Sinister Inheritance

Epilogue

Two years later...

I am now the first female exorcist in London. The title feels both heavy and empowering, a constant reminder of the life I've chosen and the darkness I've faced. After everything that happened in Thornwood Manor, I couldn't simply walk away from the supernatural world. The scars it left on me, both visible and unseen, became a calling.

Elias's soul is finally at rest, his quiet strength and guidance forever etched in my memory. I often wonder if he knew how much his presence meant to me, how his sacrifice allowed me to stand here today. He, along with all the spirits trapped in Thornwood Manor, were freed the day I destroyed Malakar. Even the souls my father had harmed, the ones tethered by his greed and sins, found peace. The house—my family's cursed legacy—was reduced to ash.

London is different now. Darker, perhaps. Or maybe I see it differently after what I've endured. The whispers of restless spirits and unholy presences reach me now, like faint echoes in the night. People come to me when they've exhausted all rational options, when they've stared into the void and it has stared back.

I've learned much since that day in Thornwood. How to recognize the signs of a haunting. How to wield a talisman or carve a protective rune. How to stand face to face with darkness without letting it consume me. But the most important lesson was one Elias taught me: you don't defeat evil with hatred. You defeat it with resolve.

Tonight, the air feels heavier than usual. A letter sits on my desk, its seal broken. The request is clear—a manor on the outskirts of London, whispers of shadows that move where they shouldn't. It's always a manor, I think bitterly, though my pulse quickens.

I stand, slipping my worn talisman around my neck and grabbing my coat. As I step out into the foggy London streets, I glance once at the sky. Somewhere, I hope Elias is watching, perhaps even proud.

The darkness will always be there, lurking in corners and behind closed doors. But so will I. Ready to face it.