《A Tale of Beauty & Blood》


 Chapter 1

    Charlotte


    Peace. Love. When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace. It is impossible for love to blossom in a world where power shapes love.


    Those were Charlotte''s words to live by each day. Finding her purpose, finding her own love and peace ¨C and that was what she intended to do while she lived and breathed. The streets of the ancient town were congested as usual when a young redhead strolled through them while the sun rose in the sky. Whispers and yells could be heard as the woman forced her way through the crowds, struggling to avoid the enormous brutes who stared at her hungrily and menacingly. She gripped her basket tightly, her knuckles became white. The last thing she wanted to do was fight them just to get through.


    Charlotte wasn''t a fighter by any means, but she also didn''t want to draw too much attention to herself because she was so small and frail, so she went as swiftly as she could towards a specific business. Her favorite was the one where all the books were displayed from top to bottom and various languages were spoken among the stacks. Charlotte enjoyed reading, especially when the weather was lovely and the sunlight made everything appear as vivid as it did in her mind. As a result, she visited there at least once a week, if not more.


    When the door opened with a ''click'' sound to admit Charlotte in, all the shelves that lined the walls were filled with thick leather-bound volumes that appeared to be highly used. The perfume of herbal tea mixed with dust permeated the room. Mrs. Mooseberry, I believe. Mrs. Mooseberry, she remembered, liked to get up early and set up her shop with her favorite tea. Mrs. Mooseberry was such an easy person to chat to that it was sometimes delightful to have her company.


    Mrs. Mooseberry has only been Charlotte''s friend for a few years. Although it had only been two months since their initial meeting, it felt like an eternity. Even though Mrs. Mooseberry hadn''t done anything for her yet, she couldn''t believe how nice she was to her. Whatever Mrs. Mooseberry did to her, the redhead would always repay her kindness. In her own manner, as well as Mrs. Mooseberry''s. They''d become good friends over time, and after sharing some tea, Charlotte felt like they were family.


    Mrs. Mooseberry''s face brightened up with pleasure the instant she saw the familiar young woman, "Charlotte, sweetheart! It''s great to see you again! Come on in, I''ve just acquired a couple new compilations of your favorite novels." Mrs. Mooseberry warmly beckoned her into her business.


    Mrs. Mooseberry led Charlotte to her desk in the corner, where her regular assortment of books was carefully arranged. Charlotte sat in the pleasant wooden chair beside the desk and gazed around while Mrs. Mooseberry gathered the various texts. At the same moment, a pair of women gazed at the strange young redhead as they walked past the shop, giggling to themselves as they murmured to one another. She was well aware of what they thought of her, but it didn''t upset her too much. It never happened, and she was used to it.


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    She continued to stare out the window at the hustle and bustle in the street while listening to the old woman bustling about as she organized the collection of new books. A small smile appeared on her face as she watched the people walking past, some of which were familiar faces. There was Mr. Hester who owned the local butcher, his wife who made the most delicious pies and tarts, a man whom she did not recognize. Finally, the man who took many attempts to flirt with her who had failed to win her heart ¨C Frederick.


    He tried everything he could to impress her, but no matter what he said, Charlotte was immune to him. She wondered if the other women felt the same way about the men who were following them. She reasoned that it was unlikely. Not that she really cared. Charlotte was well aware that none of them would ever be adequate for her. But what bothered her? Nothing could ever change the fact that no one had ever actually been good enough. That was something she could accept. She wasn''t seeking for someone; she simply liked being among others. That was it. Nobody could ever persuade her otherwise.


    Charlotte would be alone for the rest of her life. And it was ideal for her.


    Mrs. Mooseberry suddenly stopped and turned towards her, "What are you thinking, dear? You look so far away today! What ails you?"


    The redhead looked at the older woman and gave her a reassuring smile, "Nothing at all, Mrs. Mooseberry. Just reminiscing."


    She smiled back at the younger girl and gently laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, "It is always nice to reminisce, dear. Let us return to our book browsing! Shall we?" She asked enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling brightly. Charlotte nodded and followed behind Mrs. Mooseberry, allowing herself to get caught up in her stories again.


    The rest of the morning passed fairly quickly, and the redhead found herself enjoying a leisurely afternoon in the bookstore while browsing through the new book she bought earlier. Eventually, she had other errands to deal with, and after bidding Mrs. Mooseberry goodbye, she exited the store and onto the next one where Frederick run into her out of the blue. Ugh, that man couldn''t take no for an answer at all. He was persistent, however, and kept chasing after her throughout the day. By the end of the week, Charlotte decided that she was going to give him a piece of her mind once she saw him.


    After all, the man was rude, arrogant, conceited, and downright annoying. Charlotte had never met anyone so frustrating in her life. It almost drove her insane whenever she was around him. She knew he was the type who wouldn''t stop until he got what he wanted. She just hoped she could get away from him soon, or else things may go south really fast. The man was like a dog, she thought. One bite, one kick, one tug on that leash, and everything goes downhill.


    But alas, it seemed that that was the exact thing Charlotte needed to do because the man never failed to find her despite how much she evaded him. In the middle of lunch at one of the local caf¨¦s, she spotted Frederick waving wildly in her direction, a wide grin stretching across his face as he called her name out loud.

 Chapter 2

    Charlotte


    ¡°Charlotte, hey! Are you listening?¡± Frederick called out, annoyed that she was not paying a single attention to him and instead paying attention to her surroundings.


    With an irritated sigh, the woman turned to him with a scorn, ¡°Apologies, were you attempting to make conversation, Mr. Frederick?¡±


    She swore she could see steam blaring out of his head out of anger. However, he had patience considering she was his ''supposed'' fianc¨¦e. Charlotte wore a smirk, facing the other way, and left him standing there while he stood there speechless. How dare she deflect my charms and flirtations? He thought.


    The day went by quite quickly and soon, Charlotte arrived home where her father was taking care of the garden instead of her. She sighed tiredly, feeling her feet ache slightly, and made her way inside the house. Her father was working hard to keep the garden healthy for her sake as she continued living with him. He wanted her to enjoy herself as much as possible to prevent her from getting ill due to stress or sickness. He loved her daughter wholeheartedly and wanted the best for her ¨C including arranging an engagement with Frederick.


    Yet seeing how she continued to turn him down, he wondered if it was the best decision. Charlotte wasn''t ready for marriage or children, she insisted, and he believed her. He was just trying to be nice to her. Nevertheless, he couldn''t help but worry about his daughter''s future and wished for the best for her.


    As Charlotte entered the house, she closed the door behind her and then proceeded to enter the kitchen for a quick bite. Since her mother had passed years ago, she took the responsibility of doing house chores instead of her father, though, he preferred gardening even before he married her mother. A smile crossed her features as she reminisced the story her father had told her and somewhere deep in her heart, she wished for love like that.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Her father''s gruff voice rang out from behind as Charlotte took a seat beside him.


    ¡°I went to visit Mrs. Mooseberry,¡± Charlotte answered simply.


    The old man shook his head in amusement at his daughter''s answer, ¡°Well, it''s about time. Did she have something special she wanted to show you? Perhaps a book that you''d find interesting?¡± He asked curiously.


    ¡°Yes, actually,¡± Charlotte responded with a bit of hesitation, ¡°She had some new titles and some new texts that she wants me to see.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so she has started to collect your favorites. Is it something new?¡± Her dad asked eagerly, his brown eyes lighting up as he waited for his daughter''s response. She knew he loved reading all sorts of things and loved hearing about what he read.


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    Charlotte shook her head slowly, ¡°Not this time, Father. This time I have heard of a particular book.¡±


    Her father leaned closer in anticipation. Charlotte noticed how his dark eyebrows lifted and rose up slightly. ¡°And what might that be? Please tell me it is not one of those awful romance novels as I told you yesterday,¡± he teased.


    Charlotte shook her head, chuckling softly, ¡°No, father. This book is different, much better, I am certain.¡± Charlotte paused for a moment while contemplating whether she should continue to speak or just let it go.


    ¡°Anyway, Father, have you been gardening all day? Perhaps it is time for a short break? I do not wish to see you all worked up and hurt your joints while tending to such a fine establishment,¡± Charlotte offered politely, rising from the table.


    He chuckled and stood, following her out of the dining room, ¡°I suppose it is a bit of a relief to get something fresh from the garden for a change. Now, I can sit down and relax for a while. Have fun reading, dear. I know that the smell of my beloved books is usually enough to put you in a pleasant mood and distract you from whatever worries may come to your mind,¡± he commented with a smile before turning to leave. Charlotte watched him leave for a brief moment, letting out a quiet sigh the moment he left and headed for the staircase to the second floor and upstairs, where his room resided. She climbed up the stairs silently, careful not to disturb the quietness of her surroundings and make any noise. It was still early in the evening, and most of the residents of the city had already retired for the evening.


    The young redhead woman decided to unwind herself by reading the new book collection Mrs. Mooseberry had given her. However, she found it rather difficult to focus on what she was reading because her mind wandered off elsewhere. She didn''t need the distraction of a book right now. All she wanted to do was lie down on her bed and close her eyes, forget about everything around her, and simply let herself relax. Instead, she found herself walking towards the window, her eyes landing on a large black castle in the distance. Sometimes, she wondered what lies ahead. Wherever it may lead, she would go there to meet her destiny one day; wherever that may be. If only fate would allow it, she would gladly take the path that led her there.


    The redhead shook her head lightly to clear her thoughts and focused her attention back on the book in front of her. But somehow she found herself staring at the large castle once again. As always, curiosity began to overcome her, forcing her to finally set aside the book and stand to investigate what lay beyond the window. For a few moments, she stared at the beautiful scenery outside for quite a while and wondered what it must be like to live there.


    Surely they must be incredibly beautiful. Charlotte imagined they probably were, but somehow she doubted it very much. She hadn''t seen much of the world yet. She was content to stay in her small, quaint village. Why would she want to travel around the world when she had everything she could possibly want right here?


    Well, this was enough for her, that is certain. All the thoughts running in her head seemed to exhaust her, causing her to retire to her bed after a change of clothes. It was late in the night by now, and all she desired was to sleep and get rid of her troubling thoughts and worries about today. Tomorrow was another exciting day full of adventure and excitement.


    She sighed as she lay on the soft mattress beneath her, relishing in the warmth that came from the comforter. She couldn''t wait for tomorrow to arrive.

 Chapter 3

    Morning eventually crept up upon her, and slowly she stirred awake from her slumber. The gentle rays of sunlight cascaded over her body, warming her from the cold of winter''s chill. She rolled over onto her side and stared blankly at the wall for a while. It felt a lot more peaceful and peaceful without any troubles occupying her thoughts, but there was something that remained nagging at her, something she couldn''t seem to shake off.


    Her brow furrowed ever so slightly, trying to think of a reason as to why she couldn''t seem to let go of the unsettling feelings she had. Slowly, she sat up, pushing her red locks from her forehead to avoid falling into her eyes. She stretched her arms high above her head and let them fall gently to her sides. Once she was fully upright, she gazed at her small, simple bedroom.


    Her room wasn''t anything extravagant or fancy. Although she liked being able to wear clothes she deemed comfortable and comfortable to wear, she also enjoyed the simplicity of it. Everything seemed pretty plain and ordinary, except for the huge wooden doors that separated her room from her father''s.


    Pushing herself out of bed, Charlotte took her time to wash and dress herself in a long-sleeve linen shirt and deep blue overdress that reached her ankles. She brushed her hair as well, letting her fingers wander through the long strands and brush them out of her face. Then she slipped her shoes on and grabbed her bag before heading downstairs.


    "Father? Are you in here?" She called out as she entered the kitchen, only to be greeted by silence. With a soft sigh, she headed towards the garden only to find him working once again. He never seemed to tire out of it, she thought. It was not surprising, to say the least. Charlotte approached him as she stood next to him.


    Her father turned his head to see her daughter beside him and offered her a bright smile, "Ah, Charlotte. Good morning! Are you here to help me today, little one?"


    The young redhead chuckled slightly with a nod, "Well, considering I have plenty of time to spare... I may as well."


    They both chuckled once again and indulged in conversations for the rest of the day as their hands worked the garden until evening arrived. Charlotte then set her gloves aside when her eyes landed on her father, who seemed to be hunched over, stirring concern within her. She approached him with a hand on his shoulder and brows furrowed, "Father? Are you alright?"


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    His body started to convulse, earning confusion from the young redhead as she attempted to reassure him. He was coughing rather violently, and Charlotte didn''t know what to do as she ushered him inside the house. She glanced around the garden briefly to see any disturbance, but after she was certain there was none, she began to prepare a cup of herbal tea as quickly as she could. Her father was now resting in bed, with a cool rag resting atop his head.


    The redhead couldn''t figure out what was happening to her father, but she needed to do something quickly. After dealing with the tea, Charlotte proceeded to her father''s room and set the teacup at the bedside, she checked his body temperature ¨C making sure the dampened rag did its job.


    With a tired sigh, she left the room and rushed to the bookshelves in the common room, fingers brushing against the spine of the books until her eyes landed on a book that caught her eye. Yes, the book she needed to go through to ease her father with whatever illness he was facing. She pulled the book out from the rest, flipping through the pages until she found the page she was searching for.


    Sanguine Root.


    That''s it, that''s the one, she thought.


    Charlotte skimmed through the text, taking note of the location of the Sanguine Root, and assessed the uses of the item on an ill person. Once she read through the texts, the redhead took a map from the same shelf and traced her finger towards the location of the Sanguine Root. She then circled the area with a red chalk that appeared conveniently on the desk. It was a relief to know that the location of the Sanguine Root wasn''t that inconveniently far.


    She had decided to make the journey to find this particular item the following day, considering the sun was gradually sinking as the moon began to unveil itself in the darkening sky. For now, she must prepare a chicken and mushroom broth for herself and her father for dinner.


    It was a lonely night, now that Charlotte''s father had fallen ill and there was no other company, so she decided to occupy herself with her favorite novel to keep her worries aside. Besides the cricketing noise outside of her home and the flames flickering in the fireplace, it was completely silent. It is simply an average day, she thought. Her worries seemed to flood in as she thought of her father being unable to leave his bed and their home.


    Her thoughts were constantly overlapping, tiring her out, and she placed the large leather-bound book aside as slumber overtook her.


    The dark castle seemed to be much closer than before, much more than she''d like to admit. The surrounding area seemed to isolate the castle, with strange trees and creatures lurking out and about. Owls hooted in the background, sending shivers down Charlotte''s spine as she studied the unfamiliar landscape before her. Who would live in such an area, she wondered. As she approached the large oak wood doors of the castle, a voice in her head seemed to protest her from entering the establishment. Little did she know, something dangerous awaits her arrival.

 Chapter 4

    Charlotte


    She woke up much earlier than expected the following day. With a soft groan, Charlotte forced herself to leave the bed and prepare a light breakfast for herself and her father. The sun hasn''t broken out, and she was already awake, worrying about everything. It was still silent ¨C the birds are probably wandering or asleep in their nests. She began to gather a bunch of wood and settled them quickly while rushing over to the well outside to gather water in a small bucket.


    The skies began to lighten up, making her surroundings a little clearer than before. The sun will rise soon, and she needed to get to the Sanguine Root as soon as possible. It took almost an hour for fresh bread to be prepared and in the meantime, she prepared some herbal tea for her father to slow down the illness. Not even afternoon yet, and she was already breaking a sweat. House chores would have been easier if her father assisted her, but today was different and who knew for how long.


    Once breakfast was settled, she placed two pieces of bread and some fruits she managed to harvest from the garden on a silver tray along with a cup of tea. She then entered her father''s room, setting the tray on the bedside table.


    "Get well soon, father. I promise I will gather a cure for your illness," Charlotte muttered after checking her father''s internal temperature.


    Obviously, she was not expecting a response at the moment since he needed much rest. The young redhead took a fresh rag and soaked it with cold water, placing it upon her father''s head, then made her way towards the bathroom, freshening herself up for the day. It was already bright outdoors, and it was certainly the most appropriate time to leave the cottage before the heat of the sun became unbearable.


    She quickly changed into her customary clothing and shoes before retrieving her handmade basket from the kitchen and making her way out the door into the stillness of the world. The air was fresh while the humidity made the weather slightly warmer than usual, and she was fortunate it was not pouring. Meanwhile, birds were chirping as they flew across the cloudy sky, singing their melodic tunes as the world awakened.


    There was no time to waste for Charlotte. Her feet dragged her toward the direction of the Sanguine Root as quickly as she could, bringing along her map in case she got lost in the middle of nowhere. It seemed from the map, it was along the way toward the dark castle ¨C a dangerous territory to cross, if not careful. The sunlight blared down upon the earth with its heat, lightening up her path as she trod through the village and into the dense forest ahead. Fortunately, the trees managed to shield her from the blaring sun, which made her journey much simpler to endure the weather.


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    Charlotte wasn''t aware of how long she had been walking in the forest now, seeing nothing but brown and green everywhere she went. She had been breaking a sweat ever since she stepped outside of her home, wondering if this journey was worth saving her father. Then, remembering her strange dream last night, she shuddered at the thought and attempted to distract herself by humming a tune she was familiar with.


    The young redhead decided to stop for a moment to recollect herself and read the map once again, making sure she was walking in the right direction. The last thing she wanted was to get lost in a strange land.


    Midday arrived, and the sun was at its highest, glaring down on the earth with intense heat. Charlotte was sweating too much already and felt the need to hydrate herself. Fishing out a canteen of drinking water, she made sure to save enough for the rest of her journey later and took a couple of sips. Then, she found a nice spot to sit and relax for a while as she rested, taking in the view of the surrounding nature. No animals in sight, fortunately. She didn''t want to be a wild animal''s meal for the day.


    The redhead felt at ease while the birds sang. If only every day could be like this, she mused. She''s never had much alone time and now seems like a good moment to start, with her father''s life on the line. She couldn''t help herself; she needed time to herself because she was constantly running errands. What do you think Mrs. Mooseberry would think of her? Selfish? Who''d have guessed?


    Charlotte groaned slightly as she looked north to the sky, which was partially obscured by branches and leaves. Then she reminded herself that her father required her more than ever before.


    Time flew by as the woman resumed her journey towards the ominous fortress. It was nearly dusk, and she still hadn''t found the uncommon herb that would help her father with his condition. The castle in the distance was far closer than she had anticipated. Could it be that whoever resided in the castle had taken this particular plant for themselves? She was not entirely certain, but it would seem best to ask.


    The woman headed straight for the ominous building, her skin crawling at the sight of it. It appeared unkept, unruly, and somewhat disarray. At the same time, it felt¡­ eerie¡­ lonely. She reasoned that whoever lived here must have spent the entire time indoors. Charlotte slowly pushed open the black iron gates, which were already engulfed in vines. The gates creaked as they moved, indicating that they had not been used in a long time.


    She surveyed her new surroundings, hoping to find the plant she needed the most. But it was futile; she had to go much deeper to find what she wanted, which meant infiltrating the stronghold itself. The large oak wood doors seemed to be waiting for her as if they begged her to come in. It was odd, but this entire place was one, after all. Her feet drew her towards those doors, terror crawling up her skin as she came to a halt in front of them. Was her bizarre fantasy coming true right now?

 Chapter 5

    Azazel


    Those little pesky creatures were starting to irritate him at this point. He had given a simple task for them to work on, and what did he receive? A mess of work. With a deep sigh and internal groan, the demon decided to leave his study and entered his bedchambers, where he could think more clearly about what to do with those creatures. He slammed the door shut and stretched his limbs, including his wings, groaning slightly as the tension in his body eased.


    It had been a long day, and he refused to sleep, there was a lot of work to complete ¨C thanks to the Council of Hell and the creatures contribute more problems than solutions.


    Instead of sulking in his bedchambers, the demon opted to stroll outside the castle. His blazing orbs seemed to catch on a figure beyond the door while passing by the big crystal windows of the hallways. "Who let an intruder in the castle grounds?!" he cried from his vantage point to the beast.


    The demon had had a horrible day, and now he had to deal with some bothersome and obnoxious human who had merely intruded on his territory? No way, not today.


    He made his way to the main door of the castle, his blood boiling with rage because he didn''t want to deal with any trouble. Normally, he would delegate the inconvenience to his servants. However, not this time. The seven-foot demon came to a halt in front of the enormous doors, masking his genuine emotions behind narrowed eyes, and unlatched the doors, revealing the young woman before him. She appeared disoriented, but the minute her gaze fell on him, her eyes widened to the size of saucers. Her shouts appeared to pause, undoubtedly stuck in her throat, as she took in his entire appearance.


    He was quite satisfied with her response. Just like his victims before her, they tend to elicit the exact response before he devoured them without a single care.


    And she will be one of them.


    Instead of frightening the human, the demon opted to invite her into his domain. He had a nice, certainly not fake, smile that perplexed the unfortunate redhead.


    "Welcome, welcome to my humble abode. May I trouble you with some tea?" He questioned, a hint of slyness can be heard through his tone.


    The woman was astonished and unable to talk. She could only stare at his appearance... and his inquiry. At this time, the devil became agitated and hissed through his words, "Will you enter or not? You''re squandering my valuable time."


    The human squeaked, unaware of how she was wasting his time by gawking at his appearance. Her fight or flight response seemed to render her immobile for a while, he noticed. He simply grunted, turning his back on the woman, and made his way further into the castle. Black curtains blocked out the sunlight, leaving the torches to do their work while the emptiness of the castle overwhelmed the poor redhead.


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    Then, she decided to flee. As he expected.


    Azazel decided to ignore it instead and made his way toward the underground. The flickering flames seemed to trail alongside the demon, illuminating his pathway down the stone-cold stairs. For humans, the darkness would have blinded them for days ¡ª but for Azazel, the darkness felt like home. The air was much colder, in contrast to the weather in Hell, yet the lord of scapegoats preferred the weather here to his own home. Regardless, he had found his home in isolation, and he would not change a single thing.


    Silence met him the moment he entered the abandoned basement, full of dust and ashes. His charcoal wings stretched out from his back, dusting away some cobwebs that lingered here and there, while his ember hues seemed to scan the surroundings. A small whimper of fear could be heard from the corner of the basement.


    "Awake, are we?" Azazel''s voice taunted, approaching the corner where a frail old man was contained in a cage.


    The frail old man didn''t speak, afraid to even glance at the demon. His breathing was labored and his head hang low, refusing to meet the demon''s gaze as Azazel halted right before him, rusty metal bars keeping them separated. He stood there, staring down at the old man, and crossed his arms, inspecting him for a while. Perhaps it was time to drain the human dry before the old man collapsed due to other reasons. With an amused chuckle, he yanked the small black gate and entered, kneeling before the human.


    "Your time has come, human. There is no escape this time," Azazel taunted once again.


    The old man whimpered once more in fear, backing up until a stone-cold wall hit his back, warm brown eyes finally looking up towards the demon without uttering a single word. He swore he could see Azazel''s eyes glowing in the darkness, "Please... don''t."


    The demon paid no attention to the elderly man; instead, his fingers quickly encircled his neck and hoisted him off the ground. Blood was what he was starving for, and whether it was forced or not, he would get it. He may have been fortunate to capture and hold a few errant humans who ventured further from the human town. The lord of hell bared his teeth in an instant, biting little pieces of flesh and going deep into the human''s neck. The man was screaming in anguish, slowly losing his life as the monster proceeded to eat his deteriorating flesh, and his screams filled the basement. Azazel''s razor-sharp claws dug deep into the wretched man''s arms to stop him from moving as he gnawed on his neck. The demon appeared to be energized by the taste of the man''s blood and found the odor to be stimulating.


    Azazel spent his sweet time devouring the human, feeling his emotions improving as he fed himself. The man''s life perished right before him, his eyes wide open as he died in a state of agony and torture. Satisfied, the demon tossed aside the body like a rag doll, leaving maggots and bugs alike to feed themselves.


    "Christine!" He called out from the basement while making his way toward the exit.


    His servant, obedient as always, rushed towards her master ¡ª eyes lifeless and skin pale ¡ª to tend to his needs, "Yes, master?"


    "Prepare a bath and a couple of refreshments, the human''s filthy blood has stained me," Azazel scowled and marched towards his bedchambers, leaving drops of fresh blood behind on the marbled floor.

 Chapter 6

    Charlotte


    She didn''t look back as she ran forward in terror and fright. She would not dare to approach the shadowy castle grounds again because her attempt to retrieve a Sanguine Root had failed. Was this endeavor in vain? As her feet dragged her back towards the settlement, she pondered. Charlotte then realized she had forgotten her basket. She cursed to herself and instead of hurrying to get it, decided to get it another day.


    The redhead paused briefly to regain her breath and inhaled as much air as she could, but the thought of the stranger lingered in the back of her mind. His eyes were the thing that stuck in her mind. Eyes that have witnessed unspeakable things.


    She trembled at the thought and proceeded on her way back home, allowing exhaustion to win. The sun had already set, leaving a crescent moon behind as another night''s sky started to become darker. Though the sky was devoid of stars, Charlotte''s journey soon became obscured by thick, gray clouds that eventually began to cover the moon.


    When she arrived in the village''s gates, the majority of the locals looked at her bewildered, and some even gave her the side-eye. Who would come back at this time of day? After a busy and successful day, the townspeople decided to continue on their journey home. After spending the entire day trekking back and forth through the jungle, Charlotte simply wanted nothing more than to relax. Although it was considerably cooler than the previous evenings she had experienced, the warmth of the fire might be enough to keep her warm tonight.


    When she got home, she went straight to her father''s room to see how he was doing. Her personal needs were secondary to her father''s at this time. But seeing him still asleep worried her, and because she had failed to get the Sanguine Root, Charlotte felt she was to blame. With a frustrated sigh, the woman retrieved an old rag and soaked it in cold water she fetched from the well. Her thoughts couldn''t leave the stranger in the gloomy fortress.


    A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Puzzled, Charlotte left the rag aside and made her way toward the main door. Who would''ve visited at this hour?


    The knocking was persistent. Charlotte, irritated as she was, stopped before the door, "Who is it?"


    "It is me, my dear! I brought you some warm food and a jug of apple juice," Mrs. Mooseberry''s voice can be heard beyond the door.


    That made Charlotte smile. After a long day of hardship, the thought of a warm meal made her stomach grumble in hunger. Instantly, the young woman opened the door and allowed Mrs. Mooseberry to enter her home.


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    "I thought you were already asleep, Mrs. Mooseberry. Is it not past your bedtime?"


    "I heard what happened to your father¡ª I am sorry, child," the elderly woman reassured. "I hope he recovers soon, but I brought you some food in the meantime."


    Charlotte pursed her lips and shut the door behind her once Mrs. Mooseberry stepped into her abode, "Mrs. Mooseberry, there is no need to worry. I am doing everything I can to help my father... but I have something to ask you as well."


    Curious, the elder woman turned towards the redhead and tilted her head slightly, "Ask away, my dear. I''d be happy to answer whatever questions you may have."


    Charlotte took a long breath and pondered the subject in her brain before forming her statement while looking at Mrs. Mooseberry, "Have you ever heard of Sanguine Root?"


    The question made the woman ponder. Yes, she had heard of this mystical item ¡ª it was a rare one and those who managed to find them can be considered fortunate to even get a hold of them. However, it comes with a great price. To acquire such item, one must pay with blood.


    "Ah," the elderly woman''s brows furrowed together slightly in thought. "I do not know if I remember it correctly, but I have heard about it¡­ perhaps it has something to do with your father? Why do you ask, child?"


    "I read about it in one of these books here, and it mentioned that Sanguine Root can cure all kinds of diseases and illnesses, yet it can only be found in the North... if I''m fortunate enough to find it."


    Mrs. Mooseberry shook her head, "Perhaps there''s no such thing. In truth, Sanguine Roots are just stories. Many have tried to obtain them, but none has succeeded."


    Charlotte remained quiet, staring down at the floor. She knew there was no hope of recovering her father''s health, so there was no use in continuing on any further. What good would all this searching do? Maybe, someday, if she ever got the opportunity. Until then, she had no choice but to settle with getting some rest.


    The days that followed were quiet. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred in the village. People went about their regular lives, trading commodities, preparing meals, and occasionally enjoying fruits, vegetables, and fresh bread. The environment was serene, calm, and pleasant. A typical village existence. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing to complain about. However, nothing was usual. The stranger kept tormenting Charlotte and haunting her every waking moment, no matter how many times she attempted to ignore it. The young redhead could feel a peculiar tug in her heart every time she saw that magnificent woodland, inviting her to return. Perhaps there was more to the site than they claimed¡­


    Thus, she decided to return to that eerie place. She won''t give up on that Sanguine Root, if he ever kept one. Even without the Sanguine Root to save her dad, Charlotte will do everything in her power to recover him. She will never lose anyone else ¡ª she swore to herself. Even though it''s been a few days since she last returned, everything had remained the same. Nothing seemed different to Charlotte ¡ª and it bothered her.


    But the sound of incomprehensible whispers seemed to draw her attention. It came from the woods to her left, to the east or west. Wherever it was coming from, Charlotte followed the sounds, determined to discover its origins. The farther the redhead explored, the deeper her curiosity grew until the trees became thicker and the underbrush denser, blocking her view of anything that might be lurking inside.

 Chapter 7

    Charlotte


    The darkness enveloped the landscape as it swallowed the forest. A dense fog filled the forest, and the forest canopy blocked most of the sunlight, allowing the shadows to obscure the area around. As the dark mist covered everything surrounding Charlotte, her skin crawled with fear. It reminded her of something similar to when she first entered the forest and had no idea where she was or what she was doing there. This time it was far more eerie than she expected. Yet the redhead did not let her guard down. She kept walking deeper into the forest until she noticed something moving behind her; at first, it appeared as a shadow, and she quickly turned around trying to see if it was a creature hiding somewhere. When nothing came, the young woman turned her head once again.


    Her footsteps came to a halt, and her heart began to race. Something was standing a bit further away, watching her intently. It was some sort of light that gleamed softly in the darkness. Charlotte stared at it, trying to figure out who or what would wish to kill her. Its whisper reached the redhead''s ear, "Follow me. Allow me to take you somewhere wonderful."


    The mystery entity vanished into the darkness, and the redhead''s legs carried her forward, despite her confusion about what was going on. She couldn''t get her mind off the presence that had beckoned to her. Charlotte followed it for a few minutes until she came to a clearing surrounded by dense vegetation. Until she realized the monster had vanished, leaving her alone in her new surroundings. She was completely bewildered, but also afraid, by the entire incident. There were no other humans in sight, nor were there any animals roaming the area. Within the growing hush, only her own heartbeat resonated.


    As she got closer to the clearing''s center, she noticed a small flower shaped like a rose, but instead of a green stem, it had a black stem. Was this the Sanguine Root? But as soon as Charlotte picked it up, it turned to dust. She sighed quietly and returned the flower¡ªor, in this instance, ashes¡ªto the ground. It was all a ruse from the start. The thing brought her here, only for her to realize the mysterious item was a hoax.


    ''What now?'' Charlotte thought to herself.


    Out of nowhere, a deep guttural growl can be heard that shook the ground momentarily. A loud thumping echoed throughout the clearing and the redhead froze. She held her breath and slowly turned her head to see another large shadowy shape emerging from the depths of the shadows. It stood a dozen feet tall and its gaze pierced through the layers of fog, piercing through the shadows and finally settled upon her, giving Charlotte shivers. Charlotte felt herself shrinking beneath its stare and felt paralyzed.


    The figure became closer and closer with each passing second, but her instincts told her to flee immediately. Charlotte turned around and ran in the opposite direction. Her mind raced faster than her feet could run and she couldn''t believe she almost stumbled over a rock several times because of her shaking limbs.


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    She was running blindly without knowing which direction to take. The trees blocked her vision and her legs felt weak from fatigue. Finally, she stopped to catch her breath and looked all around, trying to decide which way to go next. Without thinking, she made haste towards the dark castle instead. Once Charlotte reached its entrance, she pushed the doors open and stepped into the main chamber of the fortress while catching her breath once again. As she moved forwards through the dimly lit corridors, she could sense that the castle was much bigger than it looked from outside.


    "Who is there?"


    Startled, Charlotte almost tripped backwards due to hearing the voice. The voice belonged to someone familiar and she instinctively recognized it was the estranged being she met in this very castle. Her eyes wandered all over the walls, searching for the source of the voice, however she never saw an opening anywhere. Charlotte wondered if the voice was coming from above. Or maybe it was her own mind playing tricks? Either way, Charlotte decided not to risk it. Instead of calling out the person as she had originally planned to do, the young lady silently slipped out of the main room and headed deeper into the dark labyrinth of halls. As she got farther away from the main hall, she was starting to feel uneasy.


    Something didn''t seem right here, and Charlotte could sense it. If she wanted to find out where exactly the voice was coming from, she would need to explore more of these rooms. That''s why she decided to continue her exploration and searched for the Sanguine Root.


    Once again, she crept through the halls in utter silence. The surrounding darkness stretched endlessly. Occasionally, a pair of glowing eyes peered down from high above, observing her movements with interest. Though her instinct told her to avoid that area, Charlotte couldn''t help but turn her head and look up. As a result, she could vaguely make out a figure, but couldn''t tell exactly what it was. It was impossible to know if those eyes were just figments of her imagination, or if there really was a creature lurking amongst the shadows.


    It was then when Charlotte heard footsteps approaching from behind. Instinctively, she ducked behind the nearest column and crouched low, hoping that whoever was approaching wouldn''t see her. It was Christine, unaware of the intruder that hid behind one of the columns there. She rushed past Charlotte without taking a single glance in her direction and soon disappeared down the hall.


    After letting out a sigh of relief, Charlotte decided it was safe to move again. As she made her way down the corridor, the figures on the ceiling appeared to be following her in silence, watching her every movement. She shuddered in fear yet continued her journey. Although she couldn''t deny the feeling of being watched bothered her, she still had enough self-control to hide her nervousness and keep on going.


    Finally, the hallway ended and opened itself into another large cavernous space, even more grandiose than the previous ones. In front of her laid two pillars that supported the ceiling, creating a magnificent arch. In between them, Charlotte spotted the Sanguine Root floating amidst the mist of the air. It was resting in a pool of water, with countless roots wrapped tightly around it, holding it securely in place.


    The redhead gasped in awe at the scene. Never in her life did she imagine that such a magical object existed. She carefully approached, taking care not to fall asleep or get too close to the Sanguine Root. Charlotte knew she should leave the area, but curiosity got the best of her.