["How dare you?! I never had a sister as pathetic as you!!"]
Tweet! The Piper let out a roar of primal fury as his body began to swell grotesquely. His mangled fingers clamped down hard on his long flute.
["Die! I'm going to devour every single one of you!!!"]
"Wooo—!!"
An incredibly shrill, piercing note suddenly exploded through the air!
The researchers clutched their heads, the high-pitched vibration detonating right above them. They groaned in agony, their bodies doubling over from the sheer sonic pressure.
Then, the horror truly began.
An infinite swarm of rats surged forth, pouring out from the folds of the Piper's multicolored robes like a gray, living flood! The vermin piled higher and higher, stacking atop one another until they formed a colossal, tsunami-like maw of gnashing teeth and fur, sweeping toward Ethan and Sasha.
"Let the flowers bloom, Sasha."
Ethan leaned forward slightly, completely indifferent to the looming shadow of the rat-tide. His voice remained as calm and steady as a deep lake.
"Yes!"
Sasha nodded vigorously.
The tension and panic that had gripped her heart were somehow smoothed away by that clear, composed voice. She took a deep breath, fixing her eyes on the approaching tide of rats. She funneled every drop of magic within her body into the pillar of fire!
—Brother! I'm setting you free right now!!
Flash!
A brilliant crimson light erupted from the cracks within the rat swarm. In the next heartbeat, the massive gray "wave" was blown apart with a thunderous boom!
[Squeak! Squeak!]
Streaks of flowing fire filled the darkness, casting a vivid red glow onto the stunned faces of the onlookers. Countless rats were sent flying, raining down from the air like a macabre scattering of petals.
And shooting straight out from the heart of that magnificent blaze was a sword of fire, woven from thorns and roses!
The crimson flames traced the silhouette of a sharp, beautiful face. Clutching the blazing sword, she pierced through the darkness, lunging toward the panicked, retreating Piper!
["No... impossible! I've obtained supreme power... how could I be killed so easily—Augh!!"]
The Piper's eyes nearly burst from their sockets.
The fierce, scorching light reflected in his dark, turbid pupils. For a brief second, it was as if he had finally seen the sun he had dreamed of for so long.
Then came the sound.
Pfft.
Accompanied by the Piper's shrill, agonizing scream, the giant sword of fire transfixed his chest in a single thrust!
Whoosh!
The flames surged instantly. As if finding the perfect fuel, the fire swept across his entire body in seconds, swallowing the horrific, stitched-together mask of his face in a roaring inferno.
["AAAAAH—AAAAAAAGH!!!"]
The Piper writhed and struggled in agony, desperately trying to extinguish the flames. But no matter how much dark energy he summoned, the fire only grew more intense.
Perhaps driven by a final instinct for survival, the Piper reached a trembling hand out toward Sasha. His eyes were filled with a dense, harrowing fear and sorrow as he croaked out:
["Save me... save me... I don't want to die yet!"]
"Brother..."
Sasha called out with a shudder, her hand reaching out subconsciously.
However, just before she could touch him, the Piper's massive frame collapsed like a falling tent. His several gaunt arms fell limp to the ground.
Clink.
The shimmering brass flute rolled away, hitting the floor with a crisp metallic ring.
"Ah..."
Sasha's body jerked. Her small face turned deathly pale. Her grip on her torch loosened as she slumped to the ground, her strength failing her. She reached up to touch the flute pendant around her neck. Only now could she truly feel the residual warmth and magic within it steadily fading away.
The fire burned like a mountain before them, roaring with intensity.
"Sis... sister..."
Hamelin, the Piper, struggled to lift his head. Most of his face had been consumed by the flames, leaving only a single eye staring fixedly at Sasha. Flecks of dark matter drifted out from the socket.
As the haze of the curse gradually receded, a glimmer of clarity finally surfaced in that turbid eye. He stared at Sasha as if trying to etch her face into his very soul.
Grief, fear, pain, regret... a whirlwind of emotions flashed by. Finally, he twisted his face into a grotesque, sneering expression and rasped:
"You... you actually refused to fall into the darkness with me... how pathetic! I don't have a sister like you! You don't deserve to be my family!"
The words were like poisoned arrows, shattering Sasha's heart instantly. Her face went bone-white, her lips trembling and bloodless, unable to find a single word in response.
One of the researchers couldn't stand it and barked out in anger:
"Who would want to fall with you?! Sasha was the one who made the right choice! You're the one who doesn't deserve to be family!"
"Exactly! What kind of brother are you? She did everything she could for you!"
"It's no wonder he was cursed. This guy is just a greedy bastard chasing power!"
Ethan looked around at the indignant researchers and thought to himself: As expected of 'survivors' screened through the Ministry of Magic's high-pressure environment; they've regained their spirit in the blink of an eye.
However... what was the true purpose behind those harsh words?
Ethan turned back to look at the Piper, who was nearly burnt to ashes. Sure enough, he caught a fleeting glimpse of relief on the man's face.
"Mr. Morse... since you've reached the end, it's better to speak from the heart," Ethan said calmly.
The Piper froze, then snapped back viciously, "What heart? What I just said was the truth! I don't care about this idiot who was fooled into loyalty by a bit of acting—"
"Enough!"
A sharp cry cut him off.
Sasha raised her head, her face a map of tear tracks. She stood up and, ignoring the roaring heat, stumbled toward her brother. The flames gently parted to make a path for her, and rose petals drifted onto her shoulders like warm, comforting touches.
The Piper stammered, "You... what are you trying to do—"
"Even if you hate me, Brother, I will never hate you," Sasha whispered. She reached down, slowly lifting her brother's head and resting it on her lap.
"...Fool!" The Piper's features contorted. "You were always... you were always this naive! Just a few kind words from someone and you're easily coaxed away!"
He suddenly jerked his head around, glaring at Ethan and roaring:
"You don't even know what a terrifying existence is standing right beside you!!"
Ethan had easily defeated him, even after he had obtained "supreme power." That was a level that had already transcended the limits of mortals.
Ethan flashed him a bright, "kind" smile, which successfully made the dying man shudder violently.
"Yes, yes," Sasha answered patiently. She stroked her brother's charred forehead and removed the flute from her neck. Injecting it with magic, she returned it to its normal size.
"When I was little, you used to play the flute to lull me to sleep."
"You gave me this as a birthday present. You told me that whenever I faced trouble, I just had to play it, and no matter how far away you were, you would Apparate to me instantly."
"Heh... thinking back on it now, the brother who was the most considerate in my eyes might have been a very reckless man in the eyes of others." Sasha smiled.
It made sense; if he had been a law-abiding man, he never would have joined the exploration into the Veil.
"...Now, let me lull you to sleep, Brother."
With that, she raised the flute to her lips.
"Wooo—"
A melodious, lingering tune flowed out. Like a spring breeze brushing over the earth, it naturally settled the hearts of everyone listening.
Amidst the music, the flames crackled, gradually climbing up Hamelin's face. He gazed up blankly at his sister. After a long moment, he suddenly let out a long breath and smiled.
"You've grown up, Sasha."
Then, with great effort, he shifted his gaze to Ethan.
"Sir... the evil thing that twisted me is hidden within my Pied Robes!"
"Looking back, we actually made perfect preparations. Master Dumbledore and Master Nicolas Flamel even assisted us!"
"It was that thing... it eroded us, lured us deeper into places we should never have entered! In the end, it twisted and devoured our sanity!"
"We were just playthings in the hands of dark entities... but you are different. I can feel it. You possess the power to actually contend with them!"
Hamelin's eyes flared with a mix of resentment and resolve. He spoke one word at a time:
"I beg of you... kill 'It' completely!!"
—I, along with my twenty-two companions, were merely ants crushed under the wheels of a heartless fate. Just playthings for higher beings.
But even the lowliest mortal possesses the will to resist!
In the final spark of his life, Hamelin screamed with all his remaining strength:
"Its other half... was swallowed by the [Snake]! Find it and avenge us—Savior!!"
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