"Tearing her apart seems a bit much…"
"Sorry, kid. It was the only way," Heisenberg said.
Eveline grimaced, still reeling from the "ceremony" they'd just witnessed. No wonder—Rose, a sister-like figure to her, had been crystallized and split into pieces. Worse, it was Heisenberg's idea, her supposed friend.
"I get you don't want Miranda to have her, but what if Rose remembers this?"
"I feel bad, sure," Heisenberg admitted, holding up a flask containing Rose's tiny torso. "But I'm out of time. This was the only way to stall."
Eveline gagged, rolling onto her back in midair, sulking. "Hmph! Go ahead and get killed by Ethan for all I care!"
"If this Ethan guy shows up… is he really that tough? Just a regular dude, right?"
"He mentioned combat training while I was spying," Eveline said. "But even without it, he's strong. He fought a chainsaw duel and took down Jack, the toughest in my family."
"Chainsaw duel? Is this guy even human?" Heisenberg asked.
"On the outside, sure."
"Like us, huh? If he's that strong, maybe we could team up."
"You chopped up Rose. Ethan's pretty much guaranteed to kill you now."
Eveline sighed, exasperated. Heisenberg grinned slyly. Then, Eveline's face lit up with a wicked idea.
"Hey, Karl, did you know Miranda plans to have Ethan kill all four lords?"
"What?" Heisenberg's eyes narrowed. "I figured as much, but you're spilling that?"
"She threatened to erase me, but I'd rather see her lose than you, Donna, or the sisters die. Even Dimitrescu and Moreau, I guess."
"You… actually care about us?" Heisenberg said, surprised.
"You're like my new family!" Eveline beamed, arms spread wide. "I don't care about Miranda or Ethan, but it'd suck if either won. Let's all survive, steal Rose back, and laugh in their faces!"
Heisenberg gaped, stunned by the audacity. "…That's a hell of a plan. Donna and the sisters might be on board, but Dimitrescu and Moreau are loyal to Miranda. What's the move?"
"Dimitrescu's got some rebellious streak," Eveline said. "She plays nice but only cares about her family. Moreau… if Miranda herself calls him disposable, even he might flip. Worst case, we ditch him."
"You're a cold-blooded devil," Heisenberg said.
"I'm a mold clump! Mold killer's off-limits, though!"
"Sorry, no fancy mold killer here," Heisenberg chuckled. "Dimitrescu might've bought some from the Duke—she hates your guts."*
"Ugh… maybe we should ditch Dimitrescu."
"You're selfish as hell, you know that?"
"Yup!"
"Yup? Fix that attitude, brat!"
"That's mean!"
And so, Eveline and Heisenberg's rebellion plot kicked off.
Hours later, Eveline watched Ethan arrive in the village from above, her face twisted in a mischievous grin.
"Let's get started. Star: Ethan. Heroine: Miranda. Who'll save the daughter? But don't think the side characters will let the leads steal the show! Here we go—a tragic comedy disguised as a farce!"
Eveline shadowed Ethan as he explored the village, fended off Lycans, met a mysterious old hag (Miranda, obviously), saw surviving villagers slaughtered, leaving one alive, and encountered a pointless cameo from Miranda herself before heading to the castle. Eveline stayed ringside—right beside him.
"I grant glory to life and death…" Miranda intoned as the hag.
"Ugh, thought she was just a crazy old lady, but it's Miranda," Eveline snarked.
"You… the child's father," Miranda said.
"Some all-knowing hag? Suspicious much?"
"Hahaha! Rose! Yes, Rose! Danger looms over her. Mother Miranda brought her to the village, and all fell to darkness."
"Why's she talking so dramatically?"
"The castle's bell tolls disaster! They're coming. The bell rings for us… they're coming again!"
"Ditching after that speech? Lame!"
"All are dead. Yes, death has claimed them all… hahaha… AHAHAHA!"
"She's got some serious acting chops. I'd be too embarrassed to pull that off."
Eveline tried to derail Miranda's hag act with taunts, but failed. Instead, she got a mental shout—"I'll really erase you!"—and reluctantly resumed watching Ethan. When he entered the castle and met Heisenberg, she greeted her friend.
"Well, well, a survivor? Tough guy, huh?" Heisenberg said.
"Who are you? What's your deal?" Ethan demanded.
"Yo, Karl! This plain-looking guy's Ethan," Eveline said.
"So, you're Ethan Winters," Heisenberg said, smirking.
"You know me!?" Ethan asked.
"Oh, I've heard plenty—from the brat next to you."
Ethan spun toward Eveline, but saw nothing, sweat beading on his brow. Eveline grinned, giving Heisenberg a thumbs-up for the jab.
"No one's there!" Ethan snapped. "What's your game?"
"Keep it up!" Eveline cheered.
"Hah! Kidding," Heisenberg said. "Or maybe not? Nice panic. That kid must be a real trauma trigger. Funny—Miranda'd love this."
"Guh!" Ethan grunted.
Junk metal floated up, slamming into Ethan, encasing him in a human-shaped scrap heap. He collapsed, and Eveline clapped wildly.
"So, Eveline, you pleased?" Heisenberg asked.
"Totally! Let's haul him off! Gotta introduce my new family to Ethan!"
"You're having more fun than you have in three years," Heisenberg noted.
"Duh! I get to mess with Ethan, who killed me and scared me silly, and maybe outsmart Miranda's dumb plan. Nothing's more fun! Yahoo!"
"Jeez, you've got a hell of a personality," Heisenberg sighed.
Dragging Ethan, Heisenberg hurried to the meeting hall where Miranda and the other lords waited.
"Where… am I?" Ethan groaned, stirring.
"Up already? Be a good boy—show's starting soon," Heisenberg said.
"Fun, fun, the craziest party's about to begin!" Eveline crowed. "Oh, right, he can't hear me. Too bad."
They taunted Ethan as he came to.
"The others are too weak," Dimitrescu declared. "My daughters and I can provide ample entertainment."
"Dimitrescu and the sisters are real technicians (wink, wink)!" Eveline said.
"Move it, ugly! You're blocking me!" Angie snapped.
"Angie's the ugly one, honestly," Eveline shot back.
"Ugh… Eveline said it too, but am I that ugly?" Moreau whined.
"Yup, super ugly!" Eveline confirmed.
"That's harsh! Mama, she's mean!" Moreau wailed.
"Who's ugly?!" Angie yelled. "Veee! Hey, he's awake!"
"Calling your patchwork face ugly is me being nice," Eveline said.
"Wait… you lot, shut up!" Ethan roared.
"He started it!" Eveline and Angie said in unison.
"Enough, you bratty duo!" Heisenberg barked.
Ethan, facing a screeching giantess, an ugly doll, a mama's boy, and a shady bearded guy in sunglasses, snapped, "You're all too damn loud!"
"Fair point, Winters!" Heisenberg laughed.
Eveline's rebellion against the "winners," Ethan and Miranda, had begun.
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