Tame Your Fears

Follow Me My Friend/To Glory at the End

Rio stood over Alice. Brushed her cheek to wake her up from her slumber. She didn't look wrinkled or damaged anymore, Death let those who died before returned to their former glory after. Alice jumped to her feet, surprised.

Rio smiled, "It's time to go."

"Where?" Alice asked, not scared or pleading, just...cautious. Rio liked that, she was an old friend to everyone after all. She let her see her own dead body for an answer, Alice gasped quietly and turned to face her again, "That's it? That's all the..." She shook her head, confused, "That's all the time I get?"

Rio smiled even when she knew she shouldn't, chuckling, "If I had a nickel..." She didn't finish that line. But the answer was she'd be richer than even the wealthiest of billionaires.

Alice looked agitated, which Rio expected, there was a cycle after all. Alice's voice quivered slightly as she spoke, "This can't be the end. It has to be the beginning. I finally broke the curse." She sounded desperate now, begging, "I mean, I can really do something with my life now."

"You're a Protection Witch." Rio said bluntly.

Alice blinked, then stubbornly she replied, "Yeah."

Rio half expected her to stamp her foot on the ground as well. Clearly she was not getting what Rio was trying to say.

"You died protecting someone." That hit the mark. Alice's face fell as she turned back towards her body. And Rio walked on to the exit of the trial, "You ready?" She asked from the top of the ramp. Alice would follow. They followed in the end.

Alice shook her head, "No."

Rio gestured with one finger for her to follow and she led Alice away. Another job done and taken care of with ease.

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"No!" Jen banged furiously on the door to the trial, screaming as loud as she could, urging Lilia to change her mind. "Lilia! Lilia!" Her eyes watered with tears as she screamed herself horse, "No! Lilia!" Over and over again, Jen couldn't find it in herself to actually stop. She needed to come back, everyone knew you couldn't stay in a trial once it was finished and this was far from over. She banged against the doors again, "Lilia! Lilia!"

Billy came rushing back down the stairs, "What happened?" He called, "Where is she?"

"Inside." Jen felt the tears rolling down her cheeks, "She stayed behind to..." Something creaked behind her and the doors were gone, replaced with stone. She placed her hands against the rough surface, "Lilia?" Her chest heaved, "No. No. No." She fell to her knees and sobbed. Another one of her coven was gone.

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Agatha tried running, but all she could see was green smoke. There was no escaping this reunion. She could only pray Nicholas had actually gone back to make sure Jen left the staircase as she ordered him to and didn't follow her in secret. Rio stood in front of her, the once empty space now swirling dirt around so she could float dramatically. Agatha did always love the flair of drama that Rio processed when with her. It made life more exciting.

"Your coven is shrinking." Rio teased, walking towards her, dirt circle abandoned, "First Alice, now Lilia. It's nice she took the Salem Seven with her." Rio laughed, "The bodies are really piling up. Just like you promised."

"Did you doubt me?" Agatha asked, forcing herself to sound calm. She could do this, Rio was a threat she had been facing for years. For centuries.

"I did." Rio answered honestly, pacing around her like a lioness with her prey, "Yeah. Thought there'd be a trick in there somewhere. And there was." Agatha tilted her head to one side, urging Rio to continue. She took the bait willingly, making a sour face, "You were distracting me from him." She wagged her finger in front of her face like Agatha used to do to Nicholas when he was extremely naughty.