The moon looked the same. Somehow, I felt fear. My white hair brushed over my eyes. I gripped my scythe and swore at Thimble. The mansion stood In front of me. I had no idea how I showed up here, But I did. I entered slowly. The house, felt dead. I remembered back to when I was a boy. I remember running through the halls. I looked at a picture still In my pocket. The three beaming children. I glared at the picture of him before looking at Marley. A twinge of sadness washed over. I was back In the very house where she had died. Suddenly I heard a rustling. 

"It's gonna eat me!" A voice shrieked. I was confused, more so. After I had awakened... from death after the Nightmare had killed me...I had hidden out In this mansion, studied magic, learned fire, learned to summon fake wings among other things...This place had been abandoned, even by Thimble and Marley's psychotic  mother. No one had been here In about a decade. I lifted my hood and glared as I summoned my wings and clutched my scythe. 

I walked to the dining room as before a body flew Into me.  I gasped as I fell back. A white haired young male In a parka stood up. He turned to me and screamed. Behind him was A creature of four legs, with a jagged fanged mouth. It was white with no eyes and bloodied red skin patches. The creature howled and jumped at us. I gasped. before a person In a brown cloak jumped past me. With a large glowing red sword he slashed at the creature. The creature fell back and snarled loudly as the ground below It broke. The figure turned as the white haired boy ran behind him.

"It's the grim reaper!" The white haired boy yelled. I glared at the boy.

"What are you doing In this house!?" I asked holding my scythe towards the strangers. My mind still rattled about such a creature. I felt like I had read something like those creatures before. The brown hooded one pointed his blade defensively, the white haired one gripped his spear.

Before the cloaked one could say anything the ground fell from under us. We all fell a few feet and groaned as we fell Into the secret library.  We all groaned as I slowly stood up. The white hair kid floated down softly. I watched this confused. Suddenly the ground shook as the beast appeared. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a book with a red witch's hat covered In roses painted on It. It jogged my memory on where I had heard of the beast before. The white haired kid gasped as he shot an icicle out of thin air at It. It jumped out of the way and jumped toward the kid. It was slashed by the cloaked man's red blade. The hood fell back revealing a gruff smooth guy with brown hair and red eyes. 

"T-Thomas freeze It!" The man called. Thomas nodded as a wave of ice emerged from his fingers. It jumped out of the way. Thomas pointed his ice attack away 

"Freeze It!" the cloaked man yelled.

"Rit! I'm clearly trying!" Thomas yelled. Suddenly as Thomas was preoccupied the monster jumped at him and threw him at a wall. He fell down and groaned.

"O-ow.." He stuttered. Rit looked back before blocking the creatures claws with his large red blade.  Rit bounced back as the creature ripped off his cloak revealing a red tunic and bright blue pants. From his pocket he dropped a circular black bomb that exploded and sent the beast back. He readied himself to strike before I rushed past him with scythe In hand. He looked surprised.

The beast jumped at me.

"Sorry old friend." I said as I twirled my scythe back and jabbed It in the bottoms of it's jaw. It recoiled up. I freed my lift hand and then upper cutted. It recoiled and flew back. From my pocket I revealed my music box.

"don';t move, be soothed." I cooed. 

"You're gonna play it a song!?" Rit called. I shushed him. The beast struggled to it's feet angry. I lifted my hood and slowly the melody played. 

"Calm...yourself." I said. Slowly the creature stopped moving and listening to the beat fell asleep. Turns out, with a small enchantment, this worthless piece of junk could put people to sleep If I focused. 

"Morte...." A small voice echoed. Rit walked up to me, and Thomas slowly trudged to me. Suddenly the creature was covered In light. I held up the book with the hat picture. 

"Long ago I read up on beasts like this. Legend goes, due to a distant relative known as Mistress, or Madam Ekrium making a deal to cheat death, a curse was put on her family. After a traumatic death, a witch has a chance of being damned to being a monster for all eternity." I explained. Rit looked at me lost.

"So that beast was a beast like such?" Thomas asked. I nodded.

"In order for the beast to be dispelled, a person of the living realm must soothe them, someone living who knew and cared for them mind you." I added. I looked as the pillar of light began to repel. 

"After the monster curse Is dispelled, a part of their form returns." I finished. The light vanished as a small figure floated there. In her see through pale hands was a rose. Light brown hair cascading from a blue headband fell over her neck as she looked at me with sorrowful eyes while In a small blue dress. I felt a small tear trickle down my eye as the two others stared awestruck.

I reached my hands out to Marley, the little girl, still little and as I knew her.

"Marley...It's...It's been so long..."

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