Rosa was long since used to not feeling in control. Used to feeling adrift — a castaway clinging to the flimsy raft that was her life, tossed about by the turbulent waves of circumstances she didn’t even completely understand. She had grown used to this feeling, sure, but she had never been comfortable with it. Instead, she had always been fleeing in some way. From people, from her past, and whatever uncertain future lay ahead for her.

Surrounded by an endless, suffocating void of darkness, Rosa was confronted by yet another embodiment of this seemingly uncontrollable destiny of hers. This was how it looked when Anguish held the reins, and Rosa couldn’t deny that it terrified her to the core.

Yet, for once, her fear seemed almost inconsequential. Because, for once, while she wasn’t the one in control, she was the one in charge.

Slowly, she tapped into this mysterious newfound power that was now a part of her. The dark void responded, and its oppressive emptiness started to recede, morphing under her order. Whispers floated across the expanse, carrying unheard voices and incomprehensible sounds as the space shifted and bent like a maelstrom around her.

The darkness tried to evade her, to slip through her grasp, but it couldn’t. It was bound, inescapably shackled by unseen threads running through everything, all responsive to Rosa’s intent. Despite seeing nothing, she commanded an almost paradoxical awareness.

The world sharpened around her as she gradually regained control of her body, pushing Anguish’s influence back to whatever nook of her soul that the demon dwelled in. She found herself in the heart of a village shrouded by the veil of night.

Crowcairn.

She had only visited the settlement briefly in her search for Malachi, but she still recognized it. There was a wide open area before her, lit up by torches, with a wooden platform at its center. Atop it sat a menacing, black stone artifact, its presence practically screaming at Rosa’s senses.

It was a scene that felt all too familiar after the times she had accompanied Scarlett to Freymeadow.

The village square was populated with various groups of people—elders, adults, and a few children—all seemingly prepared for departure. Many wore anxious expressions as their belongings lay on the ground beside them, their attention split between the platform and the sky above the village. Among the people, individuals in black, armed and faces painted, moved with purpose.

Rosa hadn’t thought Scarlett was lying about the village being connected to the Tribe of Sin, but seeing it in person like this stirred conflicting emotions inside her.

But what did that matter? In the end, she could barely say she was doing this for others.

Don’t you think you’re being rather stingy with that newfound power of yours, Rosalina darling?

A mocking and eerie voice sounded out in Rosa’s mind, sending shivers down her spine and reigniting some of her hidden fears.

And after I agreed to help you keep those stained hands of yours somewhat clean.

Briefly closing her eyes, Rosa steeled herself and forced those emotions down, dismissing the demon’s provocations.

When she reopened her eyes, her gaze fell on a nearby couple who both wore grim countenances as they observed the dark sky, neither seeming to notice her presence. The woman clutched a bag with various items in it, while the man held a large hammer, his fists clenched.

Above the village, the grey dome that encompassed Crowcairn shone with a pale light beneath against the distant stars, as though struggling to hold on.

Anguish had used her power as a Vile to transport Rosa here. How wasn’t entirely clear. Even if the demon was bound to her commands for now, Rosa herself didn’t fully comprehend the full extent of the Vile’s capabilities. She instinctually understood some of it, but even then it was all she could do to simply ensure that Scarlett and the others weren’t harmed when she briefly let Anguish loose.

Just a short while ago, though, even that much would have been unthinkable to her. Yet, strangely, Rosa was entirely confident in what she could do, if not so much in what she couldn’t do. Whatever Scarlett had done to her, it felt like it had opened dozens of new eyes within her, each perceiving something different, none of which she could truly explain.

Her attention drifted down to her blouse, torn near the neckline, revealing a violet, crystalline heart pulsating gently with an enigmatic power. She felt those pulses resonate through her body, like gentle ripples. When Scarlett had implanted the darn thing, it had hurt like the high seas, but now, it was calm.

A soft chuckle escaped Rosa. Its color matched her eyes, almost as if it had been color-coordinated just for her. A pretty piece of jewellery ‘gifted’ by her boss. Wasn’t that a funny thought? Though she doubted Scarlett had any aesthetic intentions in mind when she made the thing.

Rosa’s amusement soon faded as she observed the villagers, catching sight of a man she recognized stepping onto the platform at the center. Dressed in black, with an unassuming appearance and a mop of disheveled hair, two sickle-like weapons hung at his side as he crossed his arms, studying the black artifact next to him.

It was the same man Rosa had seen meeting with Malachi after the Abyssal Vilewyrm had been killed by Scarlett. His presence on the platform suggested he held a significant role in the village.This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Anguish’s voice intruded her thoughts again.

These innocent, defenseless, and untainted souls sure are fortunate that they have you here to ‘rescue’ them. They’ve placed their hopes on their little artifact, but it’s going to fail them before it can do anything. How sad. Perhaps you should cast off that veil I wove for you and reveal yourself. I’m sure they would be overjoyed at receiving your help.

Rosa winced at hearing those words. Knowing that she could finally shut the demon up now when she wanted to didn’t make Anguish’s voice any less unpleasant.

“Why don’t you go back to pretending you don’t exist like before and spare me the sarcasm,” Rosa muttered back. “And unless you want me to find Scarlett and Malachi so they can resume turning you into nothing more than a third-rate fantasm in my head, maybe don’t push me, ‘kay? You’ve already made the past decade enough of a living nightmare for me as is.”

A sanguine laugh echoed within her head.

Oh, I don’t believe I need to be concerned about that. You’re far too soft-hearted for your own good, dear.

“I’m not,” Rosa countered, her eyes briefly resting on a young girl who tugged at her mother’s clothing and pointed at the grey dome above. “I’m just selfish.”

Of that, I am well aware.

“…So, what can we do here?” Rosa asked, changing the subject and redirecting her attention to the platform at the center. Her gaze focused on the black artifact. Somehow, she felt an odd connection to it, though she didn’t understand what it was. “The duke’s men will breach the village’s defenses soon, won’t they? How can we help these people?”

Well, the most straightforward method is to eliminate those who threaten them. With my assistance, that would be easy. Simply let me out for another minute or two, and I’ll have it handled for you. You won’t even need to lift a finger.

“Not happening.”

Spoilsport.

“The ones in black may have made their choice, but the others are clearly hoping to leave. That means they must know a way out, doesn’t it? And you know it too.”

I do.

“Then tell me.”

What’s the rush? Why don’t we take this opportunity to get more acquainted while your precious baroness is missing? I’m sure you’re curious about your new powers, and who best to help with that than little old me?

“You’re stalling.”

Even now, Anguish was working to loosen the constraints that Scarlett had imposed on her. The chains were incredibly powerful, Rosa could tell that much. But she also sensed that those restrictions wouldn’t hold indefinitely against a Vile’s might. Rosa was still a mere conduit for Anguish.

But she was okay with that. She didn’t need all the time in the world; she just needed enough of it. After that, she already knew of a way to stop Anguish from causing any damage. As far as Rosa was concerned, the Vile had lost the moment she went up against Scarlett. This was just a scramble for Anguish to salvage whatever power she could.

Inevitably, Rosa’s thoughts circled back to Scarlett, and the guilt filled her up. It really had stung, disappointing the woman like that. Scarlett had done a lot to get her this far. But it had been an eternity since Rosa had enjoyed the freedom to make any major decisions beyond just ‘run away’, and she felt that if she was finally going to be rid of this thing inside her, she should be the one who chose how it was done. And if she messed up—and when hadn’t she?—the responsibility would be hers, not Scarlett’s.

“Now,” Rosa said, trying to conjure some of that steely resolve Scarlett commanded. “Tell me what we can do.”

Scarlett stared at the dimming grey barrier before her. Beyond its faintly visible boundary lay Crowcairn, obscured and blurred, but still discernible. The Phantom Sanctum that encompassed the village remained intact, but it was growing thinner. Captain Home and the duke’s forces’ continued assaults had clearly taken their toll.

She surveyed her surroundings. After Anguish broke free, Scarlett had suddenly found herself here, with Crowcairn in front of her and rolling hills stretching out behind her.

Why she had arrived here in particular remained unclear, but she had her suspicions. Rosa had likely leveraged Anguish’s power to try to help the village in some way, and teleporting Scarlett and the others out of the citadel was just a consequence of that. Presumably, the bard was responsible for Scarlett appearing outside the barrier, while Rosa herself was probably inside.

If Scarlett were to hazard a guess, Malachi and the others were likely nearby.

A scowl crept onto her face. Understanding Rosa’s motives didn’t mean it hadn’t thrown any less of a wrench into her plans. The whole reason she had embarked on this quest was to rid Rosa of Anguish, and now that goal seemed only halfway complete.

What could she even do from here?

A flicker of movement in the dark drew her attention, and she turned her head to the left to see Fynn racing towards her from around the Sanctum’s barrier.

A powerful gust followed in his wake as he halted in front of her.

“Have you spotted any of the others?” Scarlett asked immediately. Now wasn’t the time for lengthy explanations.

“Some of the knights are in that direction,” Fynn replied, pointing back over his shoulder.

Scarlett’s frown deepened as she turned her head, fixing her gaze on Anguish’s citadel looming on the horizon. Its black walls and towers almost seemed to melt into the night sky.

This meant those inside the boss room hadn’t been the only ones transported. Did Rosa not want anyone to get trapped in the citadel?

Suddenly, the barrier around Crowcairn shuddered. Glancing back at it, Scarlett saw it momentarily turn more transparent as a ripple coursed through the dome.

She looked at Fynn. “Can you sense Malachi nearby?”

He scrunched his nose, concentrating for a moment before nodding. “Yes.”

Malachi was likely trying to dismantle the barrier, then. Scarlett wasn’t entirely sure how the woman could achieve that, but she knew better than to underestimate the woman’s capabilities in this regard. Had Malachi also concluded that Rosa was inside? It would make sense for her to be furious at the bard, if anything.

That could be bad, depending on what Malachi would do.

Scarlett contemplated her options as she watched the barrier tremble once more, its stability visibly decreasing as it grew more transparent. Even without Malachi’s interference, it seemed like it wouldn’t have lasted much longer. Scarlett thought the villagers had a chance of escaping, but perhaps their fate had been sealed from the start.

If Rosa planned to intervene in that fate, it would undoubtedly be tied to the Sanctumbrum in some way. Anguish wouldn’t have the power to teleport an entire village as she was now. While Rosa might temporarily serve as a conduit to the Blazes, the incarnation wasn’t complete.

The question was what Scarlett should do from here. Now that they were no longer inside the citadel, would Malachi even be able to perform the ritual again? Was returning an option, or was there an alternative course of action? She had contingencies, but they weren’t things she wanted to bet everything on.

Deep in thought, she observed as the barrier flickered.

“Fynn,” she finally said, and the young man looked at her. “I need to ask something important of you.”