the Heart. At least with the third specimen, she and Hilda could get out of the Reservoir and away from the third Lord. Although, as Alice looked around the tent, her curiosity compelled her to investigate further. She slowly walked around, tinkering with the radios and computer, but none of it was operating. Whether the machines were broken or low on batteries didn't matter, since she couldn't access them regardless. It was a bit disappointing, but she did notice a blue folder being flattened by the laptop. Once she got it out from under the device, she saw a piece of paper inside. It was thin, but there was some data on it. Naturally, Alice read it over to determine what information she could gather.

'Based on the DNA calculations from the sample we took, 99.5% matched the Dulvey Mutamycete. While the remaining .5% was attributed to artificial changes by humans. Dr. Anastasia is convinced this is the source of the Mold Colony, which is used to create a sort of database. According to Dr. Anastasia, it acts as a network of consciousness, almost like a hive mind. This in turn affects the hosts who are connected to the Colony, but it seems there are only a few ways to be allowed access to said 'data' the Megamycete holds. Dr. Anastasia's notes mentions that this Megamycete is not only alive, it is an organism with consciousness. She mentioned that it 'chooses' who to infect and how they will be infected. Most of her notes are vague, but they are the only sources we have.

'Though the more I think about it, the more it baffles me. I understand we have orders to collect the samples on behalf of her, though I can't quite wrap my mind around this 'scientist'. We've been investigating this Mold Colony for years, ever since the incident with 'The Connections' and Eveline. And usually we come up empty handed without any new information. Yet the moment she shows up, Dr. Anastasia knows just what to do and what we have to look for? Not to mention how quickly she was able to come up with these conclusions about what the Megamycete is and how to destroy it. Personally, I don't fully trust her. But, she is the only one who seems to know what to do and has made more progress than any of us combined. And considering that Redfield has made some… questionable choices as of late, everyone seems willing to turn to her for control over this operation. I can't say she's bad at her job, but I have this gut feeling there's a lot more to this Village and ploy that she isn't telling us about.'

As Alice read the note over, she took into account what she gathered from the writing. This base must have been set up by the BSAA to investigate the Megamycete Roots before Alice came along. The members that were here were trying to gather the data, but where were they now? Then again, Alice already had a few theories based on the wild life within the Reservoir. She also took into account what they were talking about in regards to Dr. Anastasia. How she knew a lot about the Megamycete despite the other agents not having such knowledge on their own. Now that Alice thought about it, there was some information that the scientist told her but didn't add up since she got to the Village. Like the fact Miranda was the true ruler of this area, but there was a monarchy that had a hand over this land before she showed up. She also told Alice that the Village had a history of Christianity, but according to Hilda and the records she found, this Village had a pagan religion during its foundation and that didn't change. Now that the Winters thought about it, how did Anastasia know exactly where she needed to go to find the first Root sample in the Castle? Or certain landmarks of the Village? She didn't remember seeing any maps in her tent. There was a lot of information that Dr. Anastasia knew about this Village that no one else was able to learn on their own, unless they were physically inside this area.

Even though Alice was grateful for the resources Dr. Anastasia provided, the younger Winters was starting to see the scientist in a different light. She only heard stories about the woman and how much of a staple she was in the BSAA. But she never met her in person before, nor had she known anything about her personally. Then again, with how much power she had especially over Redfield himself, maybe no one thought of questioning her because of that. Alice decided to keep the file with her, stashing it as she thought she could use it later on. "What are you hiding, Dr. Anastasia?" Perhaps it was time someone confronted Dr. Anastasia herself about her research.

After placing the file in her pouch, it was time to head out of this tent. The sooner they got out of Moreau's Reservoir, the safer they would be. Of course, they would need to find a new route back to the Ceremony Site, since the path they took was now blocked. And they still had to figure out how to not be seen by the third Lord. While she was pondering their next move, Alice was not aware that a presence was sneaking up behind her. She was lost in thought that it only took the reflection of the computer screen to make her see the monster that was crawling on the fabric walls.

On eight legs, an arachnid appeared that was the size of Alice in height and far grander in width. Its body sported extremely light yellow coating with mottled white markings across the dorsal abdomen, four segments creating a cross. Alice backed up until she hit the desk, looking at the massive spider. How the hell could a creature like this survive in a Reservoir in the middle of winter?! Alice had no choice but to fight, as this monster was eager to attack. She took out her handgun and began to shoot at the creature. One bullet missed, as the spider reached over with its pedipalp and grabbed Alice's arm. The Winters struggled, as she felt the fangs of the predator sink into her skin. She hissed, then managed to raise up her other arm and aim a few arrows into the head. It took a few of them, but she managed to get the giant down for the count. The monster fell to the ground as its legs spasmed out, before going limp.

Alice winced as she held onto her bleeding arm, falling to the ground as she checked the damage. Even though the wound wasn't deep enough to be fatal, she felt her skin burning up. She cried as she tried to stop the bleeding with what little cloth she had, but the stinging sensation of her arm made it difficult.

"Alice!" Hilda ran into the tent, heading over to where the woman was and knelt by her side. "Are you alright?! I sensed something was in here."

Alice winced as she looked up at the child, who was terrified and concerned. The older woman hissed as she held her arm. "Y-Yeah… a giant spider… it's dead now, but it bit me…"

Hearing that made Hilda gasp, looking at the body of the monster that attacked Alice. "Oh no! A Crowned Orb Weaver!"

"You mean those European garden spiders?" Alice questioned. "But they aren't poisonous…"

"These ones are! And if it bit you…" The child tore off her satchel, digging around as she searched for something, but grew frantic as she couldn't find it. "Oh no… no no no no! How could I not have any?!"

"H-Hilda…" Alice looked up at her, trying to be brave but the poison in her was starting to make her arm go numb.

The child turned back to the older woman, looking fearful despite Alice trying to be strong. Hilda had to be brave as well. She began to patch up Alice's arm so the bleeding would stop, then she let the arm lay against her side. "Don't worry Alice. It's a slow poison, so as long as I can get you a blue herb before sundown, you'll be fine." Hilda explained. "But I need to find those herbs quickly…" The child stood back on her feet, clutching her satchel against her body as she held the boat key in her hand. "There should be some in this area… hopefully they aren't in the flooded parts."

"H-Hilda no! It's too dangerous to go off on your own…" Alice tried to protest, but the pain in her arm spiked, making her cry out.

Hilda looked at her with worry, but tried to keep her composure so she could prove to her how brave she was. "Alice, you need an antidote, or you'll die. Don't worry, I'll be alright. I know this Village like the back of my hand." She reassured her. Alice was still against having the child go off on her own, especially with Moreau still out there as well as a bunch of other monsters that lurked in the waters. However, even if Alice wanted to go with her, the poison coursing through her at the moment was saying otherwise. The child grabbed a tarp nearby and laid it over Alice, to act as a blanket. Hilda knelt down and held the woman's cheek. "I'll be back soon, Alice. Just hold on." Hilda advised, then turned to head out of the tent while she left the injured Winters in search of the cure.