She looked outside with those lifeless eyes, as if she were staring at Vid and Hayley, yet also seemed to be coveting other intact houses.
Then, amidst the tumultuous black mist, this Mabel vanished as well.
Vid took a deep breath and suddenly noticed something unusual in a room, quickly saying, "Over here!"
He pulled Hayley over, and they saw a room that was about to be engulfed by black mist, shockingly containing two Mabels.
It wasn't just Mabel; there was even a Hayley in the room, along with several other children captured for experimentation, sitting in a circle, playing rock-paper-scissors.
"Mabel! Mabel!"
Hayley shouted, tiptoeing to tap on the window several times, but neither Mabel inside seemed to hear at all. Vid reached out to grasp the doorknob and pushed hard, and with a "click," it opened right away.
Hayley paused for a moment, then immediately ran inside.
Both Mabels wore identical robes, but one was holding a pitch-black rag doll, which, on closer inspection, had features a bit similar to Mabel's.
When Vid and Hayley entered, the rag doll's eyes suddenly shifted, fixing its gaze on them with a chilling stare.
In the Spiritual World, Vid's Magic Wand was still at his side, and a gentle wave made the rag doll yawn, its eyes slowly closing.
Hayley didn't witness this scene; she walked straight over to the Mabel holding the rag doll and leaped forward, fiercely embracing her.
The Mabel who seemed absorbed in the game suddenly woke up, staring at them in astonishment, and exclaimed, "——Hayley?!"
...
"So, this is my Spiritual World?"
After some explanations, Mabel finally understood the situation. She glanced around at the companions still playing rock-paper-scissors, hesitated briefly, and stepped out of the room.
One hand held Hayley tightly, while the other still clutched the rag doll.
"Why is my world like this?" Mabel muttered.
"The Obscurus is consuming everything, Mabel." Vid walked beside her and explained, "You must let go of it, or you'll soon die."
"...Let go?" Mabel was puzzled, "Mr. Scamander...and Mr. Dumbledore, aren't they using magic to separate the Obscurus?"
"Yes." Vid replied, "But it's failing because subconsciously, you don't want to let the Obscurus leave."
Mabel was confused for a while and asked, "Then how do I cooperate?" She looked around and shouted, "Get out of my world, Obscurus!"
"——Is that enough?" Mabel asked afterward.
Vid shook his head, "I need you to put down the rag doll, Mabel."
"Rag doll? But...this was given to me by my mom...what is this thing?!"
It seemed Mabel only just then saw the rag doll in her hand, and was startled by it, but even so, she did not throw it away.
"I think this is the Obscurus's form in your Spiritual World. It's deceiving you, making you unable to let go." Vid said.
Mabel looked at the black mist covering the house and asked, "But...what are those?"
"Those are also the Obscurus, about to occupy your entire world, but the key is the part you still refuse to let go of."
Vid patiently explained, "As long as you keep holding the rag doll, the Obscurus will remain closely entangled with your soul, and Mr. Scamander and others won't be able to separate the Obscurus from you."
"Please, throw it away, Mabel." Hayley said, tears welling up in her eyes, "I don't want to see you die."
"Alright...okay." Mabel agreed, but when she tried to throw away the rag doll, her arm trembled again, unable to let go.
Hayley decisively snatched the rag doll and threw it forcefully into the distance!
In an instant, the rag doll was back in Mabel's arms, eyes already opened, grinning and looking at Hayley with wide eyes.
Hayley became furious, rolled up her sleeves, grabbed the rag doll again, tossed it to the ground, and stomped on it, shouting, "Vid, help me! Use your magic and burn this thing!"
Vid hesitated, seeing Hayley with clenched fists and an angry look, but still pointed his Magic Wand.
With a "bang", the rag doll caught fire. Hayley quickly jumped aside, watching it burn to ashes, thrilled.
But turning back, she saw the rag doll perfectly intact in Mabel's hands once again, and the smile froze on her face.
"What's happening?" she asked bewilderedly, looking at Vid in a panic.
Vid was watching Mabel, seeing that while she didn't stop Hayley, when the rag doll appeared in her hands, there was neither aversion nor fear, subtly even a breath of relief.
"Hayley, the rag doll is just the Obscurus's form in this Spiritual World, it's all-pervasive, so no matter how many you destroy, it can reappear."
Vid looked into Mabel's eyes and said, "Unless you voluntarily let it go, Mabel...but you don't seem to want that?"
"I..."
Mabel looked in panic at Vid and then at Hayley, seeming to want to throw away the rag doll, but her fingers wouldn't release it.
"Mabel!" Hayley called out incredulously.
Vid calmly said, "I understand the Obscurus has powerful allure, perhaps that omnipotent feeling is indeed captivating, but Mabel, if you die, nothing will remain."
"Maybe you've considered the Obscurus a protector, a friend during this time, but that's not the truth."
"It's just a parasite born in pain and darkness, constantly burning your soul to unleash terrifying destruction."
"Let it go, Mabel." Vid gently persuaded, "Don't linger in past pain; life is a long journey, and you have a long future ahead with Hayley and us. Don't stop here."
"Yes." Hayley hugged her arm and said, "I still want to watch movies with you, travel together, eat delicious food, lie in bed and chat at night...don't leave me, Mabel, don't leave me alone."
Mabel's hand holding the rag doll trembled again, wanting to let go but unable to, and then began to cry.
"But Hayley...without the Obscurus...without it...how do I protect you?...I don't want to watch you suffer again..."
She cried while trembling, intermittently saying, "Vid, I know you've been pushing yourself to become stronger...you undoubtedly have fears to do this...I...I hope to help..."
"I...I'm really afraid...I fear becoming weak again...I fear being unable to protect anyone, watching those around me disappear one by one...I'd rather die, I don't want to be that..."
She sobbed miserably and her hands made the rag doll grimace painfully.
But at that moment, Hayley suddenly opened her arms and hugged Mabel tightly.
"I know, Mabel, I know. Because I used to be very scared too, but later I found lots of courage...do you know why I'm not afraid anymore?"
Mabel looked at her with tears streaming.
Hayley raised her head, tears in her eyes, trying to smile brightly: "Because I know you love me! I know even if we're apart, I still have you, I'm not alone, so I'm not afraid."
"Even bleeding or being cut by knives, it hurt so much, but those are past. As long as you're by my side, I can endure through."
"You've always protected me, Mabel——not only when you turned into the black creature or killed bad people. From the first time you reached out to me, you've been protecting me."
Vid smiled and said, "You're already amazing, Mabel; help doesn't mean you must do something. Your presence is important to us."
"So...trust me, believe we can protect you, and believe your value doesn't only reside in the Obscurus. Let go, will you? Regardless of what the future holds, face it with courage."
Mabel gazed tearfully at both of them for a long while, and her fingers finally began to release.
The black rag doll fell silently to the ground.
The next moment, Scamander's magical presence fully extended into this world, dazzling light cascaded from the sky, and Vid faintly heard the rag doll emit a sharp shriek.
Then, in the room, he opened his eyes, seeing a dark mass struggle from Mabel's chest, extracted into a translucent Magic Energy Field.