Chapter 6-1 Alice Winters
Alice was catching her breath as she managed to find herself out of the factory. She was taken to a field of wheat, surrounding the seemingly small building that held larger secrets underneath. Machines and piles of scrap were littered around the front of Heisenberg's home, the most noticeable was that of a tank. Power Lines connected around the domain, but this was the only place she ever saw such modern technology within the Village. Despite the rising questions of how the metal man could possibly possess all of these types of equipment and keep it to himself, Alice would save those thoughts later. She found herself at the barred fence, pushing open the gate and running off until she was at the edge of a cliff. Bricks and stone which seemed like it could have been part of a bridge, only showed the narrow river down below. She panted, looking at the ledge she was on, before turning her head back to the factory she just escaped. She couldn't believe she managed to get out, despite so many close calls. One thing was for certain, she did not plan on going back there.
Fortunately, she already got what she needed from the factory. Now, she just had to head to the Ceremony Site where Ethan and Hilda should be waiting. She would have to get across to the other side first. Alice entertained the thought of going down the mountainside, crossing the dam over the reservoir and head from Moreau's territory to the Altar, all the way to the Ceremony Site. Even though that was an option, it would take a long while and she would most likely have numerous encounters with the B.O.W's. Still, it seemed like the only option she had, as it would be too much of a risk to try and cross the other side straight through.
Keeping her hopes up, she carefully skidded down the stone ledges, about to make her way to the dam. She nearly lost her footing as the ground beneath her shook, like a mini earthquake. As quick as it came, it was gone in a flash. She didn't think anything of it at first, until she noticed something over the ledge of where the Ceremony Site was. Large branches produced out of the wall of earth, moving around a bit before settling. Some even rose up from the river below, making a bridge of sorts. "Guess when one door closes, a tree bridge opens." Alice remarked.
She went closer to the strange branches, recognizing them as being part of the Megamycete. She figured it made sense that they would be producing from and near the Ceremony Site, given that is most likely where the fungal colony resigns. Alice was questioning more on the matter of why the Megamycete was being shown off like this. Did something happen at the Ceremony Site? Were Hilda and Ethan in danger? She needed to get up there immediately. The quickest way appeared to be the roots themselves, as they were practically creating a new pathway for her. At first, Alice was a bit hesitant while staring at the thick branches that belonged to the Megamycete.
Cautiously approaching, she went over to the branch which had crossed the river and poked it with her foot, quickly reeling back as she waited for a reaction. After a moment of silence, Alice concluded nothing happened. She tried again, this time letting her foot stay on the plant. It moved slightly, but didn't make any advances to attack. Alice hopped along the branch, walking carefully on it, yet it appeared to be dormant despite breaking out of the mountain side. Alice thought it was odd, but she pressed forward, using the makeshift bridge to cross the other side. Alice then took out her grappling hook, using it to lift herself up to different platforms. It was difficult at first since not all of the branches wanted to corporate, or some of the stone ledges fell off. She had to keep her eyes open for the stable spots, until she managed to get to the top where the fence separated her from the Ceremony Site.
Climbing over it was the easiest part, once she was on the other side she headed towards the center of the Four Kings and began looking for her family. She spotted Ethan right away, who was laying against the toes of the King on the left side closest to entrance from the Altar. She rushed over to him, as he was laying on the foot stand holding the feet of the Lord. "Ethan!" Alice called to him as she started to push him a bit. The older Winters started to open his eyes, gaining his senses as his vision went from blurry to clear. When he saw his sister, he groaned and sat up.
"Uggghhh…" He rubbed his head as he looked up at his younger sibling. "A-Alice?" He stood up as he kept eye contact with her. "You're here… You're alright!"
"I could say the same about you." Alice smiled. "But where's Hilda?" Alice asked, beginning to look around for the child. Ethan did as well, scanning for the young orphan. They noticed her on one of the King's statue's, between the feet as she held a blanket in her arms. She was making silly faces into the giggling bundle, which made Ethan quickly rush to the girl and baby. Alice followed behind, hoping for the best outcome.
Hilda looked up as Ethan was staring at her, panting heavily in concern while the child seemed nonchalant. "Oh! Ethan, you're awake!" She seemed cheerful as she kept her eyes on the old man, while her arms were occupied.
"I-Is that…?" He pointed to the blanket that Hilda had.
She looked at the baby inside, as the newborn was giggling still. Hilda reached over to present the youngest Winters. Ethan immediately grabbed her and unwrapped the fabric around her, showing Rose in her outfit she had from last night before she was taken. Ethan's daughter looked up at her father, a smile on her face. "Rose…" His voice broke as he felt tears escape his eyes. He used his right hand to rub her head, as she snuggled into his hold. "Shhh-Shhh. It's- It's alright, Rose. It's alright." A smile graced Ethan's lips, for the first time since he entered the Village. He had his daughter back, she was back together and looked healthy. No scratch, bruise, or any kind of weird physical mutation on her. That was enough for him.
Alice looked over at her niece, who yawned as she seemed content in her father's hold. "She looks just like you." Alice noted, since this was the first time she was seeing the child in person.
"She looks safe…" Ethan held his daughter against his chest. As he did, he felt a huge weight lift off of him now that he was reunited with his child. He didn't even care that his left hand was all healed either, since it didn't matter to him. But to Alice, she took notice.
"Ethan… what happened to your hand? I thought it got chewed up." Alice looked at all five fingers on his non-dominant palm, as she remembered that it had been bandaged up with a few digits missing only hours ago.
"Heh… honestly, I won't question it since I don't care anymore." He shrugged. "But… I'm trying to remember how I got here…" Ethan looked around the Ceremony Site, as he couldn't recall coming back here after the Stronghold.
Hilda stood up from where she sat and looked at the male Winters. "There was a monster that attacked us in the Stronghold, it knocked you out but when you awoke, we got back here. It was hard for you to concentrate since he hit you at the back of the head." She explained. "When we got here, you kind of fell asleep on one of the Kings…"
"Guess that hit got me more than I thought." He admitted as he rubbed the back of his head, wincing a bit from the bump.
"How did you manage to get Rose back though?" Alice asked Hilda.
"I just put all of the flasks into the Giant Chalice in the Altar, then asked the Duke to bring it here and place it in the dias on the Ceremony Site. Then these roots started to come out and swing around, and the flasks turned into this gooey substance of black and green. I reached it, and bam! Baby Rose."
Alice and Ethan listened to her speak, then looked at each other before either eyes landed on the baby. "It was… that easy?" Alice pondered.
"Hey, we shouldn't question how things from centuries ago work around here. What matters is we got Rose back. And she looks healthy…" Ethan stated in relief.
"Well, we'll have to get her looked over to make sure she didn't get infected or influenced." Alice stated.
"Why? Miranda didn't do the ritual, so Rose isn't Eva. Right?" Ethan tried to reason.
"Ethan, we don't know how this ritual works. I'm not saying that Rose could be Eva, but we should make sure to be safe." Alice tried to reason.
"Don't you think I would recognize my own daughter?" He started to become agitated by the accusations Alice was spitting out. Even though she was making considerate points, she did understand his frustration.
"Ethan, I know you've been through a lot. But it isn't over yet." Alice reminded him. He still looked on edge as he glared at his sister. It was the soft cries of his daughter that brought his eyes down to look at the baby. She still looked so much like him. He didn't want to believe that the ritual worked and Eva was inside of Rose. But… It was hard to tell. Still, he had to hope that Rose was still a Winters, because that was what he and Alice were fighting for.
Ethan remained silent, as he only held his newborn while Hilda went over to Alice's side. "Did you manage to get the sample?"
"Yeah, I actually found it pretty easily. Getting out of the factory was the hardest part. Especially with that Lord chasing after me." Alice explained.
Ethan turned his head to stare at his sister wide eyed. "What!?" He sounded concerned and fearful. Alice reassured him though.
"Don't worry, he didn't get me. He was close, but I'm here aren't I?"
"Did Lord Heisenberg leave an impression on you?" Hilda asked.
"You… could say that…" Alice didn't want to say much more since she knew the child had such high regard to the Lords.
The female Winters heard a beeping sound coming from her communicator on her headset. She picked it up and saw an image of Tundra on her screen. "Tundra reporting in."
"Well, about time you got back." Alice noted.
"Apologizes, but the signal out here can be tricky. How's your search coming along?" Tundra asked.
"Well, I found Ethan and we managed to get Rosemary as well." Alice explained. "And I even got four of the five samples."
"Looks like your mission is going smoothly. Night Howl owes me twenty now."
"What about you? Did you find a way to get through the branches?" Alice asked.
"Actually, I was calling about that. Apparently the Megamycete that was blocking you in, all the branches seemed to have settled back into the ground. Not all of them, but enough to clear the path. Those that are still above ground look like they are sleeping."
Alice was surprised to say the least. Did the ritual make the fungal colony weaker as a result? She wouldn't waste too much time questioning it, when this meant she could get the others to safety. "Are you still at the sight you dropped me off at?"
"Yeah, still at my post."
"I'll be sending my brother and his daughter to you. Can you take them back to the campsite?" Alice asked.
"Roger that. I'll meet you at the location." Tundra declared as she turned off the communicator. Alice looked over at the three, knowing they would be safe now.
"One of Chris's team mates said that we have an opening now. She'll take you to the base camp and get you settled there." Alice explained.
"You really think it's a good idea for us to be near Redfield?" Ethan raised a brow, still not forgiving how Chris handled the Miranda situation.
"You, Rose and Hilda will be safer there than remaining here." Alice stated. Ethan couldn't argue with that, so he remained quiet. "I'll lead you there, stay close." Alice advised. She took out her crossbow and loaded it with arrows. She began to escort her brother, his daughter and Hilda from the Ceremony Site through the Village, trying to get back to the path she took upon first arriving. So far, no sign of any monsters, which was good since that meant they wouldn't end up in a fight. The hard part was tracking back to where the ledge was, as it was getting darker out and the only sources of light were from the candles on a few house porches.
"Hey, where's your handgun and rifle?" Ethan asked, noticing the lack of her artillery.
"Lost it in the factory, Heisenberg took them from me with his metal powers." Alice explained.
"And he didn't give them back to you?" Hilda questioned.
"No… I was too busy finding the exit." Alice told the child.
"Guess metal weapons wouldn't have much of an effect with his kind of powers…" Ethan realized. He would have got his own weapon out to help back up Alice, but his arms were currently occupied with his child.
"Don't worry, I have enough ammo and other equipment anyways…" She reassured him. They kept walking, going back to the center of the Village with the Maiden Statue, then went down the road with the goat heads. It was suspiciously smooth sailing.
"Isn't it a bit weird that there aren't any Lycans nearby?" Ethan questioned, looking around and saw no B.O.W's in sight.
"Maybe since we destroyed their hideout, they're scattered now?" Hilda suggested.
"Let's not try and jinx ourselves now…" Alice begged, the last thing they needed was to be ambushed by those infected creatures. She found the mountain ledge that the Winters climbed from and started to head up it. Helping Hilda and Ethan along the way, as they traveled to the top. Once there, they sat in the thick snow, panting as their breath became fog from the approaching cold the night would carry. Once on her feet, she looked ahead and within less than a mile, she could still see the car with Tundra holding her gun out, looking around. "Finally…" Alice sighed as she walked with the others towards the vehicle.
The woman in the getup glanced to see the group approaching her. "Alice Winters, you made it."
"I won't say it was a piece of cake, but you shouldn't have doubted me." The younger Winters noted.
Tundra looked over at the man of the group, as he kept holding his daughter close to his chest. The Hound Wolf Squad member approached him, keeping her gun posed and her eyes to the survivor. "Ethan Winters… you managed to stay alive and escaped."
"Well, Alice helped with that." Ethan admitted, looking at his younger sibling and giving a small smile, to which she returned back. "I would have been Lycan chow if she didn't come in. And I wouldn't have gotten my daughter back."
Tundra saw the baby Rosemary in the bundle, babbling in her gibberish language. "So both you and Rosemary are safe… Thank goodness." She took a step back, placing her gun over her shoulder since there was no need for it. And she didn't want to be anymore threatening to the Winters than she already was. "On behalf of my Squad and especially my leader, Alpha, I deeply apologize for the situation we have put you and your daughter in. We were tasked to protect the Winters after the events of Dulvey, Louisiana, and we failed. We were aware of Mia Winters being replaced by Miranda and wanted to find a way to neutralize the target without causing any stress to you and your daughter. What my leader did, however, was the opposite. I don't expect you to believe me, but not all of us agreed with his plan. We could have told you what was going on, but Alpha didn't want you to get involved because he knew you had suffered enough. In the end, we only put you and Rosemary in more harm due to our military training rather than our communication skills. I don't expect you to forgive us, but we will try to make it up to you as best as we can."
Alice and Ethan heard her plea, and it was pretty sincere to her credit. Even though Ethan and Alice were still sore about the direction Chris (whom they both knew was Alpha) took with trying to deescalate the situation, it only blew it up by handing Miranda what she was after. At least, what Ethan and Alice believed she was after. The male Winters raised his healed hand towards the military woman. "I'm not blaming you or your squad. I know you would have told me if it wasn't for Chris. I won't forgive your leader, but I won't hold his actions on you guys. So, no hard feelings." Ethan promised.
Tundra smiled at him, glad there was some understanding. Even Ethan had a small grin on his face, keeping his hold on Rose as she was snuggling in the blanket. The female soldier looked to Alice's side, noticing the child with the green skirt and beige coat. Hilda stayed close behind Alice, keeping a hold on the woman's clothes while trying to hide herself from the view of the other. "And who is this little one?"
"This is Hilda, she was from the Village. The survivor I told you about." Alice reminded her.
"Well, you're very brave to have stayed strong in such conditions." Tundra commented her, but Hilda was still using Alice as a shield.
"It's okay, Hilda, she isn't going to hurt you." Alice reassured the child.
"It's fine, Alice. I know what she's going through. Poor kid losing her whole Village and then being given to a stranger… it's a lot to ask for her to go along willingly." Tundra did have a point. Hilda lost her community, home, and friends in just one day. She seemed to trust Alice right away, but when it came to Ethan she was hesitant. Of course Hilda would be scared seeing Tundra, especially with such weapons and outfit.
The younger Winters knelt down and placed a hand on Hilda's head, looking her in the eyes as she was gentle with her tone while speaking. "You don't have to be scared, Hilda. Tundra is going to take you and my family to a safe location. They'll look after you and make sure you're protected from any of those monsters."
"What about you?" Ethan asked his sister.
"I need to head back to the Village. I need one more sample from the Megamycete to collect." Alice explained.
"You're going back alone?" Ethan questioned with concern.
"I still need to collect from the heart before I can send the specimens off to Dr. Anastasia." Alice told them. "But I wanted to bring you three here so you can be taken to the camp and be protected there."
"I can head back in with you for extra backup." Tundra offered.
Alice shook her head. "No, Ethan and Rose have been through enough. I want them back at the base so they can get looked over and be put to a safehouse. Hilda especially." Alice declared. "Besides, if we all go in, we'll just be a bigger target. I need to rely on stealth, especially with Miranda probably realizing her Ceremony took place without her there."
"You're really gonna go back in alone?" Ethan questioned. "That's practically suicide."
"I can take care of myself, Ethan." Alice stated. "Besides, you need to get your daughter and Hilda to safety. And there might be a chance that Mia is still somewhere, so I can get her out and have her meet you all."
"Alice-"
"Let me do this for you Ethan. You and your family suffered enough."
"You're part of my family!" Ethan retorted. "And I don't want to lose you…"
"You won't… Come on, I know what I'm doing and I'm as tough as you are. Don't you want to get Rose out of this nightmare?"
"I do but-" Ethan wanted to protest. It was one thing for them to split up before, but at least they were still in the same area. Now, they would be separated long distances and there would be no way for him to reach her in time. He was cut off as the cries of his daughter were heard. Her stubby hands reached up to her father as she cooed. Staring at her made him forget what he was trying to say, as well as made him realize how important it was for him to be a father instead of a brother.
"I promise I'll come back." Alice reassured him. Ethan, despite worrying for her deep in his heart, could only stare at her with wide eyes. He wanted to help out, he wanted to make sure Alice came out of this alive. Yet he also needed to protect Rose to make up with his failure. With a heavy nod, he knew she needed to continue on her own. He handed Rose to Tundra for a moment, then approached and grabbed out his arsenal of weapons: handgun, shotgun, grenade launcher and the Wolfsbane magnum.
"Here… you said you lost some of your weapons from Heisenberg, right? Chances are the Heart will be the most heavily guarded, so you're going to need as much firepower as you can get. Not a lot of ammo though, wasted a bit of it from the Stronghold…"
Alice placed them into her stash and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll just buy some more from the Duke. I'm sure he's still in the Village. Thanks…"
Ethan nodded, it wasn't like he needed them anymore since Tundra was already armed. Plus, Alice was going to need as much support as she could get.
Hilda looked up at the woman, grabbing hold of her pants as she stared up with fearful eyes. "Alice…"
The Winters turned to face the child, knowing how scared she was. "I know you're terrified, Hilda. But I need you to be really brave."
"Please don't go back alone. Let me come with you! I promise I'll be safe and do whatever you tell me!" Hilda begged.
"Hilda, I can't." Alice remained calm as she kept her gaze on the child. "You need to go somewhere safe, especially if Miranda and the other Lords are after you." Ethan and Tundra looked at Alice as she said that, then turned to each other with a questionable expression.
"But I don't want to leave you!" Hilda whined as she started to produce tears in her eyes.
"Kid, you have to come with us." Ethan urged her, reaching over to take her away, but she was quicker and hid behind the younger Winters. "Hilda, don't be a brat…" Ethan warned.
"Hilda…" Alice was starting to get a bit frustrated as well, but tried not to show it.
"Please! I… I know where the heart is!" Hilda cried. The adults went silent as they listened to the child, who was clearly determined in her goal.
"Where?" Tundra questioned.
The response she got was a shake from the child's head and her response. "I'll only tell Alice if she agrees to take me with her!"
"Hilda…" Alice tried to reason with her.
"Please! I want to make sure you come back! I know it's dangerous, but I'll be safe! I'll listen to whatever you say, but I don't want to leave your side!" Hilda cried as she was desperate.
Alice was conflicted by the young child. She didn't want Hilda to come back to the Village, especially after she learned that Miranda might be after this resident, and is planning on getting her through the Lords. Sure, she managed to evade them up to this point, but who knew when Hilda's luck would run out. However, the child was very adamant on wanting to stay by Alice no matter the dangers. She also had information on where the last sample of the Megamycete was, but was withholding that secret unless she would be with the Winters. She needed to collect from the Heart, but not if it meant going back and risking Hilda's safety.
Of course, Alice could always try to find the heart herself, but she didn't know how long it would take. And considering that night was already approaching, she needed all the help she could get. As hard of a decision it was, the younger of the Winters knew what needed to be done. A heavy sigh came out of Alice's mouth, while staring at the villager. "Alright… you can come with me." She reluctantly agreed. Both Ethan and Tundra were stunned by the response, while Hilda was bouncing in merriment.
"Alice, you can't be serious!" Ethan protested.
"She's not going to let up, Ethan." Alice declared. "Besides, Hilda knows this Village better than anyone, if she knows where the Heart might be, I'll follow her. And I'll keep her safe."
"And you think you can still do that?"
"I've done a good job so far…" Alice pointed out. "We'll go in, get the sample, and head out."
"And if you don't come back?" Ethan questioned.
"Then you can come and get me…" Alice answered honestly. "But only if that happens. For now, please… get Rose and yourself as far away from this place as possible. Or else this mission would have all been in vain." She begged him, all she wanted now was to finish this mission of hers and keep everyone she loved safe. Ethan had been through so much, he needed a break. More importantly, he needed to think about his immediate family.
"I'll take Ethan and Rosemary Winters to base camp. Then come back here and wait for you." Tundra told her. She knew what had to be done, even if it wasn't easy.
The older Winters sighed, looking at his sister. There was no way she was changing her mind. So what was the point in fighting? All he did was embrace her in a tight hug and shuddered a breath. "You come back… in one piece and Cadou free."
Alice patted his back before pulling away, smiling at him with her gleaming eyes. "It's a Winters promise." She declared, which meant she had no intention of breaking it. To Ethan, that was music to his ears and the most reassuring thing he has heard all day. Alice turned to Hilda, as she was going to keep her word. "Come on Hilda, let's head back and finish this." The child nodded, skipping alongside Alice as the pair walked back towards the Village.
Tundra and Ethan watched until they were no longer in sight, making sure they left without any problems. "I wish Hilda wouldn't be so selfish sometimes. That place isn't safe for anyone…" Ethan noted.
"You can't blame her…" Tundra told him. "Alice is probably the only stable thing she has right now. It makes sense she wouldn't want to lose that…" Hearing her out, Ethan realized there were some truth to her words. Hilda must have seen Alice as a maternal figure, hence why she was so attached. He would feel just as devastated as her if anything happened to the younger Winters.
Alice carefully maneuvered her way back to the Village, with Hilda next to her. The child kept her promise to the Winters and stayed close by in her line of sight. At least she was a good listener. Once they were back near the Church, Alice checked her surroundings to see the atmosphere had changed. Storm clouds were gathering in the sky, making the area darker as a result. The lights of flames helped guide them in their path. There was an eerie silence that blanketed the world, no sign of the Lycans, Lords or even Miranda herself. It truly became a ghost town, with only the history left behind. She hoped it would remain this isolated, so she could get the last Megamycete sample and be on her way.
Hilda looked around the place, keeping a grip on Alice's pants as her small orbs were scanning the home she grew up in. "I don't even recognize this place… it's never this quiet."
Alice could hear the fear in the child, knowing how dreadful it was seeing your home become a war zone only to see many deaths. She could relate on a personal level, given her own childhood history.
"Once I get the last Megamycete sample, we can head out of here." Alice promised her. "Speaking of, you said you knew how I could get there."
Hilda looked up at Alice, as the older of the two wanted that information. "You remember the boat we took to get into Lady Dimitrescu's Castle?"
"You mean from the right of the Lone Bridge, through the Suspension Bridge and over the Mountain Stream." Alice smiled, proud of herself that she was able to remember the layout of this land.
Hilda was impressed, nodding before speaking. "This time, go to the docs below the Lone Bridge and go the opposite side, to the left. You'll find a small land and a cave."
"And that's where the heart is?" Alice asked.
"It will lead you to it. The caves are steep, so we'll have to be careful." Hilda advised.
Alice kept that in mind, as she and her headed through the graveyard up the steps to the Altar. The Giant Chalice was no longer in the center, but the Duke and his shop were still displayed. Good, at least Alice could stock up in case she would be in for a fight. This was also a safe place, Alice realized. The merchant noticed her purchasing the ammo, using what little Lei she had left.
"No need to pay full price, consider everything half off for your final mission." The Duke reassured her.
"Thanks for the generosity." Alice told him.
A smile was plastered onto his chubby face. "Like I said, it is all part of our first class customer service. For my favorite client." He patted Hilda on the head which made her giggle.
"That reminds me, would it be possible if she stayed here with you for a while?" Alice asked.
The child turned towards Alice after requesting that, making her cautious. "Wait, are you going by yourself? What about-"
"I appreciate you worrying about me, sweetie. But if I'm going to the heart, then it's possible I might be seeing Miranda herself." Alice told her. Hilda seemed to want to protest more, but when Alice mentioned the leader of the Village, the child took a step back, staring down at the ground in slight fear.
"The Heart is where Miranda's domain lies. It might be possible you will see her, or at least her guards." Duke warned her.
Alice looked back at Hilda, keeping a calm and patient demeanor. "It would be easier if I went alone, so I can be sneaky. And if I get into a fight, you won't get hurt. I promise, I'll come back for you once I collect the heart sample. For now, I need you to stay here and be safe. Can you do that for me?"
Hilda raised her head to meet Alice's eyes, as she had a longing and frightful expression. Even though the child had come this far with Alice, and feared she would lose her, Hilda knew that Alice was doing this to protect her. Something only a few people in her life had done for her. "Okay, Alice. I'll stay here…" She promised.
The Winters smiled at the answer, reaching over and giving a hug to the child. She was going to make sure they both got out of this, one way or another. At least Hilda would be safe, so long as she was with the Duke. Once Alice pulled away, she turned on her heels and began to head to the direction Hilda told her. The child watched her, her heart grew heavy as her worry for the woman increased. Alice went through the arch and took the path through Lone Road, being reminded of her first time coming here when her and Hilda were heading inside the Castle. Now, this would be the path she took for it to end.
She went to the right, down a flight of stairs where the dock was stationed. She noticed a boat was there as well, which was strange since there was only one here before and they already used it. Well, no point asking questions. She hopped in, starting up the engine and turned the boat to head to the left of the river. Then the vehicle followed the river, as it was much more narrow than the one leading to the Castle. Rocks and snow were fairly close to her boat, but she pressed on. The place was quiet, far too quiet despite the activity hours ago. Alice wished she had someone to talk to, at least that would make this trip a bit more tolerable.
Soon the boat reached a dead end of the river, with a port stationed to the right. Once she laid her boat close to it, the Winters stepped out and looked around, being on dry land once more. "Almost done… just a bit more Alice." She told herself, promising that this mission would be over soon enough. She needed to find that cave Hilda mentioned, since that would be her ticket to the Megamycete. Taking out Ethan's handgun, her body walked through the path covered with dead trees and thick snow. Her eyes peeled for any sign of the entrance. She didn't have to travel far, as she saw an opening in a mountain side. Black boots carried her over, going in as the entrance was noticeably dark. She was ready to get her flashlight out, but noticed something shiny and white bouncing off the walls. The Winters followed, keeping her ears listening so she wouldn't have any sneak attacks behind her.
Alice's body had to crawl through a narrowed passage, where the walls were against her chest and back. On the other side, she managed to turn her flashlight on, nearly jumping as she thought she saw something move. To her relief, it wasn't a person but a large tendril of bark. Stepping further to examine the area, many branches and roots of plants, as thick as her own body, covered the walls and ceiling. As she took a few steps forward, the sound of shifting and shuffling could be heard as the roots pulsated and moved around. Did the Megamycete sense she was here? Was it trying to warn Miranda? If that was the case, Alice needed to be quick. She walked around the ledge, trying to find out where to go. Green eyes landed on a desk against a wall with boarded up wood and a lit lantern. It seemed out of place to be here, but she went to check it out in case there was any information. There was a stack of documents on the surface, which were in cursive handwriting. Alice could make it out with the illumination of her flashlight. She started to read them out loud.
'Subject Name: F-001 (Florina)
'Cadou Affinity: Slightly favorable.
'Brain Functions: Average
'The DNA from EW seems to have caused severe mutations, making her a Lycan as a result. However, she was able to retain some of her intelligence, and does not seem to want to eat human meat. I kept her for a while, since I pitied her form, and took care of her as best I could. She regressed into a mere puppy with her playful manner. Eventually, the Cadou took hold of her and she began hurting herself. It is possible she didn't want to lose her mind. I had to euthanize her, holding her in my arms as she passed.
'Sadly, a failed vessel for Eva. And the death of a young child.
'Subject Name: F-005 (Fanny)
'Cadou Affinity: Favorable.
'Brain Functions: Average
'At first, the DNA from EW seemed to have bonded well within her body. For the past three weeks, there have been no problems. However, on the 24th day of implantation, her nails started to grow at an alarming rate. I tried clipping them, but they started to extend and became sharper. Eventually, her fingers began to resemble that of blades, rather than human appendages. It was difficult for her to even hold objects. While she is able to be quiet and stealthy, she is no doubt a danger to herself and others. In the end, I had to put her out of her misery.
'Sadly, a failed vessel for Eva. And the death of a young child.
'Subject Name: G-003 (Gasha)
'Cadou Affinity: Slightly Favorable
'Brain Functions: Low and questionable.
'The Cadou has made the pain receptors of her body cease, causing her to feel no repercussions when she takes damage. While this may not seem like a failure on the surface, her body does not contain enough advanced platelets for her to heal wounds. Her appendages also have a habit of falling off, and it is a constant pain to put them back on. The EW DNA seems to have also affected her mental development. Before she had the intelligence of a 10 year old, now her vocabulary and actions are limited as if she was 4. It was clear that the Cadou was degrading the brain. Once again, I had to get my hands dirty and end her life before she lost herself. I couldn't do it while she was awake, at least she died in her sleep.
'Sadly, a failed vessel for Eva. And the death of a young child.
'Subject name: G-007 (Gabriella)
'Cadou affinity: Favorable
'Brain Functions: Average
'She seemed to have adapted well with the Cadou at first, however anytime she gets injured, her wounds produce crystal fragments that cover the area of injury. It takes days before the crystals fall out and new skin is reconstructed. At times, half of her body is covered in the solid gems. In such a state, she will resort to a deep sleep to recover energy at a faster rate. Her immune system seems to have also been compromised since it is having difficulty keeping up with the Cadou. Could be why she is constantly in that crystalized state even when she has not been injured.
'Sadly, a failed vessel for Eva. And the death of a young child.'
Alice had to read over this information two more times just for it to settle in. These were experimentation notes, just like with the daughters of Dimitrescu, the children of Donna and the soldiers of Heisenberg. But they were more detailed and talked about the actual powers these girls had from the Cadou. Were these notes from Miranda? They did mention using these kids for a vessel. Then again, it seemed whoever wrote these had remorse for the victims, something she hadn't seen before. Alice doubted that Miranda, with everything she had done, would feel guilty for using young children in her experiment so long as she reached her end goal of getting her daughter back. But, who were these victims? And where did they come from? Also, what was with the code names of F-001 or G-003? Why did those codenames sound so familiar?
The ground around her shook, as the roots were dancing around defensively. Alice looked over at the edge, knowing that was where she had to go. No point is staying around and asking questions, she had a mission to do. Going over the ledge, the Winters hopped down as she tried not to come into contact with any of the roots. Following them would surely help find the Megamycete in no time. She was on her own, not knowing what to expect but was prepared. The Winters slid down the side, going to the ground and traveled in the vast darkness with only her flashlight as a source. Alice felt like she was being watched, it didn't help that this place was claustrophobic and had a hard time turning around. At least the path seemed to be heading in the right direction, as the roots snaked along the walls. She followed them, as they would lead her to the heart.
After walking for what felt like a while, she came to a cave and looked below, to see a large opening of dirt beneath her. A few puddles of water on the ground with thick branches surrounding the area. Alice jumped down, checking the arena to figure out where she needed to go next. The distant sounds of snarls and howls could be heard in every direction, being reminded that she wasn't alone down here. The Winters jumped as a louder howl was heard in front of her. Green eyes looked up, seeing a figure emerge from the roots on the ledge. She got out the shotgun and loaded it, ready for whatever it was that would come after her. "Should have known there would be a guard dog." Alice grunted, as a fight was coming.
The creature in question was of a large man-beast, a Lycan but of a grander and more muscular variety. A wild gray mane surrounded his face, with armor-like protrusions on his shoulders, as well as his face which resembled a wolf mask. The grossest part about the mutation, were the several tendrils protruding from a large growth on his back. Not only was it big, it was smart enough to use a weapon. An enormous mace with spikes, and judging from the snarls and glaring eyes alone, Alice could only assume he was an aggressive enemy. He jumped from where he stood, and smashed the mace down to the ground. She dodged in time, as the earth rumbled from the collision of the weapon. Alice looked up, making sure her shotgun was loaded. "If it's a fight you want, then I'll give you one!"
So much for this last part being easy. Still, if she could destroy the enemy, then hopefully it would be a smooth ride to the Megamycete heart. Alice pulled the trigger, firing round after round right at the monster's chest. She wanted to get some headshots, but the mask seemed glued onto his very skull. She had to resort to attacking the limbs and torso, which wouldn't do as much damage but it was all she was capable of. By the time she used up all of her shotgun ammo, the man-beast only grew more furious. His aggression showed as he jumped around, slamming his weapon to try and hit Alice. There were moments when he was very close, and it didn't help that the area was small, making it difficult to avoid the attacks. At least it was a one on one fight, so Alice didn't have to worry about any Lycan reinforcements.
She took out her wooden crossbow next, shooting her arrows right at his arms. Maybe if she could get his upper limbs to go numb, he wouldn't have the strength to wield the weapon. Alice was willing to try anything at this point. It took all of her arrows, but she managed to take off one of his arms. For a brief moment, a sense of victory flooded Alice as she believed to have the upper hand. The moment of pride was taken away as the man-beast was lifting the hilt of his mace with his singular hand. He could manage to wield his weapon with just one limb, but Alice noticed his movements were slower. That meant she was weakening him.
She decided to take out the bigger guns, now that things were picking up. Her arms reached out to take the Grenade Launcher, which was given to her by her brother. She loaded one explosive round and aimed the barrel at the monster, waiting at the right moment. He approached, raising up his spiked mace, ready to smash her with it. Pulling the trigger, Alice watched the ammo shoot out from the gun and at the B.O.W, causing fire and sparks to fly. She flew back from the impact, but it was her enemy that took the most damage. However, he was still standing from the blast. Alice had to reload her weapon again, firing grenade after explosive grenade. Even after she used them all up, he had a bit of fight in him.
Alice was getting tired, it took shotgun bullets, explosive grenades and all of her arrows, but this man-beast was relentless. At this point, the Winters took out the ultimate weapon: The Wolfsbane magnum. If it could kill a Varcolac, then it would surely be able to take off this guy. She placed the ammo in the chamber and aimed the barrel, lifting it up right at the head. She was not going to play anymore games. As he was about to bring his mace down onto her, she dodged out of the way in time and pulled the trigger. The bullet was strong enough to blast off the mask that he was wearing, as well as make blood fly from his skull and damage him. Alice fired some more, four bullets in total to the head.
She panted, watching as the creature howled in pain, before he fell to his knees and started to disintegrate, leaving behind a giant crystal mace in his place. The Winters sighed, glad that it was over. He was a tough opponent, and it took a lot of her ammo. At least that was one less obstacle she had to deal with. And if this was the best that the Megamycete had to offer her, then hopefully it would be smooth sailing from here on out. Alice went over to grab the mace, planning on selling it to the Duke if she made it back, just in case she would need more ammo. Plus, as a sort of parting gift.
"Alice!" The Winters turned her head back as she saw a familiar child climbing down the edge and onto the open area.
"Hilda?! What are you doing here?!" Alice demanded as she was surprised to see the young girl with her.
"You were fighting Uriaș Străjer, so I came to make sure you were safe."
Alice was about to scold her for breaking the promise, but upon hearing what Hilda had said, her eyes grew wide with curiosity. "Wait… you knew I was fighting someone?"
"I heard it… from the Black God…" Hilda admitted.
"Black God…?" Alice repeated. She meant the Megamycete but… what did that mean? The Winters didn't have time to ask her those questions, as the earth beneath them started to crack and cave. The two looked down, seeing splits in the ground as the floor began to crumble beneath them. The pair screamed as they found themselves falling into the void below. As if they had only just broken through the first layer of horror and mystery this Village had to offer.
