Ultima Pietas Guertenae, A Via Impetro Home

"Is that you, Ashie?" Sam asked, her voice trembling slightly, still on edge. "Ashie? Yes, I'm Ashie! I am indeed Ashie!" Ashie replied with a smirk, chuckling quietly to herself. Feeling a bit unsettled, Sam took a step back, suddenly aware of soft thumps against her legs and the sound of child-like laughter. "We know Ashie's Secret~" The dolls began to giggle, one of them tugging her down, eliciting a squeak from her! "AH!" "She can't be human! She's too, PAINTLIKE!" One doll turned to the other, whispering something in its ear. "She'll be forever known as the painter girl!" The blue doll spoke, its words prompting the yellow doll to burst into maniacal cackles. "AHAHAHA! ASHIE! ASHIE!" The dolls spoke to her, their words leaving Sam frightened as they circled around her in flight."She is Ashie! SHE IS ASHIE!' They continued to circle her, and all Sam could do was glance around, engulfed in pure terror.

"Ashie! Ashie! ASHIE!"

"She's ASHIE! SHE'S ASHIE! SHE'S! ASHIE!"

"Aaaaaashie~"

The dolls kept up their mocking laughter, echoing Ash's own cackles as she fled. Sam shrugged off the spirits, allowing them to twirl away. "Ashie, what's happening?! Where are you going?!" She shouted, attempting to follow him.

The dolls returned to her, murmuring sad truths.

"In her way. IN her WAY!" One doll whispered to her. "Don't trust her, she's A MURDERER!" Another doll joined in, adding its voice to the chorus. "SHE'S NOT HUMAN!" The doll let out a shriek right into her ear, mirroring Ashie's own scream, prompting Sam to step back and then start running too.

"I NEED TO FIND CALEB! WHO KNOWS WHAT ASHIE MIGHT DO! I CAN'T STAY SAFE WITH HER!" She shouted, racing back through the corridors.

...

"Boo."

"Saaam~? Where are you off to?" The dolls inquired, as Ashie stood beside them, an ominous spark in her eye. "Why leave her, where are you heading all alone~?" One doll teased, its eerie smile widening. "I was just, um..." Sam stammered, fibbing to avoid further trouble. "You promised you'd stick together, didn't you?" the doll pressed, clambering onto Ash. "Yeah, DIDN'T YOU?!" echoed the other dolls, with Ash brandishing her knife, intensifying Sam's fear.

"Why are you running away~? You promised you'd stay together, didn't you?! RIGHT?!" The doll chuckled, with the others joining in with laughter. It appeared Sam was in dire straits, but just then, a voice cut through the chaos.

"SAM!"

"DON'T TRUST HER!"

"WHAT?!"

Sam glanced beside her, spotting her knight in shining armor, her savior, standing there alive and real..

""CALEB!" Sam shouted, rushing to his side. "What are you thinking, Ash?" Caleb demanded coldly from the girl. "BE QUIET! WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST STAY PUT!?" Ashie screamed back, with the dolls gathering around her. "She's as human as any of you!" one of the dolls insisted to Caleb. However, deceived by the falsehood that he had already died once, he was skeptical. "No, you're not!" he retorted, striking Ash, causing her to drop the knife and collapse.

"You might find this hard to believe, but Ash isn't human," he revealed to Sam. "She's one of Guertena's creations, just like the women who have been pursuing us. I didn't see it until now," he elaborated, as Sam's eyes began to fill with tears, overwhelmed with guilt for having trusted one of his works. "You might feel pity for her, but staying with her is too risky. We need to leave," he advised, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, empathizing with her turmoil. "Let's move, Sam! You're alright, aren't you?" he inquired, glancing at her with concern. "I'm okay," Sam managed a weak smile, nodding in affirmation. As they moved away, an eye gleamed ominously; Ashie's intentions toward them were far from over.

As they advanced, the soft click of a key turning in a lock reached their ears, heralding their arrival at yet another macabre sight—a statue devoid of its head, standing ominously before them.

"Ugh, another statue? How many of these have I had to move?" Caleb complained, flexing his fingers with a series of knuckle cracks. "Well, hopefully this is the last one." With that, he exerted himself to push the statue aside, opened the door, and stepped through to find...

✨A Celestial Paradise!✨

"Wow, this is quite the shift in scenery!" Caleb exclaimed, taking in the new surroundings. "I can sense we're nearing an exit! Hurry, Sam! We've got to escape!" He urged, clasping Sam's hand. "By the way, Sam, have you ever tried gumbo?" He inquired, piquing her interest. "What's that?" She queried. "Oh, it's this amazing stew that can be made super spicy! I had some back at my college dorm recently, and it was incredible! Absolutely delicious!" He passionately explained, his mouth watering at the thought of the fiery dish. "How about we grab some together once we're out of here?" He suggested, then paused suddenly. "No, not 'how about'—we WILL make it out, and that's a promise, okay?" He declared to Sam, who responded with an enthusiastic nod. "Yeah!"

But as they continued on their way, that familiar voice echoed through the air again...

"Caleb, Sam..? Where are you?" The voice called out, droning on in the distance.

"CALEB? SAM? WHERE ARE YOU?" Ash's voice grew louder and more impatient, a thirst evident in his tone, a thirst for something far more sinister than blood—Caleb and Sam's blood.

"CALEB?! SAM?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" She screamed into the halls, her eyes finally catching sight of the two. Under her breath, she whispered something malicious once more...

"Hehehe, I found you!" She exclaimed, her voice laced with malice as she pushed them down once again, tumbling into the depths of the Guertena Rabbit Hole.

"AAAAAAAH!" They both let out another scream, plunging further down... deeper,

even deeper,

AND DEEPER!

Until... their descent was abruptly halted by the ground.

"Ouch, my head..." Sam groaned, gently touching her forehead. "Caleb?! Caleb, are you alright?" she called out, scrambling over to where he lay. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a bit of a headache, but nothing serious," Caleb reassured her, even through his discomfort. "Hey, Sam, make sure you keep this safe," he said, passing her a familiar object, her vibrant red rose. "Always have it with you, okay? I'd hate for anything to happen to you," he expressed, his concern bringing a smile to Sam's face. "Looks like Ash really did a number on us, huh? Let's get out of here before anything else weird happens. This place gives me the creeps," he added with a sigh. But just as he spoke, Sam noticed something stirring behind them. Oh, Caleb, if only you hadn't said anything!

"Uh, Caleb..?" Sam whispered, her voice laced with fear as she pointed behind him. There, looming, was an entire horde of monsters! "SHIT!" Caleb exclaimed, panic seizing him as he swiftly grabbed Sam's hand. With all the strength he could muster, he bolted, the urgency of the situation leaving him with only one command, "RUN!" Their screams echoed as they dashed, barely making it into another room for safety.

Gasping for air, their chests heaved from the relentless escape. "I'm so SICK OF THIS!" Caleb's frustration erupted as he lashed out, kicking at the vine-entangled door. "That makes two of us, Caleb," Sam agreed, her voice heavy with exhaustion. Suddenly, Caleb's attention was caught by something. "Thorns?" he noted, eyeing the prickly vines. An idea sparked within him. "What if I..." With a flick, his lighter came to life, and he touched the flame to the vines, setting them ablaze. "Whoa! It worked!" Caleb exclaimed, a mix of surprise and triumph in his voice. "Hey, Sam! Check out that painting over there!" he called out. Sam's gaze followed to where he pointed, and there, within the frame, stood a girl they both recognized.

"Let's take a look!" Caleb exclaimed, filled with curiosity. But as those words left his lips, suddenly...

"ASHIE!" Sam's voice pierced the air as recognition and memories flooded back. "Leave. Now," Ash commanded, her voice trembling, escalating rapidly in intensity. "NOW! NOW! NOW!" she screamed, her desperation turning into aggression as she charged at them, a knife glinting menacingly in her hand. "SAM! WATCH OUT!" Caleb shouted, intervening in an attempt to protect Sam from the frenzied attack, pushing her to safety. "AH!" Sam let out a terrified shriek, narrowly avoiding the blade. In that moment of chaos, Caleb realized they had only one option left. "We have no choice..." he muttered under his breath before his voice soared in a desperate command. "SAM! BURN IT!" With all his strength, he hurled the lighter towards Sam, urging her to take drastic action.

...

"I CAUGHT IT!" Sam shouted, her voice a mix of fear and determination. With a flick of her hand, she ignited the lighter, bringing the flame to the painting. She let out a small gasp as the fire took hold, the flames quickly spreading across the canvas.

"..."

"A.Ah.."

"No..."

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Ash screamed when it was all over..

"Caleb exhaled deeply, a look of bemusement on his face. "Kids can be quite intimidating," he remarked, and Sam nodded in agreement. "That's probably why I prefer staying indoors. How about you, are you doing alright?" he inquired, glancing at Sam with concern. "Yeah, I'm fine. But what about—" Sam's words trailed off as her eyes widened in alarm at the sight of Caleb's bleeding hand. "Caleb! Your hand!" she exclaimed. Caleb glanced down, noticing for the first time the blood oozing from a cut on his hand. "Oh! It looks like I've cut myself somehow," he mused, puzzled by the sudden injury. "Here, use this! We can't risk an infection," Sam urgently offered, rummaging through her pocket to produce something surprisingly familiar..

"A Clarinet Rag?"

"Yes, a clarinet rag!" Sam exclaimed, pulling out a small, fabric cloth designed specifically for cleaning and maintaining clarinets. The familiar, soft material, usually used to wipe away moisture and fingerprints from the instrument, now served an unexpected purpose. She handed it to Caleb, who wrapped it around his bleeding hand, the music-themed fabric a quirky but effective makeshift bandage.

"Caleb beamed, his hand enveloping the felt, and said, 'Thank you, Sam!' 'Anytime!' Sam returned the smile, her gaze drifting to the right. 'Oh, check this out! There are books here!' she exclaimed, making her way toward the bookshelf with Caleb following. 'Look at this one,' Caleb announced, picking up a book and dusting it off. His eyes widened in astonishment. '

It's Ash's Diary!' Their eyes locked in shared curiosity as they turned the page together.."

"Ash's Diary: The Tale of a Poor Little Girl" by Ashie Guertena

"Yay!" The man said when the paintbrush touched the paper, making that cool swishy sound. "Almost there..." He let out a big breath, adding one more paint flower. "Done! My little Ashie.." The girl in the picture was smiling, she looked super pretty, like his own daughter. But then, he felt really sick and fell down...

He died of a stroke.

The girl looked on, still smiling in the picture, but feeling super sad inside because her dad was gone. She climbed out of the painting, her eyes big and full of kid tears, and saw her dad not moving. She started to sniffle because she was really sad.

Years later, she found a little bookshelf and a blank book, where she started writing all her thoughts, dreams, and secret wishes. "I like it when people come to visit, to stay with me," she whispered, her voice echoing softly through the halls. "But I wish I could go outside too," she sang, feeling like a lonely doll in a big, empty house. "And see the world OUTSIDE!" She watched people come and go, feeling jealous because she wanted to go out too. "But unless I can take the place of someone outside..." She tried to join them, but couldn't leave her painting. "It looks like I can't do that..." She sighed and went back to her frame, looking at the three dolls she cared for so much, almost like they were her brothers and sisters. But she felt really lonely. "Won't somebody come to stay with me soon?"

She continued to ask..

"Won't somebody come soon..?'

....

'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!'

"WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?! "WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?! 'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!' 'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!' 'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!' 'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!' 'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!' 'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!' 'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!' 'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!' 'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!' "WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!'"WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!''WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!' 'WON'T SOMEBODY COME SOON?!'

...

She's going to be lonely forever, just a lonely puppet girl.

The End.

Sam and Caleb exchanged looks, totally shocked by Ash's sad story. "We should head out, Sam," Caleb said, putting the book away. "Yeah, but wait a sec!" Sam suddenly got excited, picking up a different book. "What's this? A Guertena, doujinshi book?" she asked, not really knowing what that kind of book was all about. "HEY!" Caleb shouted, quickly taking the book from her. "Maybe wait till you're a bit older to check this out," he said, trying to laugh it off while Sam just let out a sigh. "Alright."

After walking a bit more, they found themselves in front of a painting that looked very familiar!

"Sam! Look, an exit! Let's go!" Caleb pointed out excitedly. "It's that painting we saw earlier! Fabricated World!" Sam recognized, proud she could read the title. "Hold on, this seems like the gallery!" He figured out. "Let's jump through it, maybe we'll get back! It's worth a shot!" Caleb took a leap, jumping right through the painting's frame. "I'M THROUGH! Sam, come on, grab my hand!" he shouted, reaching his hand back through the painting. "Okay, here I come!" Sam got ready to run towards him, but suddenly...

She saw something that would stick with her forever, the ultimate nightmare to conclude her hellish gallery escapade.

"Caleb, it's me, Sam!" exclaimed a little girl, her eyes an unnerving pale white, yet her appearance was unmistakably similar, causing a wave of nausea to wash over Sam. "Hold on tight, it's going to be alright!" Caleb shouted, prompting Sam to avert her gaze. "What do you mean? I'm the real Sam!" protested the girl in the painting, leaving Sam faced with a critical decision...

"WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THIS FAKE?!" "Sam! It's going to be okay! Just trust me!"

"I'M THE REAL SAM!" "Come on please! Just grab my hand!"

"SHE'S FAKE JUST LIKE YOU SAID!" "Come on! We're so close!"

"THIS IS ALL HER FAULT!" "We'll get out!"

"SAM!"

"CAAAALEB!" Sam screamed, dashing towards the frame with Caleb springing into action and seizing her hand.

"Yes! We've done it! WOOHOO!" he exclaimed in triumph as they plunged down the rabbit hole together, embarking on their final adventure.

"What was I doing before..?" murmured Sam, stirring awake. "Oh no... Mom and Dad are going to be so upset!" she fretted, anxiously rubbing her shoulders. "I need to find them!" Determined, she started pacing through the halls, scanning her surroundings, her memory of her adventures completely erased, until her eyes landed on a very specific individual.

The man seemed eerily familiar to Sam, though she couldn't quite figure out why. "Oh!" she exclaimed, hoping to catch his attention. "Oh! Do you need something, miss?" the man asked, turning towards her. "Uh.." Sam hesitated, suddenly feeling awkward. How could she recognize this stranger? "Oh! My apologies, I'll step aside so you can have a better look," he said, preparing to walk away. But then, just before he did, he paused and added, "See you, Sam..." He then resumed walking, only to halt abruptly a few steps later.

"Wait, Sam? Sam... How could I possibly know that name?" he pondered aloud, lost in thought. Then, he felt something in his pocket. Pulling it out, he discovered it was a clarinet rag. He tried to piece together the fragments of the Guertena puzzle, his mind racing to connect the dots. Suddenly, it clicked. "Wait! This was that girl's rag. No, wait... it was... SAM'S!" he gasped, the realization hitting him like a wave.

Tears welled up in his eyes as the pieces fell into place. Before Sam could even react, she was suddenly enveloped in a tight embrace. "AH!" she yelped in surprise. "SAM! SAM, I REMEMBER! I REMEMBER EVERYTHING!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking with emotion as tears streamed down his face. "The world, the monsters, Ash, everything!" he continued, his excitement causing him to shake her gently. "Please, try to remember!" he implored, his plea filled with desperation. As Sam closed her eyes, a rush of memories flooded back, and she gasped in realization, the weight of her forgotten adventures finally crashing down on her.

"CALEB?!" she cried out, her own tears breaking through as she returned his embrace, her sobs of recognition blending with his. "I REMEMBER!" she declared through tears. "I'm so relieved you're okay!" Her sobbing gradually gave way to laughter, a sound of pure happiness as she dabbed at her eyes. "There's so much I want to discuss! But I have to go..." he said with a touch of sadness, then brightened with an idea. "Hey, Sam? Would you mind if I keep this rag for a while? I promise to clean it, polish it, and return it even better than before!" he proposed with a hopeful smile. "Sure! Because we will see each other again!" Sam affirmed with a smile, catching a glimpse of her parents and starting to walk away before adding, "It is a promise..." He too smiled, affirming their bond and their future reunion, as he walked away in the opposite direction.

"A Promise of Reunion!"

...

"Daddy..?"

"...ashie.."

"You did it.."
"You're not a painting anymore!"

"YOU'RE FINALLY HUMAN!"

"DAD! I'M HOME!"