Ethan's POV

Have you ever felt what it's like to drown?

To feel the air from your lungs drastically escaping from you, while in a state of panic as you struggled to stay on the surface of the water? Desperately flailing your arms around in hopes for someone to save you, only for an invisible force to sap out the energy from your whole body while the deep, dark, cold endless depths drag you into the darkness.

It happened a few times in my life. From the camping trips with my grandfather when I was a kid, from being stupidly drunk and falling into the pool in college, or how I was stuck within Eveline's grasp back in Dulvey.

It was familiar. Yet different each time.

I can feel my entire body numb beyond belief, heavy and unresponsive. Unable to do anything while submerging deeper and deeper into God-knows-where. The constant, yet small stream of air bubbles escaped from me and disappeared into the pitch-black void. Unable to tell how deep I was going in.

It's funny. The first time it happened, I was a kid. It was on the lake during summer vacation. I was so excited to get in the water that I blatantly ignored my Grandfather's calls. Diving into the cool liquid was refreshing for me. I felt untouchable, free to do whatever I wanted to do without a single thought of worry.

But then my legs started to cramp up. They were contracting the nerves to the point where immediate pain took over me. I didn't know what else to do so I started flailing my arms, hoping to keep afloat until I had to pull myself together.

It didn't. The pain started to increase and my panic started kicking in. It didn't take long for me to start screaming for help, hoping that my grandfather would hear me and come to rescue me in time. Soon I started to sink. Liquid started to pour in, rapidly replacing the air within my lungs as I sank deeper. I tried my best to get to the surface, but it was useless. My arms became numb, my vision became hazy, and the last thought that came to mind was "Mom and Dad"...

It was a miracle that my grandfather managed to pull me out of there and save me in the last possible second. But in return, it gave me PTSD. Man, I didn't want to go back to the ocean or lake for months before my grandfather managed to help me through it. But now…it didn't feel that way. I felt…fine-relieved even. More calm than I had ever been in my entire life.

Safe…

I feel safe…

Then I felt something wrapped around my leg. My eyes snapped open before I was dragged deeper into the abyss. Feeling my entire body compress inside of itself by the increase of pressure the deeper I went in….

Third POV

*GASP! *

Ethan gasps up for air as rises above the water. His arms flailing and his head hazed with a thick cloud of panic, disorientation, and confusion. Out of instinct, the blonde father begins to swim in whatever direction his disoriented state could go. Swimming and swimming through the cold water before managing to find solid ground. His fingers dig into the wet, clay-like substance as he pulls himself from the water, heaving deeply like a man escaping the clutches of death. His body shook aggressively to his bones, his energy completely drained, and his limbs were nothing but twigs. He tried to stand but failed. He tried again, and again, but try as he might, Ethan could not continue. Falling on the ground with an audible "thud", the father groggily, painfully even, turns on his back. He coughs up a generous amount of water from his lungs while greedily sucking up as much as humanly can.

The exhaustion plagues his entire body to even do anything. Unable to think, unable to move, and unable to even grasp where he is. Finally, after what seems to be an eternity, Ethan groggily flutters his eyes open, his vision adjusting to get rid of the slight dizziness. Releasing a breath that is a mixture of a groan and a chuckle, the blonde father's vision finally cleared as he froze when he met the familiar face of his wife, Mia.

"M….M-Mia…?" Ethan's coarse voice vibrated within his throat. Feeling the immense dryness in his throat while the feeling of confusion indulges him. His wife. His beloved wife is there with him. Garmed with a simple, pure white dress, her beautifully dark, hazelnut hair was soft and luscious. Her skin was pure, unscathed, and delicate. Even the small smile that she had on was more than enough to lift any burden he carried.

"Beautiful…" Ethan thought lovingly. His features started to soften up the longer he gazed towards Mia's near angelic features.

"Ethan…" Mia's words were sweet and delicate as honey, soothing every fiber within Ethan's body and enchanting his senses as if he had been struck by a siren's melody.

"You shouldn't have come here…." Mia suddenly said the soft and gentle features were gone within a blink.

"H-huh?" Ethan managed to mutter out before his eyes widened in horror as he saw Mia's features turn pale. Her eyes darkened and her hair which was once beautifully soft and vibrant, is now coated with grease, oil, slime, and a familiar moss-like texture. Her skin, what was once virtuous, had become pale and decomposing. Black veins rapidly spread throughout her arms, collarbone, and her cheeks. Her passionate and loving smile had turned into a sadistic Cheshire cat grin, teeth coated with decaying pieces of human flesh, and several maggots crawled out of her mouth as black liquid-like saliva poured out like a rabid dog.

His horror only continued once he heard the sound of the engine of a chainsaw.

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE COME HERE!" Mia's screech echoes throughout the woods as she raises the chainsaw above her head and swiftly down to the defenseless form of Ethan Winters.

"NO!"

"AHHHHHH!"

CRASH!

Ethan shouted as he was shot up from his slumber, followed by the cries of another and the clanking sounds of tableware. Panic and distraught, Ethan's chest rises and falls at a rapid pace, sweat pouring out of his skin like a broken dam, and eyes wide like they have seen the Devil himself. Blue eyes hysterically stared down at panicked and shocked light grays, hands clutched onto covered flesh before Ethan inspected the person that was in his clutches.

Wearing a stylized Victorian maid dress, consisting of a Long-sleeve, embroidered top that was tucked underneath a lengthy skirt that reached up to her feet. On top of her clothing, the girl was sporting a charcoal-black apron with an embroidered floral design running throughout the side of the strap, and finally an all-black mop cap.

"Where am I…?" Ethan muttered dangerously as he stared at the young maid with a dark, yet, panic expression. His hands tighten as his survival instincts mix with his hysteria. Immediately standing up with the young girl in tow, Ethan glared at the frightened maid with distrust and misplaced anger before his grip tightened on her wrists.

"S-Sir?!" The maid yelped in pain as she tried to get away, but Ethan's grip on her only increased and his breath started to increase.

"Where. The. Hell. Am I?" Ethan growled under his breath, barring his like a canine."Who are you? What other fucked up dream is this? You're not one of them? The Mold?! MERCER!"

Ethan's booming roar echoed throughout the room with authority. Stopping the maid in her tracks out of fear and shock as she stared at Ethan's hysterical expression. Flinching back in fright she could've sworn that she had seen his eyes flickered into a shade of amber.

However, before Ethan could even mutter a word out again, his vision was struck by a flurry of images and voices. Immediately letting off the girl's wrist and clutching his head with a painful growl and scream. His knees buckle beneath the floor as his body starts to shake.

"Ethan…" The voice of Jack Baker rang within his head as flashes of him and Zoey in the living room with him. Looking, pleading at him.

"Save my family-please!"

"No, no, no! Eve!" Zoey's fear-induced scream echoed within his mind before the loud shot of gunfire and Evelyn's laugh.

"RRRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ethan's roar had shaken the whole room, possibly the whole valley, while the maid looked at him with a mixture of fear and concern.

It all felt like it was an eternity for Ethan, eventually the flashes had stopped before slumping down on his hands. His body shook hazardously, sweat pouring like a violent waterfall, breath ragged and his body temperature dropped.

"...A-are you alright, sir?" The maid questions, slightly recovering from her state of shock before cautiously approaching the blonde outsider.

"What is Mother Miranda's name happened here!?" Another voice came into the room, making the young maid turn to see Amora Fulk, the head maid of the castle.

But before she could process the situation, Amora cried in surprise when Ethan violently shoved her to the side as he rushed off to the stairway. The older maid's body bounced off from the cobblestone wall before sliding off, much to Yetta's horror.

"Miss Amora!" Yetta' scream echoed throughout the room and into the the staircase. Immediately coming to the side of Amora, she quickly checked up on her and felt her fear and horror increase when she saw blood running down her head.

"Miss, Amora!" The young maid's screams of horror echoed throughout the room and the staircase.

With Ethan

He didn't stop. Rapidly pushing through the staircase, the aged cobblestone walls are quickly being replaced by smooth limestone before he sees the door. Crashing through the door and breaking it in the process, several cries of shock and panic exploded throughout the room where the blonde father saw several other maids, all of which were staring at him. His eyes darting hastily before seeing a door again and didn't waste any more time before bulldozing his way through the door once more, ignoring the cries of the maids and several clattering and shattering sounds of kitchenware that headed his way before he made his way towards the main hallway.

"Stop!" A voice came from the pantry making the blond father turn to see it was a maid that had a light shade of blond.

"Mr. Winters, please calm yourself!" The maid, Ihrin, said as she slowly approached the man.

"W-where am I? Who the fuck are you people!?" The blonde foreigner shouted.

"You're in the Castle of Dimitrescue, Mr. Winters!" Ihrin clarified as she slowly raised her hands up in a calmly fashion and slowly approached the man. The man was in a state of shock, confusion and maybe even hysteria, but it didn't persuade her from her goal.

"C-castle?" Ethan questions as he grabs his head in pain.

"Y-yes, you had arrived a day ago and were unconscious when one of the maids found you in the entrance." Ihrin slowly made her way towards the man. However, she stopped abruptly when both blonds heard the sound of ...buzzing?

"Oh no…" Ihrin muttered and the look of horror in her face was visible.

Before Ethan could question, his head snapped to the side before he cried in pain when he felt a hand claw his throat, lifts him off the ground and SLAMMING the man onto the hard marble floor.

"ARGH!" Ethan cried in pain as his vision became hazy.

"Naughty, naughty, Man-thing~" A voice rang into his ears. Despite the obvious ringing that dominated throughout his hearing, Ethan could vaguely make out the silky, yet cruel-amusement, tone of a woman.

Locking eyes into his assailant, Ethan's eyes widened in shock as a large swarm of flies hovering over him before the said flies started to disappear and form into that of a human. It didn't take long for Ethan to see a Gothic-style long dress form before the smooth, yet wild-looking bundle of dark brown hair cascading down her face like a lion's mane. Snow-white complexion were the next to appear, giving the man a good look at her pitchblack lips and golden-yellow eyes: one that filled with cruel mirth. A small, metallic choker with a center yellow gem wrapped around her neck while a tattoo rose was on her forehead.

Without any warning, the blond father cried when the brunette effortlessly lifts him up and threw him across the wall, knocking the wind out of Ethan as he cried out in pain.

"Doesn't you're poor mother ever told you that it is not polite to run around when others are busy?" The brunette mocks, before her golden eyes snaps towards Ihrin, making the maid jump back in fear as she begins to quiver in fear.

"M-Miss C-Cassandra!" Ihrin quickly and shakingly composes herself as the middle child of the Dimitrescue household. Fear and horror run through her entire body as she look down with cold sweat seeping out from her flesh.

The brunette however didn't say a word before turning back to the recovering Blacklight user before she lets ot a sadistic giggle and rush toward Ethan, kicking him to the abdomen and launching the blond on the wooden support beams before .

"Fuck!" Ethan cried out before Cassandra grabbed his arm and viciously twisted it. The blond cried and out of instinct, tried to punch Cassandra. However it remains futile as she quickly transforms back into flies, making the blonde lose his balance and his fist crack the marble floor.

Ethan didn't have enough time before he cried when he felt something metallic stab into his side. Turning his head, he saw what appeared to be a sickle before Cassandra twisted the blade before yanking it off. Blood splattered over the pristine black and white flooring before he was rocked by a heavy punch to the side of the face.

"This is pathetic." Cassandra remarked, giggling sadistically at Ethan's battered state as she thoroughly inspected her sickle.

"Hmmm…." Cassandra said before running her tongue across the blade and tasting the blond's blood. At this she paused before shuddering and releasing a guttural, almost sexual, sound of ecstasy.

"Such flavor!" Cassandra stated she drank the rest off before her golden eyes landed on Ethan's form. "I never thought man blood would be THIS good! The ones that I had before you Man-thing were all the same, but yet, yours is delicious! Maybe I'll play with you a little longer. Hehehhahahahaah!"

Casually approaching Ethan's weakened form, the brunette stops in her tracks when she sees something that confuses her. The Man-thing, who was on his hands and knees, was looking at her. While that is not really an issue, it was his eyes. They were pitch black and held an orange amber color, contrasting to his earlier Sky-blues. That was not all, though, they also held anger, confusion, determination, maybe even hysteria, but never fear.

While she narrowed her eyes in confusion, it granted enough time for Ethan to launch a surprise strike towards her face. The blow knocks her back and the blond uses the opportunity to launch himself at her, picks the brunette off the ground, and performs a Double-leg takedown.

Cassandra release a "HMP!" sound once her body had hit the ground by the sudden action. She growled hatefully, but was taken aback when she felt his fist connected to her face, rocking her when she had registered the pain from the strike.

Ethan managed to get a few more before Cassandra had enough and transformed herself into flies. The blond father held his arms out for protection but gritted his teeth when he felt some of them bite his arms.

"I'LL SHOW YOU TO NEVER STRIKE A HUNTRESS!" Cassandra's voice echoed throughout the room before he cried in pain when he felt the sickle's blade slice his leg, giving him a natly gashed before he felt another strike towards his mid section. It didn't take long before Ethan felt the blade stabbed his shoulder and Cassandra's hand tightly around his throat. Without much of an effort, Cassandra slam him down before she did this again. The floor beneath them cracked and falling into pieces, by then Ethan's entire body became limp, but still breathing.

Grinning maliciously, Cassandra slam him one more time before holding him infront of her with her sickle just shy away from his throat.

"Now I have you…" Cassandra said as her eyes glow yellow and pressed the blade against Ethan's throat. Much to Cassandra's delight, she saw a small droplet of blood seeping out from the the edge.

"Yes…Just a bit more…"

"Cassandra!" However, before she could go any further, another voice came into the room and shouted at the brunette. Without even so much at a glance, the brunette releases a mixture of a groan and a sigh of annoyance before she unceremoniously let go of Ethan's head and gives another swarm of flies a look.

"Hello, sister." Cassandra greeted with great annoyance before the flies formed into a woman. Similar to her with the exception of her hair being blond and a red gem. Upon seeing her older sister, Cassandra uncaringly thrown Ethan's unconscious body to the ground beneath her, before turning around to face her sister's ire.

"What do you think you're doing!?" The blond Dimitrescue gave her sister a firm look as she demanded what happened. Cassandra rolled her eyes at her sister's tone before pointing her sickle at Ethan's unconscious body.

"Teaching a poorly trained dog some manners, that is all, Bela." Cassandra shrugs before narrowing her eyes a bit towards her sister. This however, didn't sooth Bela's iratement at her sister's lack of concern.

"Mother specifically ordered that the Man-thing would be under no harm until dinner! Orders that you seem to have forgotten, Cassandra!" Bela reprimanded her, causing Cassandra to roll her eyes and sneer.

To think that her mother would allow such…..vermin to dine with them for the evening was inconceivable to Cassandra. The thought of the Man-thing sitting with them made her want to stab the man just so she could get rid of the itch.

It honestly wouldn't be a total loss for them if she did. Not in the pass where they bleed them dry or play with them. So why start now?

"Dead. She specifically said that the dog does not DIE. She didn't say that the Man-thing can't be….a bit rough up every now and then, now did she?" Cassandra retorted as she kicked Ethan's body.. Bela could only shake her head at her sister's attitude before shifting her attention to Ihrin who had become frozen.

It didn't take long for the maid to know what Bela wanted in mind.

"M-my apologies, M-Miss Bela," Ihrin stuttered, causing Cassandra to roll her eyes before the maid continued. "I-I was in the middle of my duties in preparation for tonight's dinner before Mr. Winters stormed through from the maid quarters and into the kitchen. He was in a state of hysteria before rushing pass us and into the hall. I-I was trying to calm him, but Miss Cassandra had taken it u-upon herself."

"Of course she did…" Bela could only groan and squeeze her eyebrows with her fingers in exasperation. "And what happened with the preparations? Did the Man-thing do any damage?"

Silence was the only thing that greeted her once she had asked/demanded her explanation to the maid, making Bela to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"Figures." Bela said with a sigh. "Take the Man-thing back and quickly have the rest of the maids form a new batch, tender the Man-things wounds as well as provide him with some fresh clothing. He is to be dining with us for tonight and mother would be displease if she saw that he would be attending with such rags. GO!"

It didn't take long for Ihrin to get to work. Picking up Ethan's unconscious body before rushing back at the maid quarters.

"'Tender his wounds'?" Cassandra repeated as she looked at her sister with a look. " Providing clothes for the swine? If I'd known any better, Bela, I would say that you had taken a liking to…ugh, him. Don't tell me that Daniela have been influencing you with her idiotic fairy tails? I can not stand one, let alone two."

"I don't." Bela icily clarified. "But it is under mother's orders that he would attend dinner. Nothing more, nothing less. Having him dine with us within his current state would only reflect badly at us and I would not have it. Especially mother. Though, that is proven to be a lot more difficult now that you have a hand in it."

"I only did what was needed, Bela." Cassandra scoffs as she puts away her sickle and crosses her arms as she gives her sister a look. "A 'thank you' would be good, considering I save everyone the pain in catching the Man-pig before he done any further damage."

"And nearly killing the Man-thing in the process, dear sister." Bela said before looking at the area that the event had happened. "Among other things."

Cassandra rolled her eyes at her sister's words, annoyed and somewhat tired of her while Bela shook her head in an exasperated manner, knowing for the fact that it was almost impossible for Cassandra to change her mind.

She was always the stubborn one between the three of them. A trait that both infuriates her, but also what makes her Cassandra.

"Make sure to fix your mess before mother finds out." Bela stated, much to Casandra's chagrin before she shifted herself back into a swarm and onto the second flooring and into the darkness. Cassandra could only groan in annoyance before sheathing her sickle away with a 'tsk' sound. When she was about to leave, however, she stops once she had given remembered how Ethan had gotten the upper hand on her.

"Those eyes of his…." Cassandra thought as she saw those amber-colored irises and pitch-black sclera had her attention. But even when she wouldn't want to admit it, the Man-thing hits hard. She could still feel her jaw ache before a wave of annoyance and anger had been washed over by the fact that Bela had ruined her fun with him.

"BAH! What a waste!" Cassandra growls before immediately shifting into a swarm and finding some maids to do the task.

Later that Evening

"Ughhh, my head…." Ethan groaned as he sat up from the bed. Rubbing his head to sooth his throbbing headache, Ethan began shaking his head before turning his attention towards the room.

Before he could question anything, he was blinded by several flashes of memories, which made the blond groan before sighing as the pain went away.

"Fuck me…." That is all that he could say. Almost going berserk, nearly attacking a girl, and going up against what appear to be one of the residents of the castle.

He can feel his luck just getting started with him.

Suddenly, the door opened up, making the blond turn his head to it before he saw one the maid that was in the hall with him.

"Ah, I see that you are awake, Mr. Winters." Ihrin greeted him as he she place a large leather bag and a pair of dress shoes on the nearby coat hanger.

"How are you feeling?" Ihrin asked with a tone of concern, however he could make out the underline caution within her tone. Well, not the man blames her, though, he did went on a rampage from the pantry to the hall before getting his ass handed to him.

Ihrin nodded before making her way towards Ethan as she grabs a cup of water and offering it towards the blond. Ethan groan but slowly accepted the water before taking a drink, the cool liquid rushed down his throat as he let out a refreshed "mhhh' sound as his shoulders started to lax.

"T-thanks." Ethan said as Ihrin gave him a nod. Landing his eyes on the large leather bag and shoes, Ethan wrinkles his brows in confusion.

"What are those for?" Ethan questions as his eyes shifted towards the maid.

"Those are you're clothes for tonight's dinner." Ihrin said, making the blond even more confused.

"Dinner?" Ethan questions Irhin while the maid gave him a nod in confirmation.

"Yes, sir. You are honorably invited to dine with the Mistress of the castle along with her family." Ihrin said. Ethan didn't say anything at first, but he quickly connected the dots before his eyes shifted towards the suit then back at Ihrin.

"I…uh….I think I'll do just find without the suit." Ethan commented, but Ihrin shook her head.

"I must advice against that, Mr. Winters," Ihrin stated as she gave the man a firm look. "The Dimitrescue name had been one of the founding Lords within the valley and one of which that the Mistress hold in high regards, Miss Bela thought it be best to give you something to wear so it doesn't reflect poorly upon it's name. And subsequently, the Mistress' ire."

Just when Ethan was about to retort, Ihrin's expression didn' twaver at the least and basically told him to go along. Sighing in defeat, Ethan relented and gave the maid a nod. Satisfied, the maid took the brown bag and dress shoesoff the coat rack and lay it down on the bed next to him.

"I'll be back shortly, Mr. Winters. Dinner would be ready in fifteen minute. In the mean time, please prepare yourself for the event. I'll be on the door shortly after." Ihrin said before closing the door, leaving the blond father alone with the suit.

Taking one more glance towards the door and then the suit, the blond sighs as he begins to remove the contents from the leather bag before carefully placing them on the bed.

Once he did, he could only give a the suit a low whistle. The suits, for a lack of a better term, was pricey. It had a full deep denim color coat-tail that matches up with the slacks and the dress shoes, a Stone-colored vest that had a golden pocket watch attach to one of the button and into the sewed in pocket on the side, and finally a pure white, long-sleeve dress shirt with a royal-blue necktie.

Now, there isn't much to say that Ethan DOES NOT know anything about fashion. Sure he may have worn a suit on occasions but the one that they have him wearing was way, way out of his level of expertise. Heck, the fabric was enough to make his wallet deteriorate by the possible pricing.

"Let's get this over with…." Ethan said before removing his coat.

Fifteen Minutes Later

"Are you ready, Mr. Winters?" Ihrin called from the other side of the door. Knocking to make sure that he was there.

"Y-yeah, I'm ready." Ethan called in and he exited the door. It didn't take long for her to hold back a small gasp when she saw Ethan, now dressed with the suit that The Duke had provided, and can secretly say to herself.

That Ethan Winters looks GOOD, right now.

The clothes were a perfect fit for the blond and the colors had complimented him. The suit hugged the blond foreigner's form and made him seem a lot more confident. She noticed that he even tidied his hair up just a bit, too. While it may not be perfectly combed through and he still has some visible stubble on his face, it gave him somewhat a rough-ish look. Not overly grizzly or anything but it suits him, somewhat.

"Sorry about the tie, I rather suck at it." Ethan said, knocking Ihrin out of her small funk, before shaking her head.

"I see. Follow me, Mr. Winters.." Ihrin said before giving a gesture to the blond to follow her. Ethan nodded before they both made their way through the staircase.

Throughout the trip to the dining room was as awkward as Ethan could imagine it. None of the two had made conversation and Ethan couldn't fault her for it. With the knowledge that Outsiders are generally frowned upon in the valley, Ethan was sure that he wouldn't receive help with just about anyone.

Elena and Leonardo might have been an exception, but Ethan quickly disregard that thought because of the simple fact that he just met them and Leonardo is keen in putting his daughter above anything else. A statement that Ethan understands more than anything.

"Just have to get through this." Ethan thought. "Just need to get information on Rose's whereabouts and be on my way. Simple as that."

But then again, knowing his luck right now, Ethan could only pray that thing WOULD go smoothly.

"We're here, Mr. Winters." Ihrin stated as both blondes stood in front of the door that leads into the dining room.

"I would go in to inform the Mistress upon you're arrival." Ihrin stated before she went in. It didn't take long for her to pop back up before giving a nod to the American-born.

"You may enter."

At the Dining Room

Yellow eyes. That was what his first thoughts were once he had entered the room. Three pairs of yellow eyes seemingly illuminate through the darkness like predators stalking through the darkness. Something that was eerily familiar to the blonde

"Well, now…I am glad that you are able to join us for dinner," The smooth aristocratic voice of Alcina had caught the blond-haired father's attention. Which in turn had made a cold shiver run down his spine once he had made eye contact with the Lord of the castle.

"Ethan Winters."

A/N:

AND SCENE! Oh, man, it is been a while since the last chapter along with that Christmas special, huh? Well but now I'm back and got some time to kill.

Anyway, I just wanted to say apologies for taking this for so long to post. For a few months after I had posted the chapter in this story, I was COMEPLETELY swarmed with school work in the university. All those sleepless night had comepletely drained me out and the thesis was nerve wrecking!

I know that this might not be the best written out chapter coming back and this chapter had been revise three consecutive times because the pacing didn't match, or the content didn't seem quite written out well compared to the previous ones before them. Though, even those were not grammatically correct either, ha!

Any who….there might be some new characters that I might put in future chapters and eventually some interesting takes on the Dimitrescue family and probably the rest of the lords to see.

But anyway, that is it for the chapter everyone, I hope you guys enjoy it and I see you in the next one. Peace!