"As a child/ You would wait/ And watch from far away/ But you always knew that you'd be the one that worked while they all played/ And you, you'd lay awake at night and scheme/ Of all the things that you would change/ But it was just a dream//

-Warriors

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It took the siblings three hours to find Renata, well, what was left of her. Her face was still twisted into a look of almost disappointment, and one that Robert couldn't bear to look at in fear of regret. She was long dead; no ressurection spell would be able to bring her back. Her funeral was two days later, in the church just on the outskirts of London, and paid guest to a few that knew her. The church had a certain air to it, mournful, of course, but also reminiscent. A vicar stood at the front, murmuring something in Latin, but Lottie wasn't listening. She sat calmly at the front, bowing her head.

"Charlotte Jekyll would like to now say a few words", the vicar announced quietly. Standing up, she took a breath and turned towards the back of the church. It was small, and delicate, with looming, stained glass windows depicting various religious events, and dark oak pews each with a leather-backed Bible on the ends. Lottie didn't really know what to say, it had all been rather... sudden. Though she was doleful, she held an almost regal stature, like an angel fallen from grace.

"A great man once said that 'Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace'. And I think no one abides more to this statement then Renata. She was a silent thunderstorm, and a perfect guardian. I suppose today we bury not one, but two. With Renata goes my Hyde, Fedora, who I will miss... dearly. I-", Lottie started, then stopped, unraveling a scrumpled piece of paper that was in her hand. Breathing deeply, she looked over the people sitting in the pews. Robert, Bella, Teken, Garson and Maggie had all attended, but she wondered where Olalla had disappeared. She pulled at the black lace of her dress, and looked down at the scrawled letters of a poem she had found in the Jezequel House. They had been back there just after they had found Renata. "Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush. I am the swift uplifting rush. Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there. I did not die". Giving a small smile, she sat back down again, catching a glimpse of Olalla standing just outside the church doors, peering in.

"We now commit her body to the ground. Earth to earth; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. In the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life", the vicar exclaimed, nodding slightly towards Lottie.

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The Jezequel Church

The Instruments lay abandoned among the gravestones. Some of the most powerful, world-bending objects now left, broken. But they still had one article to divulge.

A dull glow came from the Amulet, spreading across the ground like a wave crossing a beach. It grew upwards into a portal-like structure, swirling in shades of gold and red, then a hooded figure stepped out. Nodding once, they picked the combined Instruments from the grass, then promptly snapped them across their knee. They dropped them to the floor, the black monocane the Sword was made from spilling across the greenery, and walked away, their cloak sweeping behind them...

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"I'm sorry", Lottie had said to Teken after the funeral, but was met with a disgruntled nod. He had seemed different to when she had last seen him, almost deformed. A long, silver scar ran down his face, and the side of his neck had a purple-ish tinge to it. "Have you been in a fight or something?"

"No", he answered bluntly, then turned to face her. "Look, I need to get out of that house, Lotts. I... I don't belong there".

"It's a place to live, though. Where else would you go?" she asked, then immediately knew the answer. Tenebrae.

"They've offered me my place back. In the Moscow branch", Teken smiled. "Remember back then, me and you?" The Moscow branch of Tenebrae. The place where Fedora/Lottie grew up, met Teken, and met Dance.

"So, will you go?"

"They won't let me in. I'm not technically a monster anymore".

"But you're trying to become one again, aren't you? You're trying to become the Harbinger again?"

"I'm taking a mixture of wolf's blood and monocane", Teken replied, his voice dropping to just a whisper.

"It's poisoning you, Teken", Lottie said, pointing out the purple on his neck. "The monocane, it's killing you".

"I don't care", Teken roared. "I will either get back into Tenebrae or die trying. And I'm not letting you stand in my way". Turning, he stormed away, leaving Lottie standing alone in the church.

Suddenly, a red light flashed from Renata's coffin. Lottie turned towards it, looking over it. It was made of pine wood panelling, with a simple plaque across the top. The light grew in intensity, brighter and brighter, then swiftly hit Lottie in the chest, throwing her backwards into a pew. Choking, she tried to get up, but then everything immediately went black...

:/:

"You could've come in, you know?" Robert simpered towards Olalla, but all she did was chuckle back.

"I may be just half a vampire, but it's enough for me to not be allowed inside a church. I'm an athiest anyway, so I suppose it doesn't make a difference", she lulled. "How's Lottie doing?"

"Okay, given that she just buried her Hyde and her twin".

"I... I need to ask her something, but I don't how to approach it. Can you help?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"I want to take up the Jezequel mantle. I know it's late, but I promised Renata that I would".

"Just tell her that. I mean I'm sure it'll be fine".

"Do you mind?"

"Olalla", Robert started, pulling on his shirt sleeve. "It's your life. I'm... happy for you".

:/:

Lottie's eyes shot open, the colour of chipped ice. Something had changed. She could feel power running through her veins. Power that hadn't been awakened in a long time. Could it be? Standing up, she walked over to Renata's coffin and laid a white rose on the helm of it.

"Thank you", she murmured, smiling. It was almost a malicious smile; proof of her suspicions. Turning, she strutted down the aisle, the dark lace of her dress sweeping behind her. She had her Hyde back. Fedora was free again. And she was going to make good use of her new-found freedom. "Robert", she lulled, noticing how much her Russian accent showed when she was Fedora. Her brother was immediately alarmed by her change in tone.

"Okay. What's happened?"

"Well, let's just say I'm not the odd one out anymore".

"Hyde?"

"The very same. And I am not Hyde - that is a title. I'm Fedora".

"Fedora? As in the hat?"

"Hyde, as in the town in Manchester?" she retorted, then her smile dropped. "Right. I need you to tell me the truth now. No pulling anything on me, okay? Who killed Renata?" Robert stayed quiet for a minute, looking at his sister. This wasn't Lottie. Lottie was like ice, calculating and collected, while this woman, well, you could see the fire blazing in her eyes. An ancient vexation that had only just relit from its embers. Robert knew what would happen if he told her of the Gorgon, not that he cared of the creature's fate, but he didn't like the thought of his sister with blood on her hands.

"A Gorgon... Stheno, sister of Medusa", he answered after a moment pondering.

"Thank you, brother dearest", she cooed, clicking her knife out of her holster. Lottie had been worried that Tenebrae or MIO would try and intervene in the ceremony, so had to take precautions. "I'm just going for a walk. Don't worry if I'm not back in half an hour, just going to exterminate some vermin".

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Slinking around in the shadows, Stheno didn't know how long she could keep this up. Keres was God knows where, there was no way back to Hell, she couldn't risk leaving in case MIO found her. She knew she was a dead man, well monster, walking. She paced up and down the alleyways, looking for some sort of solution to her problems, but none came.

"Brothers, sisters", she murmured into the impeding darkness. "I know I have no right to ask for your help, but they're after me. They'll kill me. Please, if you see a soul worth saving..." Pausing for a moment, she knelt down, not noticing Fedora come up behind her. "There's nothing left for me here". Wrapping a lace-adorned arm around Stheno's neck, Fedora gave a mocking hiss.

"Aw. Don't say that. There's tons for you here. I mean, you could get a job".

"Don't ridicule me, Jekyll. What kind of derisory human occupation do you think would satisfy a goddess?" Fedora thought for a moment, humming under her breath.

"Snake charmer? Garden ornament maker? Professional freak?" she said finally. Stheno just scoffed.

"Now, could you please state your business, or unhand me at least?" the Gorgon retorted.

"Have you ever seen the Demon Barber of Fleet Street?"

"What-?".

"I love horror films", Fedora started, then gripped her knife tighter. "Would you like to see one?" Chuckling, she put the knife to her throat.

"I can kill you, you know. One look and you're dead".

"Oh, of course, of course. But, dear, there's a reason why I'm behind you". Fedora was centimeters away from cutting her throat; she could feel the Gorgon's cold blood seep through her fingers. Suddenly, the snakes that had been wavering silently hissed loudly, baring needle-sharp teeth, giving Stheno enough time to bring her arms up and knock the blade out of Fedora's hand. She turned, free from the Hyde's grasp, and shrieked...

Bang!

"They say people deal with grief in different ways - never seen someone wrestle a snake woman before", said a familiar voice. Garson. Fedora turned around to see him, face like a child that had just been caught. He was dressed to the nines in his black trench coat, with a rifle in his hands.

"I could've done that myself, you know", she said, looking over to the lifeless body of the Gorgon. "How'd you know where to find me? Thought I'd chosen quite a quiet spot".

"What? To carry out your pest control?"

"Well, you know every girl likes a bit of light killing every once in a while".

"Robert told us you were on some sort of revenge riot, so Ravi used his foresight to find you". The said Indian boy peeked his head out from behind a building wall.

"So, what now?" Fedora started. "You going to hand me into MIO because I did what was right?"

"Killing someone is not right".

"I didn't kill anyone. You did. I just threatened her". Garson just huffed.

"Come on, let's go", he said, taking her by the hand, then noticed it was bleeding. The Gorgon must have scratched her. "You're bleeding".

"What's the diagnosis, Doctor Garson?" Fedora chuckled.

"Just a cut", he answered, walking away, with Fedora dragging her heels behind him, and Ravi following. "And would you people please stop calling me that".

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