VENGEANCE

Amelia's name echoed in Austine's mind as he stood at the edge of the cliff, the wind whipping through his hair. Determination fueled his every move, his heart pounding with the adrenaline of the moment. "Amelia, my love, I am coming for you," he declared to the empty air, his voice filled with fervor and resolve. With a final breath, he leaped from the precipice, hurtling towards the churning waters below.

His descent seemed endless, the rush of air deafening in his ears. Just as he braced for impact, he crashed into the icy embrace of the river below. The shock of the cold water stole his breath away, but somehow, he managed to surface, gasping for air amidst the tumultuous currents.

Austine struggled against the relentless force of the river, his limbs aching with exhaustion. Just as he felt himself slipping beneath the surface, a strong hand reached out, pulling him from the water's grasp. Blinking away water droplets, he found himself face to face with a stranger, their features obscured by the dim light filtering through the trees.

"Thank you," Austine managed to croak out, his voice hoarse from the exertion. The stranger simply nodded, their eyes unreadable in the shadowy gloom.

With gentle hands, the stranger tended to Austine's injuries, their touch surprisingly comforting despite the circumstances. Miraculously, Austine found that he was not as badly hurt as he had feared, though his body still ached from the ordeal.

As he regained his strength, Austine couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this encounter than mere chance. When he questioned the stranger about their identity or why they were there, they simply smiled enigmatically and directed him to a certain chamber hidden deep within the nearby forest.

"You will find the answers you seek there," the stranger said cryptically before disappearing into the shadows once more.

Following the stranger's instructions, Austine made his way through the dense undergrowth until he stumbled upon the entrance to the chamber. Intricate symbols adorned the stone walls, pulsing with an otherworldly energy that sent shivers down his spine.

Taking a deep breath, Austine stepped inside, his heart pounding with anticipation. The chamber was bathed in an eerie light, the air heavy with the scent of decay. Bones littered the floor, their hollow sockets staring accusingly at him as he moved further into the room.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the darkness, its form twisted and contorted beyond recognition. Austine recoiled in horror, his mind struggling to comprehend the nightmarish sight before him.

"You seek answers, mortal?" the figure hissed, its voice a sinister whisper that sent chills down Austine's spine.

Austine nodded, his throat dry with fear. "I...I seek the truth," he managed to stammer out, his voice barely above a whisper.

The figure's lips curled into a malevolent grin, its eyes gleaming with a wicked light. "Then prepare yourself, for the truth you seek may be more terrible than you can imagine," it intoned, its words echoing through the chamber like a death knell.

With a wave of its hands, the creature conjured images of horror and despair, painting a vivid tableau of Amelia's abduction at the hands of two sinister figures -Dave and Catherine. Austine's heart clenched with anguish as he witnessed her struggle against her captors, her cries of help echoing through the darkness. He watched as the captors slit her throat separating her head from her body. Their laughter resounding in the room after their inhumane act.

"She was taken and her blood used as sacrifice," the figure explained voice laced with pure malice. "But you have the power to seek vengeance, the question is are you willing to pay the price?"

Austine's eyes blazed with fierce determination as he met the creature's gaze. "I will do whatever it takes to avenge her," he declared, his voice trembling with resolve. The creature nodded with approval, "blood for blood, mortal!" It replied voice echoing with finality.

Driven his love for Amelia he reached out for the dagger at his side, his hands steady despite the despite the turmoil raging within him, with a swift motion drew the blade across his own throat the searing pain eclipsed by the burning desire for jstice.

As darkness closed in around him, Austine whispered his final words into the void. "We meet again in the next life, Amelia." He murmured, his voice a solemn vow. And with those words of love and sacrifice upon his lips, Austine surrendered in the embrace of death, his spirit ascending to join hid beloved in the eternal realm beyond.

Alex huddled in the corner of his room, his heart pounding against his ribcage like a caged beast desperate to break free. The events of the evening had left him shaken to his core. He had witnessed something unimaginable, something that shattered his perception of reality.

His parents, the very people who had nurtured him, protected him, had shown their true colors. Their faces twisted with cruelty, their actions horrifyingly inhuman. Alex's mind reeled at the memory of their monstrous deeds, unable to comprehend how the people he loved could commit such atrocities.

As he trembled in fear, the door to his room creaked open, and his parents stepped inside. Their presence sent a shiver down Alex's spine, and he instinctively reached for the nearest object—a vase on his bedside table.

"Alex, what's wrong?" his mother's voice was laced with concern, but there was something unsettling in her eyes, something that made Alex's blood run cold.

"You... you're monsters!" Alex's voice wavered as he accused them, his words choked with fear and disbelief.

His parents exchanged a glance, their expressions unreadable. "Alex, sweetheart, please calm down," his father urged, taking a cautious step closer.

But Alex couldn't bring himself to listen. The image of his parents' grotesque transformation was burned into his mind, a nightmare from which he couldn't escape. With a cry of desperation, he hurled the vase at them, the sound of shattering glass echoing through the room.

His parents staggered back, shock written across their faces. "Alex, no!" his mother cried out, her voice tinged with both fear and sorrow.

But it was too late. The damage had been done, the trust between them shattered like the vase lying in pieces on the floor. And in that moment of chaos and confusion, something inexplicable happened.

A figure emerged from the shadows, its presence filling the room with an eerie sense of foreboding. Its features were obscured, hidden in the darkness, but Alex could feel its gaze upon him, cold and penetrating.

Before he could even comprehend what was happening, a wave of dizziness washed over him, his vision blurring at the edges. He felt a strange sensation, as if something was being ripped from his mind, torn away piece by piece.

And then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over. Alex blinked, disoriented, trying to make sense of the sudden emptiness that filled his mind. The memories of what had transpired moments ago were gone, erased from his consciousness as if they had never existed.

Confusion clouded his thoughts as he looked around the room, trying to piece together what had happened. His parents stood before him, their expressions filled with concern and relief.

"Alex, are you alright?" his mother asked, her voice soft with worry.

He nodded slowly, the events of the evening nothing more than a distant echo in his mind. But deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, that there was a truth lurking just beyond the reach of his memory.

As he tried to push aside the nagging sense of unease, the figure in the shadows watched silently, its presence a haunting reminder of the secrets that lay buried within the depths of his mind.

And as the echoes of forgotten memories faded into the darkness, the figure vanished without a trace, leaving Alex to wonder what other truths lay hidden in the shadows of his past.

AUTHORS NOTE

Shed my tears when writing this chapter. I cant come to terms Austine sacrificed himself for vengeance and love, true love really exist, huh?

something seems off with how Alex behaves after the figure entered, also something is amiss, are these true parents of Alex? has the monster avenged Austine, was the monster considerate of Alex and decided to spare his parents? Is Alex still in the Reynolds mansion?

Its getting better and better I'm so thrilled and curious!