Y/N POV

My head snapped in the direction of the baby's cries. My eyes were wide with both confusion and shock. I didn't approach though, given how long we'd been trapped in this village, I'd learned to expect the unexpected. I had no idea what this meant.

On Ethan's phone, I could here Chris' voice saying "Ethan? Ethan, respond!" He seemed to be ignoring it though, instead focusing on where the cries were coming from, a small circular, stone structure on the floor. On top of which was a lone crow. 

Ethan aimed his gun at the crow causing it to fly off. I followed its flight path and that's when I saw something that nearly made my blood freeze completely. MIA, just stood in the middle of the field. Thunder and lightning crashed behind her, making it somewhat difficult to focus on her features. Ethan however, exclaimed "MIA?!"

I wasn't convinced though, the last time I'd seen Mia, it was all a hallucination brought about by Donna's abilities. Perhaps this was similar, either that or something else entirely. My eyes narrowed now as I readied my magnum.

'Mia' stepped forward, approaching Ethan. Her voice sounded quiet and made me extremely uncomfortable. "Our child... She's so important, isn't she?" Ethan approached her, responding "She's everything to me." This simply made 'Mia' chuckle a bit before she stared at him directly and replied "And mine to me."

She continued "With Heisenberg gone, you've both lost your lead. What are you going to do? Ethan raised his handgun again and said determinedly "I don't know, but I'm saving Rose." 'Mia' grinned, ridiculing Ethan "You never know do you? Even when I took Mia's place in your home."

She turned to me "I'd have expected you to maybe suspect something. I guess you aren't as observant as I thought you were." Looking back at Ethan, she mocked "Poor Ethan." This angered Ethan, who rushed forward grabbing 'Mia' by the front of her shirt yelling "Who are you?! Where's Rose?!"

That's when a multitude of black crow feathers emerged from 'Mia's' back, she let out a laugh as they wrapped around her in a cocoon of sorts as narrow dead-looking trees began sprouting up all around us. I was back to being shocked as Ethan opened fire, shooting his handgun into the cocoon but to no effect.

The feather cocoon opened up to reveal Miranda standing there, a grin plastered across her face. Ethan spat "Miranda." As I commented "So, you finally choose to enter the scene. It's about time we finally met."

Miranda spoke in a cold, authoritative tone as she instructed "Enough." The feathers retreated into her back again as she stood directly in front of us now. Strangely, she began walking and went into a speech which caught my attention straight away.

"Remember Eveline and her power over the Mold?" Ethan didn't move, however I slowly nodded and said "Yes and you had something to do with that, didn't you." Miranda's grin remained as she said "Smart boy, to an extent, you are correct, but I digress. Eveline isn't important right now, what really matters is Rose."

She continued her speech "Rose is her successor, no, Rose is Eveline's true, COMPLETE form. She will grow to fully control the masses." Miranda walked behind one of the trees and seemingly disappeared, I stepped behind to look for her before she suddenly appeared behind us hissing "And I must have her!"

Ethan yelled "Fuck you, you crazy bitch!" I added "That's not going to happen!" A flock of crows shot out of Miranda's body towards us and once they'd disbursed we saw her stood just outside the circle of trees. She talked down to us, like a parent disciplining their child. "Calm yourselves, Rose will be saved."

She walked behind another of the trees and came out the other side as Mia! She kept speaking "The Megamycete catalogues all of us. However, she will be reborn as MY daughter." My eyes, once again widened as I said.

"So, that's it then? Rose, the flasks, the ceremony. This is what you wanted?" Miranda, in Mia's body glanced at me and nodded "Right again, of course I also saw my opportunity to rid myself of those four false children of mine. And would have, if you hadn't interfered with that. It doesn't matter though, you gathered the flask of House Beneviento all the same, just not in the manner I'd hoped for. It will all be worth it though, to have my daughter once again."

Ethan angrily grabbed her by the shoulders and snapped "She's my child! Not yours!" More birds flew out in our direction however this time, Miranda seemed to be completely gone. Ethan snapped "Where are you?! Show yourself!"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement, turning towards it, I was surprised to see the old hag from when we'd first arrived in the village. That was Miranda as well?! It made sense, I just wish I'd noticed sooner.

She asked "Why did Rose come to be? Was it because of her parents? And you Ethan, are truly a special case. But I've learned all I can from you." The hag vanished but Miranda's voice could be heard "Your worth as a lab rat has run out."

Ethan yelled "Miranda you coward! Come out and face me!" What happened next was terrifying! Miranda began to emerge from what appeared to be a pool of blood in the ground, right in front of Ethan. As she emerged she stated "Don't worry Ethan, your death will come quick, you will join the Megamycete's records." 

It all happened too quickly. Before I could react, Miranda thrust her hand into Ethan's chest and ripped his HEART OUT! He staggered back, Miranda still holding his heart as she grinned, saying "I will make sure to sample your blood for later. Once dawn breaks, the ceremony will commence and I will become her TRUE mother. Bound for eternity in blood."

As Ethan collapsed to the ground, Miranda squeezed his heart, causing blood to drizzle onto her face. I exclaimed "ETHAN!" Turning to Miranda, I raised my magnum and fired a round. The bullet actually hit her in her forehead and caused her head to lurch backwards.

Despite my hope, the bullet didn't phase her much, she lowered her head to look at me, revealing a hole in her forehead which slowly re-sealed itself back up. She kept her grin as she stepped forward.

"Ah Y/N L/N, the one I've heard so much about. The one I've been so anxious to meet." I snapped "Don't come any closer!" Miranda chuckled and reached out with her hand. To my surprise, she didn't attack, but rather, gently stroked her hand across my cheek.

"I must say, you've become quite the subject of fascination for me. When I took Mia's place in Ethan's home, I didn't expect to find out about what you've accomplished. Your journey through this village has also been an interesting one to watch."

She stepped back, saying "But, now is not the place to talk. I have somewhere much better in mind." Once again, a series of black feathers emerged all around me, blocking my view, completely encasing my body within them. Before I lost my consciousness, I heard Miranda say one last sentence.

"After all, you did leave me one extra loose end to tie up before the ceremony..."

Author's Note: And that's it for this chapter. The next one will be interesting since we'll finally find out about Miranda's interest in Y/N. I really hope you enjoy it and as always, thank you for reading.