*This story is underneath my folder titled “Witch’s Wonder, Hell’s Hate”. Gacha Club character designs are under this forum: https://www.youngwriterssociety.com/view topic.php?f=27&t=116005&start=1335. This is the final story in the series, then I will make origins of these characters and other stories connecting to this! Enjoy!*

Even though my legs can barely hold me up, I’m not going to give up. I did not do all of this for nothing. I did not do all of this to abandon my principles and join her.

My eyes are on Foxglove’s deep brown ones. As difficult as it is, I raise my hands up and will the magic inside of me to rush out and destroy her. I’ve got to be strong. I can’t give up. Everyone is counting on me to-

Foxglove rushes towards me faster than I can imagine. She knows that I won’t ever be like her, that I will never want to kill like her. She saw that choice in my eyes and now she’s on top of me. I can feel her claws reaching deep into my flesh, tearing away my skin. When I scream, blood rushes out of my chapped lips. I don’t know how long it’s been, but I had to have been here for days. Months, even. Time moves differently in Hell.

My vision is blurry with blood that is rushing from my head to my eyes and…and tears. Foxglove has pinned me down, but it’s not just her. There is this pressure that is also holding me back, an invisible force that must be Foxglove’s magic pushing me down. Somebody else is holding onto my head, trying to pull it off. I can feel the muscles in my neck straining like they are mere seconds from becoming nothing. There’s a man laughing behind me. It’s Jack who is trying to pull my head off. He’s helping his dearest wife try to kill me.

I don’t want it to end like this. I’ve been walking through this torment trying to save Leslie and now, everyone is in trouble. Can Leslie even be saved anymore? The locket made her go mad. I couldn’t even take it off of her when I first saw it.

I want to fight them off and save everyone, but how? I don’t even know my own powers that well. Mom didn’t even teach me enough. How can I possibly kill Foxglove and Jack? All I know is to heal and…and…

My powers are strongest when I let myself go to memories. My mind is the safest place to be. When Joseph was helping me, trying to get me to tap into my potential, he was patient. He wanted to guide me, but not too much. My powers were a truth I had to find out on my own.

Joseph, with his rouge eyes and dark skin, cloaked in red, a visage of blood-like beauty I had never seen before. He was the Prince and yet he came to me.

We traveled through Hell together. He never left my side. He opened up to me through time spent and through his memories. He was made a vampire by his Mom and yet he still had hope in his heart. He was still patient. He still helped me. He still had humanity.

Perhaps I don’t need to be violent like Foxglove. Maybe I just need to protect myself and turn that force into something greater. Because to care is to still fight back. To love is to attack.

It is love that has kept me going. Love, for my friends, Leslie and Michelle, tangled in this mess, because they wanted to stay with me no matter what. Love, for my mom, even after she abandoned me, because I believed she would come back. Love, for my Dad, caring for lost, orphaned children, still up in Earth. Love, for the doll Leslie took from me, the doll mom gave me, because I could see a light in those soulless button eyes. Love, for the rat with the broken tail I healed when I was only a child, because rodents were still living creatures. Love for…

He’s still held back by white light that burns him. White light that looks like it’s killing him. I don’t need to see his soundless screaming mouth to know that he’s afraid. I can feel it. It is cold shocks of terror racing through my exposed veins, jolting them to life, twisting from above. It is like the magic that held me down. Physical, not visible.

Like a rush of roses, jagged and soft, power runs through me, blooming in magenta-pink iridescence, a protective shield that propels Foxglove and Jack away from me. It then shoots up into the air like criss-crossing ribbons and slashes apart the light that holds Joseph tight.

He falls to the ground, breathing in short, desperate gasps, eyes wide and wild. It’s only a matter of mere seconds, because he’s already rushing to a fight.

I sit up from the ground, rubbing my neck. It’s still bleeding, but it’s intact. That’s good. I’m not going to sit down for long, though. I get up with shaking legs and rush towards Sylvie, who is stumbling as she walks. Joseph and Queen Lanria are fighting each other. Mom is still here, but I don’t feel like dealing with her now. I’ve got to try to help Sylvie.

I don’t need to run because Sylvie already crawls my way. The magic is still burning inside me, so I let it spill out my fingers and entangle her legs. Sylvie thrashes, throwing her head back as saliva drips from her sharp teeth. My light looks like it’s going to break from her sheer force. But I will not give up.

I come up to her. I stare at her white eyes, almost as white as her clown face. She’s breathing heavily, glaring at me like she wants me dead. Perhaps she does, but that’s not her truest desire. It’s not who she really is.

“Sylvie.”

She flinches and blinks at me, a brief flash of humanity in her eyes. Okay. I can do this. I can help her.

“Sylvie. Do you remember that name? That’s your name. I know that you-“

I have to dodge Sylvie’s leg when she tries to break me, but I’m not going to stop.

I take a deep breath, collect my thoughts. I begin: “I know that you’re angry. You were sick and your friends sacrificed you. They hurt you. It’s not fair. But you don’t have to be this way. You can rest. You just need to let go.”

I think that’s what needs to happen. I don’t truly know. But it’s better than saying nothing, right? She needs to hear something, so I’ll be there for her.

The magenta light is just barely holding her up. She’s staring at me, breathing hot and hard. There’s an emptiness in her eyes, but also a hope. A hope to get out. I stare back at her. I don’t know if it will work like that, but I hope it does. I hope she can feel my love seeping through me. I hope that my love can be enough to save her. I hope-

Sylvie’s legs dig into my already torn flesh, impaling my insides. I can feel her pointy spider legs drill inside me, hear the squelching of my organs. A scream shoots out of my rasping, dry throat before I can stop it, magenta light twirling out of my mouth and throwing her away from me, just like what happened with Jack and Foxglove.

I scramble to sit up, to watch what happens to her. I don’t want to hurt her too much. She’s already been hurt enough.

Sylvie stumbles. The ground rumbles with her. She’s standing for only a second. I watch her fall. Her strange, monstrous body crumbles away, crackling like the fireplace back at home, tearing up like pieces of paper. Is this what happened to Foxglove and Jack? Have they become nothing? I don’t see them anywhere. Is this really what she’s going to become? Nothing? It’s not right…it’s not fair…but nothing is right or fair…

No. There’s a white light where her body was. Wait…not a light…it’s her body…her human body…but it is transparent and bloody, ethereal and mundane. I see her faded pink dress, her limp brown hair. She is a ghost. She is her human soul. She is herself.

I stare at Sylvie’s ghost, lying still on the ground. Her eyes are half-open, as if she’s not sure whether or not she wants to wake up. She doesn’t move. I don’t think I should either.

Her ghost starts to blend more into the background, further…further…she’s gone.

Just like that, she went to Heaven. That’s where I think she went, anyway. Because if Hell exists, then there must be a Heaven, right? I think. I don’t know where she truly went, because I’m not dead. Maybe I’ll find out one day.

But that’s not going to happen for a while. I run over to Mom. As I run to her, I catch some of the words Joseph and Lanria are saying to each other:

“I don’t understand you, Joseph. You could have the power to bend people to your will. You’re already a vampire and yet you haven’t killed her. What’s wrong with you? What-“

“Oh yes, like I’d want the evil you gave me. Why is it always about power with you? I want to feel something more fulfilling than power.”

“Anna, we’re both weak. But I don’t want to fall without you.”

I’m facing Mom. She’s standing on legs that look like they are going to buckle, just like me. But what is she talking about? Does she really expect me to just…forget about it?

“I don’t even know what to say. I wanted to be with you for so long. I thought that you had a good reason to leave me. I’ve dreamed of this moment and…you sacrificed your friend for power? How am I supposed to forgive that?”

My voice sounds distant to me, cracking with tears and blood. Mom’s eyes are glistening, but she doesn’t sob.

“I know that it’s bad, but you don’t know how worthless I’ve felt. There comes a time where believing in love alone isn’t enough to keep you going. I didn’t want to feel like my magic didn’t mean anything. Lanria felt the same way about being a Queen. We had to sacrifice the weak to get what we wanted. It hurts me, but it happened. Sometimes you had to do bad things to get something good.”

What? This is the same woman who told me that she was trying to save a friend from Hell? I guess it’s okay for her to do bad when she just wants to feel more than what she is. I guess it’s different for her than it is with Lanria…or it was, only for a little bit. She says right now that it’s the same thing and that it’s some complex history I’ll never truly grasp.

“You’re wrong. I have felt powerless before. This whole time, I’ve been searching for Leslie, lost in this void, trying to use my powers in a way that could help me. I didn’t have anyone but the Prince to teach me! And I kept going, even though I wanted to crumble and die. Even if I didn’t think that I could do it. So I’m not sure if my words are going to mean anything to you now since you’ve already made your choice, but I’m not going with you. And that’s final.”

Mom opens her mouth like she’s going to say something, but she falls. I call out to her, she mumbles something about her powers fading away. I don’t hear Joseph and Lanria anymore.

I look up. Lanria is gone. I just have to go and save Leslie, Isaiah, and Michelle…but Mom…she’s lying on the ground…she can’t…

I stare at her a little bit longer before I go over to Leslie. I hope she knows how much I love her, deep down, with just one look.

As I make my way to Leslie, the ground slips under me like a wet floor and the ceiling seems to crash down, cobwebbed chandeliers and the sound of my own body cracking and splintering overtaking all my senses.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I’m back in the woods where I first met Joseph. I can see the sunlight glowing through the tree leaves above me. I feel the sticks and leaves against my bleeding, raw skin. I’m…I’m back?!! I’m back in Earth?!

I sit up from the ground, on my knees. Michelle is coughing a little, Isaiah is rubbing his eyes, and Leslie is lying motionless. I see her breathing, just a little bit.

I crawl over to her, wincing as the sticks scrape against the raw flesh of my knees. Her eyes are half-lidded, but I can see the brown in them. They don’t look so white and crazed anymore.

The silver heart locket is glimmering on her neck. I reach out and unclasp it. It comes off easily, as though it were just a necklace and nothing more. Maybe that’s just what it is now. A necklace. Foxglove is gone, so the darkness that came with her is gone too. The necklace is nothing.

The same chain that refused to leave Leslie’s neck disintegrates in my hand, its silver glitter falling into the dirt.

Leslie’s eyes fully open. There is a red circle around her neck where the necklace was, raw and irritated, much like how my own neck feels after Jack tried to pull my head off. Pull my head off. I can’t believe that almost happened to me.

“Anastasia.” Leslie croaks. She’s looking up at me. She sees me.

“Yes, I’m here. Are you okay?”

“I…I think I am. Anastasia, I…I saw my Mom. I don’t know how to explain it, but she was there. I knew it was her. She was in Hell, trapped in this monstrous body and…and she needed me, so I-where is she?! What happened to her?!”

“I killed Foxglove and Jack, so the magic that made her a monster is gone. She’s in Heaven now.”

“You mean she’s dead?”

“Yes. Her soul has passed on.”

“I…I…”

Leslie does not finish her thoughts. She crawls over to me and hugs me, tears falling softly down her face. I hug her back. At least I got to give my Mom one last look. Leslie didn’t even get to say goodbye. She didn’t even get to properly know her.

I’m so indescribably happy to have my friend back with me that I almost forget about Isaiah, who runs over to her and asks her the same question I did seconds ago.

Her boyfriend I didn’t know about. But I don’t think I really care anymore. I’m just glad that she’s alive.

“Yes, I’m fine! I’m okay! Anastasia, I…I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him. I wanted to tell you about Isaiah but I wasn’t sure how you’d react. I just…I met him when I went out for a walk from the orphanage. I love him, he’s a good guy, I-“

“It’s fine, Leslie. It’s not that serious. I’m sorry that you felt like you couldn’t tell me about him before, but it’s okay. You’re okay.”

Leslie does not let go of me. I don’t mind. I haven’t hugged her in a while. I know that she’ll let go eventually, but I want to cherish this moment for a little while longer.

Michelle joins in on the hug as well. I ruffle her long, dark brown hair for a bit before she and Leslie both get up and say that they’re heading back to the orphanage. Isaiah gives Leslie a kiss on her cheek before saying that he’ll go home himself. They’re all leaving and I’m still sitting here, tired and worn-out.

“Anastasia, we need to talk.”

I feel Joseph’s clawed hand on my shoulder. A shiver runs down my spine. Right. He’s here.

I nod.

“All this time I’ve spent with you, this time I’ve spent helping you…you were always scared that you wouldn’t be able to save everyone and yet you’ve done it. I know you’ve felt like you weren’t enough to do what you felt as right. I’ve felt that way about being a Prince, about being the Queen’s son. But listening to those thoughts is what’s going to keep you weak. It holds you back. You pushed through. I knew you would, but it didn’t matter what I think. You had to believe that you could. Anastasia, I…”

Joseph walks in front of me, sitting face-to-face with me, his long, elegant claws resting on my cheek. His crimson eyes glimmer with an understanding that feels more than that, that feels like he knows me as deep as he knows himself. It’s warm and sweet and I’l always welcome it.

“I love you. I love you because you are beautiful, especially now, as you’re bleeding and dirty and brimming with so many feelings all at once. You are a light in my life and if I never see you again after this, then it’ll be okay, because I’ll never forget you. I will remember you throughout all of time, throughout all the centuries, because you, Anastasia, are unforgettable. I just think you should know that before I…before I leave you.”

Joseph looks away for a split second, then back at me. His hand shakes next to my face. I can feel the fear in him. It’s softer than before, but it still trembles against my skin.

“You could make me like you.”

The words just came out of my mouth. I’m surprised that I said them at all and yet, not really. If there was anybody I could through Hell with, it would be Joseph. If there was anybody I could be a monster with, it’d be Joseph. I’d spend an eternity with him.

He frowns.

“A vampire? No, you don’t un-“

“How much it hurts? Look at me. Do you really think being a vampire will hurt me? You didn’t have to join me. You didn’t have to help me. You didn’t have to do anything that you did and you still did it. That’s real love. That’s real devotion. I want to be a vampire by your hand. Don’t you ever think that you’re a monster, because you are the farthest thing from it. I…please.”

Joseph stares at me. He has long black eyelashes fanning his rose red eyes. They glisten like raindrops on flower petals, rainbow light caught in its liquid gems. My breathes are slow, feeling like they are falling out of me.

He leans in closer to my face, his hand travels to my arm, gently resting there. The way he gets close to me, so promising and yet so possessive, feels near to a kiss.

Then his fangs clamp down on my neck, opening up my already severed wounds, drinking all my pain in.

Making me more than what I was.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

I open the front door of my house, all of my wounds healed except for the new one Joseph gave me. It won’t take long for it to heal, though. Just like it probably won’t take long for me to crave blood.

I look around. The sitting room is untouched, the furniture all free of dust and cobwebs, so unlike that copy of Lanria’s sitting room in Hell. Sunlight glimmers through the white lace curtains. I can hear children’s voices laughing and shouting all around me, their footsteps running upstairs. I catch some of their silhouettes in the hallway. This is not only a home to me, but a home to others. To children who have nowhere else to go.

I can’t stay here long. I should leave as soon as the bloodlust settles in. Joseph will waiting for me. But I don’t want to leave yet. I don’t feel ready. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel ready.

I see the back of my Dad’s head on the couch. I think he’s reading. He reads in the morning.

“Dad, I’m back. Did you see Leslie and Michelle? They’re here too. They-“

I’m interrupted by him rushing up to me and hugging me so tight I can barely breathe. I hug him back, my heart racing rapidly as I do.

I don’t want to leave him or the others. I don’t want to stay here forever either. This place is my home and I haven’t been here in days. But I don’t want to leave Joseph either.

I still don’t have a clear answer of what is going to happen next. But I have a better grasp of it. Maybe I don’t have to keep this from Dad. Maybe I can tell him about Mom, Sylvie, Lanria, Hell, and Joseph. Maybe I can tell him that I’m a vampire. If he loved a witch for a wife then he’ll love a witch-vampire for a daughter. I don’t see him as the type of person to cast me out.

And if I do have to leave, then I’ll have Joseph with me. I’ll visit Dad if I can. Maybe the others if they want to see me.

I’m not going to worry about that now, though. I’m just glad to be home.