1

I desperately crawl forwards. My hands are blistered, and each time I pull my body forward, it feels like my nails are about to chip off. Even so, I bite down as hard as I can, enduring as much pain as possible.

My legs refuse to move. I can’t rely on them right now.

Each time the ground scrapes against them, a burning ache spreads from where I was initially cut.

“Move!”

No matter how hard I plead or scream, the strength never returns. After what seems like an eternity, I’ve only barely managed to crawl five feet. The gray phone is still sitting on the rotunda seats.

“This isn’t happening… Cynthia… Please…”

I desperately beg, as if she’s magically going to appear before me.

“Don’t do this… Cynthia!” Tears stream down my cheeks. Perhaps this heavy heart is the reason why I feel so weighed down.

“What do I do? Please, Father, tell me what I need to do.”

I fall flat, my arms no longer able to withstand my weight.

My cheeks press against the cold stone floor.

I’m out of options.

The only thing I can do is pray.

I used my Lord’s Prayer incantation already.

If only I didn’t use it earlier. If only I was a stronger fighter, I wouldn’t have had to use it. Then, I would have been able to stop Cynthia. Why, why, why?! Why is this happening to me?!

Balling my hand up into a fist, I furiously slam against the ground. The first hit feels like my hand is about to shatter. Then, as I keep punching, the pain eventually starts to numb itself out.

“Please, Father. Please tell me what I need to do. I need to stop her.”

“She’s your daughter too. They both are. Please help me save them both, I beg you. Please, take my life away if you need to. Please save both of them. Neither of them deserve this. Cynthia deserves to be happy. Evi deserves to be happy.”

“Please, listen to me. I’m begging you, Father. Please…”

As the strength in my body slowly starts to fizzle out, my eyelids grow heavier. The only thing keeping me awake is the sting in my legs. How many minutes have passed by now? How long has it been?

I wonder if Cynthia killed Evi.

She’s always been strong. Ever since we met, her skills always made me look up to her.

When it came time to pick our roles, there was no reason for me to become a front liner. With the skills I had, I was happy being a support.

And yet…

“And yet… And yet… I can’t do anything!”

“She’s so strong… Why can’t I be strong? If I was strong, none of this would have happened. I would have been the one in the lead. She wouldn’t have been able to damage me. I wouldn’t have needed to use the Lord’s Prayer.”

After saying that in one go, I take a deep breath. Intentional or not, it gives me a split second of peace. As I’m laying on the ground, my eyes are still fixated on the phone in the distance.

No help will come for me. No help will make it here in time.

But I still need to try. I can’t rely on anyone else to be my partner. Cynthia is my responsibility, and so is Evi.

My thoughts give me a sudden jolt of motivation. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, I crawl faster than I ever have before. After another minute or so, I finally make it to the bench. Extending my arm as far as possible, I manage to barely grip the device.

I collapse back onto the ground. Then, I frantically click a few more buttons on the built-in keyboard.

The phone rings. After a second, someone picks up.

<Rom?! What’s going on?!”>

“Len…” I say weakly.

“Can you do me a big favor? This one will pay off all the times I’ve helped you.”

<Yeah, what do you need?! I’ll do anything!>

After telling him my request, I hear a gasp coming through the other side of the phone. I patiently wait for a response. Even without being able to physically see his face, I can imagine the perplexed and troubled look he has right now.

<Alright. You can count on me.>

I smile as if he can see me.

“Thank you. You’re the best.”

“Goodbye.”

Len remains quiet. Not wanting to waste any more time, I click the end call button. Tossing the phone to the side, I lift both my arms in order to pull myself up onto the bench. As I lift myself up, the strength in my legs slowly starts to return.

It’s not enough for me to start walking properly, but satisfactory enough to where I’d be able to limp anywhere.

This is good. I can at least go see Cynthia now.

Digging my hands into my pockets, I take out my empty gun and six spare rounds. They’re the last bullets I have on me. The rest are back at the car, but I can’t afford to go back for them right now.

I’ll have to make do with six.

Are you going to kill her?

… Huh? Who…?

Can you bring yourself to kill her?

I look all around me, but there isn’t a single soul in sight. That’s right, I must be going crazy with everything that’s been going on. After all, how can I not recognize my own voice speaking to me?

“I’m not going to kill her.” I speak to the air, but it seems to respond back.

Then how are you going to stop her?

“I’m going to save her.”

You idiot. How are you going to save her now? She’s too far gone. She’s gone crazy. You’ve always known that to be true. The way she fights, the way she flirts, you always knew there was something wrong with her.

“Maybe. But I can’t abandon her now.”

“She’s not too far gone. There’s always a chance to save someone, even till the very end.”

You won’t be able to save her. She’s too strong for you. She knows your fighting style too well. No matter what you do, you’ll lose.

“I don’t know that. I don’t have to beat her with fists and guns. I just need a second to talk to her. I’m sure she’ll listen… I’m sure.”

You’re fooling yourself. You’ve always been a coward. Go ahead, call Zuki, call the other Testaments. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind killing off yet another vampire. You can tuck away Evi somewhere else and pretend you didn’t figure anything out.

You can pretend like Cynthia went rogue on her own.

“I’m not doing that!”

“I promised her that I’d be there for her. I told her that I would save her. So I’m going to do that. It doesn’t matter what you, or anyone else, tells me. No matter what, I’ll make sure to bring her back to the light.”

“If I can’t do that, the least I can do is help her reach Heaven.”

“She’s not going to Hell. Not after everything she’s been through.”

And what about Evi? After you “save” Cynthia, what are you going to do with her? Even if she comes back to her senses, she won’t stop trying to kill Evi. You know this. Maybe you should do the same thing she did to you. Cut her legs and walk away.

Angry, I stand up as if I’m about to hit someone. The grip I have on my weapon tightens as I angrily look around to shoot the voice. I know that’s an impossible feat, but I try anyway.

Just as I start to realize that I’m on my feet, a disgusting, all too familiar noise invades my ears.

Screech. Screech. Screech.

Knowing the context behind this entire town’s disappearance, I listen to the distant cicadas with more ire than fear. My body is tense, but out of sheer desire to crush every single bug in my vicinity.

The sound multiplies around me. In a matter of seconds, I’m surrounded by incessant buzzing in a circle around me. I stop breathing in order to focus on where the sound might be the loudest. If I manage to pinpoint the source, I might be able to locate whoever’s controlling the cicadas.

My attempts immediately prove to be futile. I should have known. What was I thinking, coming to such a random conclusion like that?!

Screech. Screech. Screech.

Frustrated, I shout as loudly as possible.

“What?! Do you want to turn me into a vampire too?!” I lift my arms up like I’m expecting a hug.

“I’d welcome that! Come on! Send your mosquitoes or bugs or whatever! I’m ready! Hell, send a hundred if you have to!”

Slowly, the sound of cicadas starts to fizzle out. But that doesn’t stop me from trying to instigate more.

“What’s wrong? Are you such a coward that you’re not willing to attack your prey head on? You’re quite pathetic, aren’t you, Druscilla? You infect Cynthia but not me? Give me a fucking break!”

As I finish my attempts at taunting the mastermind, the cicadas all vanish. I wasn’t able to see them in the first place, but I can’t even hear them anymore. The town returns to its silent state once more.

After realizing I’m alone, I let out a sigh of relief.

Then, an idea pops into my head.

I don’t need to have human strength to match Cynthia. If she attacks me as I am now, I’m sure to be sliced apart in a matter of seconds. But if I gain the same strength Cynthia did, then maybe… maybe I can stop her without killing her.

Is this really what you want to do?

The voice returns.

Once you do this, you’re never coming back. You’ll never live the life you once did. You’ll be hunted down by the Testaments, never knowing peace ever again.

“What’s so wrong about that? I’m living my life the way I want to. I’ve said it a million times, but I’m going to save both of them tonight. No matter what.”

I see. I hope you don’t regret your decision.

You’re wrong. I won’t regret my decision.

In order to match Cynthia and save Evi…

I need to become a vampire.

2

I’m back at the mansion. It took me about fifteen minutes to get here by dragging my feet, but I’m here. Drawing in large amounts of air into my lungs, I stare at the busted-open doors to the underground laboratory.

From where I’m standing, it looks like an infinite void that greets only death. I pat myself down one last time just to make sure I have all I need. That being said, all I ever really had was a measly dagger and a revolver with six loaded shots.

Placing a hand on my heart, I try to calm myself down. The more I try to force something out, the more it’ll go wrong. I learned that the past few days. All I need to do is get a few words in with Cynthia.

As long as she’s willing to hear me out, there’s hope for her.

I don’t know what to do with Evi, but her situation will have to come after. One thing at a time… one thing at a time.

My eyes are sore from all the crying, and the searing sensation in my legs continues to pulse without mercy. It was a struggle even walking down the sloped road, so going down the stairs is going to be even worse.

No matter how hard I try, memories of my past experience going down this stairway pop up regardless.

The difficulty breathing. Constant sweating.

I’m sure to experience it again.

Even so…

“I need to go.”

I slap my cheeks hard. If I had a mirror, I’m sure I’d see red marks on them by now. This is nothing compared to the pain in my legs and what I’m feeling deep inside my heart. No matter where I look, I keep seeing her face.

Her smiling, smug face.

Right now, I’d give anything to hear her teasing again.

My shoes drag against the dusty stairway as I make my way down. I lean into the walls, ready to grab onto something with each step in case I accidentally slip.

It doesn’t take long until the light behind me gets smaller and smaller, and I’m left with nothing but the dark embrace of the abyss. I lift out my arm before putting it back down hesitatingly.

I need to conserve my energy.

Questions I’ve asked myself countless times resurface in my mind as breathing starts to get more and more difficult. What’ll happen if I become a vampire? Are the effects going to be immediate, or will they take a while?

Come to think of it, I thought Cynthia’s sharp teeth were just my imagination when I first saw them. I don’t know if I should have told her the resemblance or not…

No. If I did, I’m sure nothing would have changed. If anything, it’s my fault for not taking the Centipede Maiden threat seriously. But then again, I can’t even fully be blamed for that either.

If Zuki told us about this, we would have been more cautious.

Yeah… It’s Zuki’s fault.

“Haah… Haah…”

Each breath I take echoes both up and down the stairway. The sound of dripping water from random parts of the cave startled me at first, but they soon started to bring me some much-needed comfort.

The deeper I go, my thoughts get louder.

Throughout my life, no matter what kind of hardships, positivity, or tragedy I went through, people’s advice was always the same.

“This is a part of God’s plan.”

I heard that so much it always made me feel sick. Sure, it feels good to hear when life is going well, but how is that supposed to help when you’ve just lost someone you love? When you’ve lost the people who supported you your entire life?

So even now, I can’t help but ask.

Is this a part of God’s plan too?

“If it is, please help me understand, Father.”

“Father in Heaven. Please help me understand.”

Even with limited air, I can’t help but instinctively mutter out a prayer. It’s funny how now, of all times, I decide to say a proper prayer instead of treating Him like an actual father. Cynthia used to find my relationship with God strange.

I mean, who in their right mind would call their creator “Dad”? Everyone at the Church found me weird, and some even ridiculed me for it. Yeah, even though Cynthia found it strange, she was the only one who never did.

She was the only one who thought I was perfect for who I was.

Does she still accept me that way?

If she did, would she have done what she did?

After everything that’s happened, what’s going to happen to us? With everything we know, there’s no way we’ll be able to go back to our normal lives as Testaments. If you can call being a Testament normal.

Heh. Killing demons is normal.

How twisted.

Though, I didn’t hate it, and she didn’t either.

Being so lost in thought, I don’t even realize that I’ve managed to hit solid, flat ground. Surprised at my speed, I look down at my watch, which tells me that about ten minutes have passed.

In front of me, there is a faint hum emanating from the far distance. The broken lights, scattered paper, and destroyed structure are all still there from last night. I don’t know what I expected.

My heart starts pounding restlessly.

I came here out of sheer speculation… but what if Cynthia isn’t even here? What if she took Evi someplace else and I don’t even know?

No. She has to be here. I know it.

I know her too well. She would do the logical thing first. This is the right place.

The moment I enter the hallway, the smell of rotting meat quickly gives me a headache. Glancing in its general direction, I see a puddle of half-dried blood spilled from the decapitated head of Abigail.

Last time I saw her, her body was warm and alive. It’s weird seeing humans dead. They went through a childhood, went to school, lived their adult lives, just to get it snuffed out in a split second.

They probably loved someone like I did.

Every part of my mind and soul is telling me that Cynthia doesn’t deserve forgiveness for what she did. After all, she not only killed vampires, but regular humans too. I shouldn’t forgive her.

But I will.

Continuing my walk into the laboratory, the faint lights coming from the open area slowly start to fade into my line of sight. Swallowing hard, I brace myself for the toughest verbal and emotional battle of my life.

This is it. I can’t hesitate. Every time she says something, I need to make sure to fire back. I can’t fight her. I have to calm her down. I need to bring her back to my side.

Finally, I step into the large open area. Everything seems to be the exact same as the first time I stepped in here, except for a few changes. At the top-left corner of the cave is a large hole where I fell through.

And the large cylindrical tube is no longer empty.

Evi is inside, her unconscious body floating ever so tragically on its own. The green glass makes it hard for me to make out her golden blonde hair. From my point of view, her free-flowing hair in the water reminds me a lot of what I’ve read about Medusa.

Certainly, they do look like snakes when they wave like that.

In front of the tube is Cynthia, watching the sleeping beauty ever so diligently. The moment I take a step forward, the echoing sound of my shoes hitting stone seems to snap her awake, as she turns around slowly to face me.

She stands still with her weapon drawn.

I continue walking.

Neither of us says a word, but we maintain eye contact the entire time.

The closer I get, the more apparent her exhaustion and despair become, as if they were painted directly onto her face. I grimace every other step thanks to the continuous stabbing pain.

Regardless, I keep my eyes forward.

About twenty feet away from her, I stop.

3

“Cynthia,” I say exhaustedly.

The person across from me just stares with her eyes half-closed. She’s looking halfway down at the ground like a child being scolded. Taking in a sharp breath, I muster the strength to fire off my first few words.

“Let’s go. We can figure this out together.”

That’s right. I can’t say “stop doing this” or “I can cure you.” Right now, those are probably the words she wants to hear the least. She didn’t listen to me earlier when I said those things, so what would make this time any different?

“I… I can’t.”

“You can. We can. You’ve known me for five years, Cynthia. You know I love you.”

“Do you… really mean that?” She bundles her hands together against her chest. The way she is now resembles nothing like her usual self. If anything, it reminds me of when I first met her.

“You know I do. We’ll go back up to the surface and talk things out slowly. I forgive you. I forgive you for hurting me, for trying to kill Evi, for everything. So for now, let’s get out of here, okay?”

I extend my hand.

She glances at it for a second before turning back around. Taking a few steps forward, she touches the glass container.

“Hey, Rom. Do you remember when I told you I wanted to be an artist? After watching that one anime, all I wanted to do was create one of my own. You told me you’d support me once we stopped being Testaments.”

I stand still.

“What’s going to happen to us now? We’re going to stop being Testaments after this, that’s certain. But… How do we live life now? We know how the system works. We know how the Testaments operate.”

“They’ll stop at nothing to find us and kill us.”

“How will I ever be a published artist, be famous, and do signings when there’s going to be an active target on our backs?”

Each time she speaks, my head and heart grow heavier.

She turns her head with tears in her eyes. “I need to try, Rom. I want to live a normal life. I’ll repent for killing those scientists. I truly do regret killing them now. But just because I did one bad thing doesn’t mean I need to suffer the consequences for the rest of my life, right?”

“Cynthia. The mosquito bit you before you even killed them. This isn’t God trying to punish you for your sins. We were set up, done dirty. Killing and hurting each other won’t change a thing. We just need to keep moving and keep on living. If not for yourself, then out of spite for those who wronged us.”

“Judgment will come for them one day, I guarantee that. Yeah, we’re going to be hunted nonstop, but you know what? I’d rather be on the run forever with you than be paired up with someone else.”

I take a step forward, and she takes one back.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Rom. I know you care about the vampire. I’ve been patient for your sake, and deep inside, maybe I really did want her to recover one day. It would have been cute if we all lived like a family together.”

I can’t hide my surprise.

“Is that what you think about Evi? I thought… I thought you’d hate her for the rest of your life.”

She shakes her head. “I wanted to. But whenever I saw the way you looked at her, it made me realize that you’re a really good guy.”

That’s not true at all. A good guy wouldn’t have let his partner get lost in madness. I know she’s trying to cope with our situation, but it takes everything inside me not to correct her.

“You’re a good person, Rom. I know you want to say you’re not, but you are.”

“How⸺”

“I’ve known you for five years. At this point, you might as well have a floating bubble over your head.” She chuckles lightly. “But yeah. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you too, and I still do. Which is why you should let me do this.”

“You’ve only known the vampire for two days. You’ve known me for five years. If you let me do this, I’ll do whatever you want to make up for what I did. So please, just let me have this one. Please?”

The shimmer in her eyes tugs at my heartstrings. My hands quake in frustration. I want to fulfill her request so badly, but I just can’t. With my feet planted firmly on the ground, I sternly say, “I can’t.”

“You deserve to live, but that doesn’t mean Evi has to die.”

“Rom,” her entire body shakes, “why are you always like this? You’re too nice to people. But that’s your biggest weakness. When will you accept that you can’t save everyone? Isn’t it worth the shot if it means I’ll be cured? Don’t you love me?”

Without hesitation, I shoot back, “Five years and you still don’t know a thing about love, do you?”

“Heh.” Cynthia cracks a saddened smile. “You said that at the beach party.”

“You remember?”

“Of course I do. I said some things to Zuki I could never forget.”

Before I can ask what she said, I hear a click coming from behind her. It’s a sound that always brought me comfort because it meant that she was there covering me. Even when we’re faced against each other, I can’t help but feel relieved when I hear it.

Her silver war scythe shines underneath the electronic lights coming from inside the tube. Fixating her eyes on me with a scowl, she points the weapon at me.

“It’s either me or her.”

“Sorry, Cynthia. I choose you both.”

4

The battle begins instantaneously.

With a single burst of movement, she’s nearly in range to slice me in half. Anticipating her first swing, I pour as much strength and willpower into my body as possible in order to dodge her attack.

Using my heels, I manage to throw myself backwards.

“Gh-!”

The edge of her blade barely grazes my pants. It’s safe to say that she’s at least not trying to outright kill me.

As I recover, Cynthia continues her onslaught. Thanks to her weapon’s natural length, it’ll only be a matter of time before I lose. In a one-on-one battle, there’s no way I’ll be able to win.

I know that. I’ve always known that.

Which is why…

Taking aim, I fire at the glass container at the end of the room. The moment the gun rings out its booming voice, Cynthia raises her guard. She quickly scans her own body, checking if I shot her anywhere.

She’s one hundred percent not focused. If she was at her peak, she would have been able to track the trajectory of my bullets easily.

The metal bullet pierces the glass wall keeping Evi away from me. In a matter of milliseconds, the glass cracks entirely. The machinery starts malfunctioning, and warning alarms start blaring out.

“Stop that, Rom!” Cynthia swings at me again, this time much less in control of her actions.

Unable to see her attack patterns, I fall on my butt. Letting my finger go of the trigger, I hold the gun by the barrel in an attempt to use it as a melee weapon. Cynthia does a small hop backwards, gaining distance between me and her.

At first, I think it’s because she’s trying to pull away, but that’s not true.

She’s trying to play to her weapon’s strengths. Right now, she’s aiming for my legs. If she gets too close, she’ll probably risk hitting one of my vital organs. Despite everything we’ve been through, she still cares for me.

The water inside the glass cylinder pours out, and Evi’s unconscious body falls onto the metallic base slowly. I played this correctly, so all I have to do is wait for Evi to wake up and hopefully back me up.

“⸻!”

A silver streak flashes before me, and I feel a sharp sting on my ankles.

Letting out a pained grunt, I try my best to scuttle back. Damn it! I won’t be able to get back up at this rate.

I only have five bullets.

Cynthia’s raising her weapon for a second attack. If she hits me, I’ll be out of commission for sure. As much as I hate it, I’ll have to shoot her at least once!

I fire at her chest.

This time, she deflects the bullet masterfully with her weapon. My attack barely dents the blade of her scythe. All I did was slow her down by a second. Biting down on my lips, I crawl away from her as quickly as possible.

From the corner of my eye, I see Evi’s body twitching.

“Rom. Please, stay still,” she says to me so calmly that a chill runs down my spine.

If this isn’t working, I’ll have to shoot one last hail mary. I gather as much air into my lungs as possible and shout as loudly as I ever have in my entire life.

“Evi! Help me!!!”

Ignoring my cry for help, Cynthia takes another swing with her weapon. This time, I lunge forward, using my arm as a shield for my legs. I don’t need an arm, but if I lose my legs, it’ll really be over.

“AGHH!! GAHHHHH!!”

Still, the pain is unbearable.

Blood gushes out violently.

“R-Rom!”

Cynthia’s deadpan look quickly shifts into worry. Placing her scythe upward, she kneels down, checking on my arm injury. While I cup my left arm using my other hand, my eyes constantly glance over at the now awake blonde vampire.

That’s it… Keep stalling, me.

If I keep stalling…

“GRRRRRRAAAA!!!”

Evi lets out a shriek.

Gasping, Cynthia turns her back on me.

Within a split second, Evi launches herself at Cynthia at speeds I’ve never seen before. After raising her scythe, Evi barely manages to land one of her claws on Cynthia’s chest. Her golden hair quickly bleeds into a crimson red.

As the two enter a power struggle, they each bare their vampiric fangs at each other.

All I can do is watch. I can’t shoot Cynthia. I can’t bring myself to. Even if I shot her legs, the look Evi has on her face shows that she’s ready to tear the nun apart the moment she lets her guard down.

Using her nimble body to her advantage, Evi lands back on the ground before launching herself back into the air. The battle feels like acrobatics against a carefully curated dance.

What should I do? I haven’t planned this far. I’m stupid! So stupid!

With how fast Evi is, Cynthia has clear difficulties keeping the crimson vampire at a distance.

“So annoying!” Cynthia protests. Her weapon clicks, and she transforms her mid-range war scythe into a curved armblade.

Unrelenting clashes come from both sides, forcing sparks from hot impacts to fly out into the air, illuminating the otherwise dark cave in tinges of yellow and orange. I can’t help but be entranced by such a beautiful sight.

“Wha-?! What am I saying?! I have no time to be stalling!”

Tearing a piece of my shirt, I hover the cloth above my arm.

Until an idea pops.

It took Cynthia nearly two days to become a vampire. So I’ll have to use the Holy Element to help me.

Swinging my revolver open, I take out two bullets. The silver surface reflects my face for a split second, making me hesitate. But one glance at both Evi and Cynthia is all it takes for me to swallow my fear.

I shove a metal bullet inside my open wound. My body instinctively lets out a squeal as flesh meets cold steel. The bullet lodges itself deeply into my arm, but I still wrap my torn shirt around it to the best of my ability.

For the other bullet, I slide it into my pocket. With that, I snap my weapon shut once more.

What I’m doing is dumb, I know.

But this isn’t a fight to defeat someone.

It’s a battle to save someone. For that, I’ll do whatever it takes!

“Evi! Push her away!”

The crimson vampire responds with a grunt. Using her unique speed advantage, she positions herself perfectly enough to fulfill my request. Each step Cynthia takes is one that Evi wants her to take.

If she wasn’t a child, I would assume she was a veteran fighter.

The elegance in Cynthia’s battle stance that I saw when she was fighting Noblique is completely gone. Each one of her retaliations is done out of reaction rather than tactical calculation.

I look up at the cave’s ceiling. Taking aim, I shoot at one of the loose pieces of stone. Once the impact lands, it begins to rain rocks on top of Evi and Cynthia. My heart drops as I realize I might accidentally kill either of them.

But neither of them is hit whatsoever. In fact, it seems like Evi’s using the visual clutter to her advantage. Evi lands after an air attack. Folding her legs, she shoots upward like a spring and uses her momentum to send Cynthia tumbling back.

Her leg trips, and the nun starts falling into the pit that Evi and I created earlier.

“Shi⸺!”

She doesn’t even have time to scream in panic.

Using Cynthia’s body as a platform, Evi launches herself backwards and towards me. Cynthia’s frame completely disappears into the void, the raining rocks stopping suddenly as if they were fighting on our side as well.

…

After landing beside me, Evi breathes frantically to catch her breath.

“Evi!” I call out to her, extending my left arm.

“Bite me!”

She tilts her head in confusion.

“Bite me! Please! We don’t have much time!”

Evi shows hesitation, refusing to even show me her teeth.

“Evi. I promise, everything will be okay. I know what I’m doing. So please, bite me! If you do, I’ll be able to help you out.”

I hear rocks rumbling from the hole.

“Cynthia is coming. Hurry!”

“Evi…” I go on weakly, “I won’t kill her. This won’t kill me either. We’ll get through this together. I won’t regret my decisions, I promise. All you need to do is bite me and keep Cynthia at bay for two minutes.”

She reaches out her hands slowly. Pulling my arm close to her mouth, her eyes sparkle with a sense of guilt and regret. With a struggle, I get on my knees as best as I can. I place my other arm on top of her head.

“Remember, I promised I would make you more huaraches and teach you English. I’ve gone through a lot, so don’t worry.” I smile softly.

My words seem to convince her, since she slowly opens her mouth and bites down.

I flinch in pain.

Evi drinks three times before stopping. The tips of her fangs drip with blood, a sight she quickly wipes away.

…

The effects are immediate.

“Mmghh… Ghh!”

Something rancid rises from my stomach. Unable to contain it, I vomit out a mysterious substance that I can only imagine is blood and bile mixed together. Evi pats my back, but it does little to sate the pain.

My heart feels like it’s getting seared, bits and pieces melting away. I curl forward as if it would bring me any form of comfort. My forehead rubs against the cold metal floor, and breathing feels like I’m spitting fire.

I shut my eyes tightly, but the pain forces me to open them back up.

The muscles in my mouth move on their own, locking themselves shut. But that doesn’t stop me from vomiting again. The disgusting liquid spills out from the small gaps between my teeth, my jaws only unlocking after my tongue tastes the flavor.

“Ughh… Haah…” Everything I do hurts.

I shouldn’t have done this.

Dying would have been much easier than this.

Tears flood from my eyes, blurring my vision completely.

I feel Evi continuously patting my back, but even that sensation slowly becomes numb. Each time she touches me, an electric feeling courses through my nervous system in a closed loop.

How did Cynthia endure this? Did she go through this too?

No… she probably didn’t. Right?

Static plays in my mind. While my entire body starts going completely numb, I feel sharp pain from my right arm.

Could it be the bullet doing this? Is this what Noblique felt whenever I shot him?

The Holy Element…

“I-It makes sense.”

Despite my muffled hearing, the sound of distant footsteps stands out clear as day. When I raise my head slightly, I see Cynthia’s tall frame slowly start to spill back into view. It isn’t until I realize she’s getting closer that I notice the patting on my back stopped completely.

With a stiff neck, I try looking for Evi, but she’s nowhere to be seen.

No way. Did she abandon me? Did she lose hope?

Surely not.

“I can’t believe this.” Cynthia grumbles.

She’s making the face one would make toward someone they hate. Her eyes and lips are contorted in complete disgust. Her uniform is ripped and torn, and she has dirt and bruises all over her body.

“You care for the vampire so much that you’re willing to throw away your life for her?”

Using the tip of her blade, she lifts my chin.

“I’m going to keep you out of commission. It’s over, Rom.”

“N-N…” I can’t even retaliate with words. Each time I try to speak, it feels like the skin in my throat is peeling away.

“Once I put the vampire to sleep, I’ll be sure to bring us both back to normal. I know you’ll probably hate me for killing her, but I’d much rather you hate me than suffer for the rest of your life.”

I’m shivering. As much as I want to stop her, my body doesn’t listen to my commands.

I manage to move a single finger, and that’s the greatest achievement I have so far.

<It’s not over yet, Cynthia.>

Huh? I recognize that voice.

Cynthia turns frantically, trying to find where it’s coming from.

<I won’t call you a mudbiter. I have too much respect for Rom to do that.>

It’s echoing. Who is that…?

“Who are you?! Are you the Centipede Maiden?!” Cynthia panics as well.

<How sad. To see such a capable Testament fall so far.>

Evi’s voice echoes through the cave. The words are foreign, yet I understand every syllable perfectly.

Why? How? Can I understand her?

<I would have been okay with learning human tongue, but I suppose this works out as well.>

“You’re the vampire, aren’t you!”

<Ah. You still retain your intelligence. However, you made a grave mistake, Testament. I only agreed to be taken by you so I could atone for my sins.>

<But you lost your privilege to kill me once I heard his cry for help.>

It happens faster than my brain can process. A gust of wind shoots out of nowhere, scraping Cynthia’s right leg with five claw marks. My hair flutters rapidly before settling back down.

I can’t tell whether that was an air attack or if Evi is simply that fast.

Cynthia sprints towards the middle of the room. She raises her curved weapon, ready to retaliate at any moment. The voice doesn’t speak anymore, and the only thing I can hear is the sound of my own heartbeat.

From the ceiling, a shadow bounces to the wall before launching itself again toward the defensive nun.

In that instant, I see Evi dash past Cynthia.

With a single snap of her arms, Cynthia barely manages to slice Evi’s body. I don’t know how, but the crimson vampire maneuvers herself through the air masterfully, twisting and turning her body in ways no human should be able to.

I can see it. Cynthia is locked in as well.

Evi dashes with intent this time, but Cynthia manages to deflect her razor-sharp nails just in time. The sound of clashing metal rings through the air, making me shiver from the physical feedback alone.

Landing on one of the walls, Evi continues her onslaught. This feels like one of those batting cages you’d see at a game center. Evi is the ball, and Cynthia is the batter. Sometimes she manages to hit, and other times, she gets scratched.

A part of me wants to yell at her to use an incantation, forgetting that she doesn’t have the capability to do so.

Besides, that’s my role.

The wall cracks as Evi launches herself at top speed toward Cynthia. Raising her weapon to block, the two fighters rapidly go flying across the room and into a wall. Evi is the first to recover, then Cynthia.

Blood drips from Cynthia’s legs, face, and arms. She looks like she’s about to collapse at any moment.

Did I even need to become a vampire? What was the point if Evi was capable of beating her so easily?

“⸺!”

Getting up from the pile of rubble, Cynthia begins countering Evi’s onslaught with slow precision. This has always been her specialty. Whenever we were in a pinch, I could always count on her adaptability in any kind of combat situation.

Winds howl as both Cynthia and Evi go blow for blow.

The more I watch, the more I realize…

Evi wasn’t moving like this before. She only got faster after drinking my blood.

Besides…

Being so fixated on the fight, I don’t realize my senses are starting to return. My breathing slowly stabilizes, and I manage to get back on my feet decently fast. The bullet lodged in my arm still stings, but not enough to make me freeze in place.

Evi’s claws clash against Cynthia’s blade. Before the crimson vampire can move again, Cynthia twirls her arm underneath, forcing Evi to respect her opponent’s next action. Then the nun swiftly kicks Evi in the stomach.

“ACK-!”

The crimson vampire is sent flying, smashing into the cave wall. With the impact, the very foundation of the cave starts to shake.

Not good. At this rate, Evi has a real chance of losing.

I know, because I haven’t seen Cynthia lose!

Dragging my feet, I start circling around the cave to get behind Cynthia. As she turns her head, Evi comes flying toward her. As they lock together, Evi grits her teeth and says words that break my heart.

<He trusts you! Why can’t you see that?! Why do you refuse to see that?!>

“Shut up!” Cynthia shouts back, launching herself upward and behind Evi.

With a single move, she slices Evi’s back.

“AHHH!”  Evi squeals.

“What do you know about him?! I loved him far more than you ever have! I wanted to do this for him, for us!”

Taking heavy breaths, Evi mumbles, <Then unfortunately, you know nothing about love.>

Furious at her statements, Cynthia deeply slices Evi’s legs. It’s not enough to completely detach her limbs, but just enough to put the crimson vampire out of commission. I feel bad for making her do this.

But it won’t last much longer.

Aiming my gun, I shoot at the roof again. Hanging stones start to rain down. They prove trivial for Cynthia, as she barely even moves to dodge the attack. It doesn’t matter, since I wasn’t betting on the actual rocks anyway.

As I sprint, I take out the bullet in my pocket and forcefully slam it into my left arm. The sound of cracking bones and wet flesh makes me want to puke, but I push on to the best of my ability.

“AUGHH!”

Keep running. I can’t stop now.

I feel the sting. It’s lodged in there for sure.

That means I can finally end this.

Running into the cloud of smoke created by the rocks, I whisper out an incantation.

(Bound on earth,)

“Ligata in terra,”

I never wanted to hurt her in the first place.

All I wanted to do was talk to her.

And for that… I need to stop her from attacking!

“⸻!”

I jump out of the smoke. Cynthia widens her eyes. I can read her thoughts as clear as day. Why? Why is the ranged fighter getting so close?

(bound in heaven )

 ligata in caelo”

Golden lights start to glow from both my arms. My veins sear themselves as the Holy Element activates upon my incantation. My body forces out a guttural scream, sending me into a convulsing mess.

Cynthia panics and raises her weapon to block, but Evi quickly stops her, gripping her arm and keeping her grounded.

“Rom! Stop! What are you?!”

My own voice is too loud to hear them. Chains made of light burst out from my skin. This won’t kill me, and it certainly won’t kill Cynthia either. I know because it didn’t kill Noblique.

Swinging my arm, I wrap the chains around Cynthia. With a single, powerful yank, I pull her toward me. Her slender body comes flying.

“KYAAAAA!!!”

Even through this hellish pain, I can’t help but smile.

I missed her kya.

“Off!”

The light instantly vanishes.

As Cynthia’s body collides with mine, I wrap my arms tightly around her.

5

“L-Let go!”

Her body squirms, desperately trying to break free from me.

“I’m not letting you go.”

She’s holding a weapon.

She could easily stab my back or even use her overwhelming physical strength to push me away. But instead, she remains still, pretending like she’s helpless in this state.

“But you’re not.”

“Huh?!”

“You’re not stabbing me, or slicing me, or even pushing me away. Because you don’t want to.”

Cynthia lowers her arms.

A labored exhale leaves her nose and mouth, deflating her shoulders and, subsequently, all the tension in her body.

I still don’t let go.

Resting my chin on her shoulder, I can’t help but shed a tear.

Building the courage to break the silence, my lips quiver as I speak.

“I was so scared of losing you. I still am.”

“I never wanted to make you feel the way you did. I wanted to protect you. I wanted to protect you from becoming something you’d regret.”

“What’s that?” she asks weakly.

“You’re a caring person. You act tough on the surface, but whenever you’re alone, you cry, feel pity, and regret your decisions all the time. I know because I’ve seen it all. You were never crazy or depraved…”

“... You were just scared.”

A tear streaks down my cheek.

Cynthia lifts her arms, embracing me back. She’s in an awkward position, so I shift around a bit so we can hug a little longer.

My back feels wet and cold.

“Y-You… you knew…? This entire time?”

“I did.”

With a trembling voice, she replies, “Why? Why didn’t you say anything then? If you did, then I would have toughened up. I would have done it for you. I would have gotten stronger for you.”

“Because that would have hurt you. I don’t want to hurt you, Cynthia. Not now, not ever.”

“I don’t get you. Why are you so nice?! One day you’ll get hurt by someone like me. You’ll be betrayed, threatened, and have horrible things done to you if you keep being like this…”

“I’m not nice to everyone, just you.”

She leans back, and I get to look at her crying face.

“Why?!”

“Because I love you. I always have.”

Cynthia gasps in shock, her tears seemingly freezing mid-fall.

“How can you love me when I’m so ugly? When I’ve become such an ugly person…”

“You’re not. You’re not ugly, Cynthia.”

All the aching pain throughout my body is pushed to the back burner as the warmth of my emotions takes priority. In this dark, gloomy cave, I can’t help but feel like I’m sitting beneath the shade on a hot summer day.

At least, that’s what it feels like when I look at her beautiful face.

Bursting into a wail, Cynthia lunges at me. Her weight is too much for me, forcing me to fall backward. As we both thud into the ground, she places both hands on either side of me, pinning me down.

“I was so worried… I thought you hated me…!” Her tears fall on my cheeks.

“I’m sorry!” She digs into my chest. “I’m so, so sorry! I love you, Rom. I love you so much!”

I move the bits of hair away from her face. My mouth opens, but no sound comes out. All I can do is watch the love of my life beg me for forgiveness. She’s so silly. I already told her that I forgive her.

Her cries slowly become more and more muffled. I can’t move my body at all.

Evi stands a short distance away from us, a soft smile painted across her face.

It suits her so well.

“⸺!”

It feels like lava is coursing through my veins. The glow on my arm slowly starts spreading all across my body like a symbiote. I want to scream, but I don’t even have the energy to do so.

My mind begs my body to stay awake, but those requests fall on deaf ears. Without meaning to, my eyes slowly start to shut. Each blink is so slow that I can see the cave gradually vanishing into darkness.

Finally, I can take a short break. I hope I’m able to get a few hours of sleep at least. When morning comes, we’ll have to start running away as quickly as possible. Something tugs on my shoulder, but I’m too tired to even give it attention.

Sorry, guys. I’m taking a short break.

◇

My mind drifts into a deep blue space. No matter where I look, the water-like spiral walls surrounding this strange world keep me encased like a birdcage. I reach out, but I can’t see my hands.

Was that what you wanted?

It’s the same voice.

In that moment, I fade into existence in front of myself.

He’s not wearing the same clothes I am. In fact, he looks a lot younger.

Is that what you wanted?

You saved yourself, but at what cost?

“There was no cost.”

“If I was given the choice, I would do it all over again.”

Even if it’s for a vampire you just met? Why go through such lengths for someone you barely know? Wouldn’t it have been sufficient to just save Cynthia?

I want to scoff, but I have no mouth. Which weirds me out even more, because I seem to be able to talk.

“Can I ask you something?”

My other self stares at me blankly. I’ll take that answer as a yes for now.

“Wouldn’t you?”

…

“Our mom taught us something important, didn’t she?”

He smiles.

That’s right...

“Love isn’t something you say to people. It’s something you show people.”

“Neither of us can feel love. No matter how much someone tells us, no matter how tightly someone hugs us, love is something our minds can’t comprehend.”

“That’s our curse.”

“So in return...”

We give others as much love as possible.

“Yeah. That’s right.”

“Neither of us has much time. The bullet in our skin will melt our minds away like it did to Noblique. We’ll be leaving them alone in this world, Evi and Cynthia. Still, a part of me wonders if I made a mistake after all.”

You didn’t.

Because at the end of the day, you saved them.

No matter what happens in the future, they’ll remember your sacrifice until the very end.

Isn’t that ultimately, all that matters?

“Yeah. I agree.”

The world around me rumbles violently. The sea-blue spirals in the distance start distorting, and my vision grows more and more distant from my younger self.

Hey, Rom!

My other self shouts.

Don’t break any more hearts. I can’t take it anymore.

What is this kid talking about?

He’s me. He knows I wouldn’t.

White light starts to spill in from behind me until eventually, I’m completely engulfed. I don’t know what just happened, but I don’t want to question it either.

 ◇

My hair flutters gently as the wind’s howl brings my consciousness back.

An orange light pierces through my closed eyelids. Instinctively, I try to turn away, only to be met with excruciating pain.

Something tickles my forehead. Something sweet and tender.

It touches me like a glass ornament meant to be cared for.

Then, I feel something soft press against my lips. A wet sensation starts to spread, only to pull away when I begin opening my eyes.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

Her lips are awfully close.

“Cyn…thia…”

“Where…”

The only things I can move are my eyes and mouth. Every other body part has completely shut down. I don’t even feel the searing pain from the bullets anymore. It’s funny. I thought vampires were supposed to be strong and resilient.

Dawn starts spilling across the sky, coloring the world in vibrant shades of blue and white.

<Rom.>

I hear Evi’s sophisticated language. Only after she calls out my name do I realize where I am. The surrounding buildings are all too familiar, but we’re too high up to be in any kind of tower or tall structure.

We’re back at the house. The roof, to be exact.

“Hey, Evi.”

“Hi, Cynthia.”

Nearly half her face is covered in blood. She didn’t have that the last time I saw her, which means she was the one who carried me out of that cave, and that blood is mine. Strangely, the dried blood doesn’t seem to bother her much.

Cynthia caresses my hair affectionately.

“Hey, Rommy.”

“I’m on your lap?”

“You should feel honored. A lap pillow is far more intimate than a kiss or intercourse. At least, that’s how I see it.”

“Heh. I am honored. Thank you.”

“Good. You should be.” She pinches my cheek.

“I bet you were in tears, begging for me to wake up, huh?” I smirk.

“Pfft. Whatever you say, hotshot. You certainly know how to catch a girl’s heart.”

“Really? What about all that talk about being single forever?”

She giggles. “I don’t think I’ve said that once. Plus, a lot of girls used to like you. Even now.”

“That’s the first time I’m hearing this,” I smirk.

“That’s because I chased everyone away. I wouldn’t want you being taken away by someone else.”

“You’re evil, Cynthia.”

“And yet... you still claim to love me.” Sighing heavily, she continues, “To be honest, I wasn’t expecting you to wake up. Evi managed to cut off your sense of pain. I don’t know how, but she told me she did.”

My eyes widen. I look at Evi, then back at Cynthia.

<What’s wrong, Rom?>

She…

“You…”

“You called her by her name.”

She runs a finger across my neck. “After you passed out, I was scared I lost you without a chance to say goodbye. When we got to this rooftop, I was thinking about what happened to us over the past two days.”

“Then I realized... I’m tired of being so spiteful. I don’t want to spend the last moments of my life being hateful toward someone, especially not when that person was willing to give their life to pull me out of that abyss.”

Birds chirp in the distance as they begin their daily routines. The colorful buildings finally look vibrant again, just like they did yesterday morning. It’s a shame we weren’t able to fully experience the culture here.

For the first time in what feels like forever, every breath I take finally feels fresh. It brings much-needed rejuvenation to my soul. As warmth starts to spread across my chest, Cynthia’s previous words reel me back in.

My raspy voice calls out, “Last…?”

She nods. “I thought about it. As long as I repent and accept our Father, I'll go to Heaven. I repented for killing those scientists. I repented for straying from the path our Father laid out for me.”

“Then... you don’t have to... die...”

“I don’t. But you know, Rom.”

“I don’t think I want to continue living as a vampire after all.”

She smiles regretfully.

I don’t even mean to, but my hand moves on its own, going from a limp state to touching her cheek.

“Let’s go to Heaven together then.”

“Yeah,” she holds my hand still, “let’s.”

We stare at each other in silence. Seconds then quickly turn into minutes.

I glance over at Evi, who looks visibly upset. She’s even baring her fangs at the ground, her tiny body trembling. Under the morning sun, her golden-blonde hair shines like a star.

As my life starts fading away, I manage to get a few words out.

“Evi…”

The small golden vampire rushes to my side and embraces me.

Dang, she’s so cold. And pale.

“Live your life, okay?”

“You’ll find allies that love you, as I do.”

“Please remember... that your existence is not a sin. You deserve to be loved.”

“After I die, please run and hide at the school.”

<Why…?>

“Because⸻”

My voice gives out. I stop myself from trying to speak before I start choking on my own blood. The only thing I can do is look at Evi and Cynthia one last time before I start losing consciousness.

<Rom?! Rom!>

She starts crying as well.

I’m the worst. I couldn’t even make her smile one last time.

Cynthia lifts her head toward Evi. “Go on, Evi. I’m sure the other Testaments will be here soon. Don’t let Rom’s final request be in vain. I’m sorry for treating you so horribly before. I hope you can one day forgive me.”

I look at her with pride. It’s really hard to believe it’s only been two days. With Cynthia’s help, I manage to give her one last head pat.

“Please… go.”

She’s reluctant at first, but after I give her a single, pained nod of affirmation, she leaps from our roof to the next. Even though she’s not that far away, her tiny body makes it seem like she’s miles away.

Her golden hair sways through the air like a majestic cape.

Turning around, she puts both her hands next to her mouth.

“ROM!”

She speaks in English rather than her native tongue.

“THANK. YOU!”

“I. LOVE. YOU!”

With those final words, she leaps away until I can’t see her anymore.

“Rommy.”

“Do you remember that beach party? Whenever I dunked you into the water, do you know what I said to Zuki when she teased us about getting married?”

Since I can’t speak or even move, the only thing I can do is reply in my head, hoping that, by some miracle, she’ll be able to hear my thoughts telepathically.

“I told her that I wanted to have kids with you one day.”

Kids, huh?

“A daughter. I told her I wanted us to have a daughter.”

Ahh. Yeah…

A daughter would have been… nice…

White light starts to consume my very being once more, hugging me in a way I’ve never known before. I can feel my consciousness slowly being pulled away. Just as I leave the world that I’ve known for so long, Cynthia’s final words echo through this bright void.

“Our Father in Heaven…”

Her body starts glowing with a golden hue. I can’t tell if it’s because of the sun or if she’s...

It’s okay. It doesn’t matter. I’ll see her soon anyway.

This isn’t goodbye. I know it isn’t. Even so, while I still have a beating heart, I say the words I should have said more often when I was alive.

I love you, Cynthia.

I’m glad I met you.

It was truly a blessing.

 ◇

Upon casting the Lord’s Prayer, Cynthia’s body started to decay at a rapid rate. Though every bit of her body burned, she felt at ease knowing that paradise was just within her grasp.

“You were the only one in my life who didn’t look away when you called my name.”

“From the first day we met until now.”

“You were always there for me.”

“Thank you.”

Leaning forward, Cynthia kissed the love of her life one last time. Though the wet kiss did little to ease the pain from the incantation, it only fanned the flames dancing in her heart.

As her body started dissolving into dust, Cynthia said her final words, ones she wished she had said more often when Rom was still alive.

“I’m glad I met you.”