41: The End of a Shadowy Tale

"Well, well, well, what have we here?"

"H-help me…"

A certain evil-incarnate arrived at a certain ruined town as he donned his usual sick smile while eyeing a certain amputated vampire who was down to the ground.

"You look like shit, Harold." Azareth snickered amusingly, finding the torment of his vampire accomplice all too entertaining, "How in heaven's name did you end up without all four of your limbs attached?"

"A Nightingale…" Harold gritted his teeth in both pain and rage, "That bitch did this to me!!"

"A Nightingale, you say?" Azareth sounded intrigued, "That Magical Girl must be quite strong if she managed to defeat you, one of us, a leader of our noble cause."

"As soon as I get the necessary transplants, then that bitch shall pay!!!" Harold was still blind to his anger.

"Transplant?" Azareth's face turned confused, "And here I thought that vampires can regrow their lost appendages? What, was that all just a myth?"

"T-there had been some complications…" Harold looked away in shame, an obvious gesture that was not overlooked by Azareth.

"Hmm, really now?" Azareth looked at him suspiciously, "You said a Nightingale beaten you. I'm aware of a Nightingale's prowess in combat, but for someone, an esteemed vampire such as yourself, it should not be an issue whatsoever. Tell me, Harold, what is the name of the dark lady who cut you down like a dog?"

"Her name…" Harold tried to recall, "If I remember correctly, her cat companion called her Momoka."

"Momoka, huh."

Upon hearing the Nightingale's name, Azareth burst into a fit of laughter, and Harold could not help but wonder about why his fellow Diablus was laughing.

"Is there something funny?!"

"Oh, my heavens, this is fucking priceless!!!" Azareth did not hold back in his wicked delight, "You mean to tell me that the Momoka… the fucking Hanazono Momoka herself did this to you!!?"

"Yes." Harold became even more bewildered, "And what's so great about that backstabbing bitch!?"

"You poor, ignorant bloodsucker…" Azareth shook his head with a sigh, "Well, considering that you just recently came and arrived from our home realm of Hellas, I supposed it's understandable if you are unaware of the happenings here in this human world. Really, you sure fucking dumb for charging straight to the battlefield instead of consulting with us… your dear seniors. Still, how unlucky can you get when you encounter none other than the strongest Nightingale who ever lived!!"

"H-her… the strongest?" Harold was in utter disbelief. No wonder he was easily defeated like this, it all made sense now.

"And let me guess…" Azareth paused dramatically for a moment before saying, "She cut you down with her katana, "True Death" if I'm not mistaken."

"T-that's right." There's no point in denying it despite the shame Harold felt in his defeat.

"Welp, that's it then…" Azareth shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, "You are useless to us."

"Useless!!?" Harold felt scandalized, "When I get a set of new arms and legs, then I'll fucking show you, useless!!"

"Foolish vampire, let me tell you something." Azareth simply found Harold's tantrum funny, like he was acting like an immature child, "True Death's curse is absolute, and no number of transplants, technologies, or even magic whatsoever is going to save you from your cripple little ass."

"You lie, you both lie!!!!"

"Not this time, I'm afraid, even when I'm quite the handsome trickster if I dare say so myself." Azareth snickered in response, "Seeing as you are right now, well… I suppose its time for you to part ways, between both of us, and our whole organization itself."

"Damn you, Azareth!!" Rage took over that Harold almost forgot the constant pain that he was feeling, "You dare abandon me, after everything I've done for the cause?!!!!"

"Uh… yes. That's exactly what I'm doing." Azareth said like he was stating the obvious.

"This… this is absurd!! This can't be happening!!!" Harold broke down once more and fell into despair.

"Reality check, yes, it is." Azareth sighed and turned his back at the vampire, "Right… and I came all the way here for nothing. What a waste of my precious time!! If there's nothing else, then I bid you farewell, limbless one. May we never meet and cross paths ever again, well since you can't do anymore crossing, hehe."

"Wait, don't leave me here!!!!" Desperation was evident on Harold's voice, "If I can't be healed, then at the very least, do me the honor and kill me instead."

Harold knew that such option was in vain since he also got the curse of "Eternity" from the Nightingale Momoka, but hey, at this point, it never hurts to try now, well… figuratively of course.

"Let me think about it." Azareth pretended like he was actually thinking before he quickly answered, "Nah, it's pretty hilarious seeing a guy with no limbs and it's no fun to end it all quickly, you know what I'm saying? Hahahaha."

"Curse you!!!"

Azareth gave Harold a wave of his hand before finally exiting the place, leaving the vampire to whatever dark fate that was now in store for him.

***

A young female figure dressed in a pink baggy jacket with cat-ears hood covering her head was seen sitting in a seiza position as she faced a grave belonging to her dear friend who recently just passed away.

With a cup of sake beside her, she grabbed hold of it and lifted it up, as a gesture of toast from the dear memories she shared with her departed friend.

"Farewell, Momoka." A sad smile was only seen while the rest of her face was covered by her hood, "And thank you for being both a good Magical Girl, and most importantly… a precious friend."

With her final words, the girl indulged herself to the sake and drank it slowly, savoring both the joy that she once spent with her friend, and the sadness she now felt upon her loss.

While the girl drown herself in her sorrow, a mysterious woman dressed in dark garments was seen from behind one of the trees while she stalked the mourning girl with a sinister smile.

After a few minutes, the dark woman eventually left, leaving the temple as she descended from the mountains. As soon she reached down, she was greeted by another figure, a muscular Diablus with a head that resembled a German Shepherd Dog, but with a humanoid furry body.

"Welcome back, mistress." The "Dog" greeted her with utmost respect, "With your return, I assume that you finally got your revenge?"

"Not really, the mood seems… quite not right." The woman shook her head.

"Then, the cat is still alive?" The Diablus frowned, "You decided to spare her, then?"

"Fufu, for now." The woman chuckled evilly, "After all, it's no fun in kicking a wounded kitten. I shall let her wallow and internalize the grief of losing another yet of her precious girls. I'll give her two or maybe three weeks tops, at best."

"I see." The "Dog" understood with a nod, "Then, shall we leave this place, mistress Umbrina?"

"Fufu, of course. We've got other matters to attend to, like for say, recruiting other lost girls to our cause." Magical Girl: Umbrina smiled sweetly in response as the duo left the area for whatever sinister plans that they themselves set in motion.