Act IX

by Alexander Gordon

  The angel formed her golden and silver weapon from a blinding light in her hands, with Star watching in surprise as the holy maiden manifested her large hammer before twirling it around with one hand.

  “I’ll just have to get rid of all the crap that’s getting in my way!” Valentina roared before winding back with her weapon then slamming it down on the ground. In an instant the entire area blasted apart as if Eden itself had ruptured from within, throwing rubble and smoke into the air at high speed along with Star who yowled loudly while being struck by the powerful explosion. Although the cat’s body was pulverized by the blast it didn’t take her life, rather it flung her broken and unconscious body far off into the distance while all of VanEllovan’s capital behind her was wiped off the face of Eden by a powerful blast of golden light.

  “I don’t think she descended from the heavens to save me personally,” Star admitted. “She seemed to be searching for something rather important instead. So important that she destroyed VanEllovan to find it.”

  “An angel did that?” Daniel wondered.

  “I’m not sure if that was an angel I saw or not. It appeared to be one, but she didn’t behave as a merciful guardian to life of Eden. She was… more like Kitten than anything else.”

  “That bad?” Specca worried.

  “What the fuck are implying by that?” Kitten demanded.

  “That couldn’t have been an angel then,” Alyssa reasoned shaking her head. “Far from it.”

  “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Kitten yelled out.

  “So this monster came and removed you from the wreckage of your home only to blast you away afterwards because she was searching for something there?” Clover questioned.

  “Essentially, yes,” Star continued. “When I regained consciousness and my body had healed I found myself at the outskirts of VanEllovan’s border. Or rather inside a house at the outskirts.”

  Star blinked a few times as she regained consciousness, finding herself hanging upside down in the living room of an abandoned house while caught up in tangled bed sheets. Looking up she saw how her flight through the air and across the land had led her to crash through the roof of this building, down into the bed, and then through the floor before halting while being suspended above the ground. With a sigh Star let herself hang there, seeing no point of pushing on anymore.

  After a while her ears twitched, a gentle ticking sound catching her attention and bringing her eyes over to a grandfather clock that was still going despite being left behind by the place’s former residents. The aged timepiece ticked softly while its pendulum swung side to side, still going strong even though it was all alone in the world.

  Slowly and quietly Star began to sing her song, her heart aching for the home and mother she no longer had. She remembered all the times she smiled as did Seraphine, all the love they had for each other and their land. Everything flooded her like an uncontrollable wave of emotion, her singing becoming louder as she found herself clinging to the memories that she refused to let go. A smile gradually came across her face while tears fell to the ground below her, her singing becoming stronger and steadier as she found solace with it once again. It was then she realized it, her chanting coming to a quick end as it became clear. The song’s words were true, just as Seraphine had always intended them to be. Her life that she had cherished, her dreams of being with her mother, and the time they spent together in their home. Those precious memories were eternal. They made her feel loved and alive again, just by remembering what was once and would always be in her life.

  Two things then happened, both of which snapped Star out of her depression. The first was the sheets that were strung around her body finally tore and let her fall to the ground with a sharp meow. The second, which became clearer after she sat up and rubbed her head with a grimace, was the fact that she found a reason to push on. She turned to the clock as she stood up, singing her song proudly and loudly as she felt her spirits renewed again. The person her mother once was, the one that cared for her like no other, wouldn’t want her to fade into the darkness as she had. She would want her to smile and be happy, just like she always wanted for the one she treated like a daughter. She would want her to live on. To be strong, and to never fall into despair no matter what.

  The jinx sang her song, full of passion and meaning like never before, then let out a long yowl at the end, calling out her fallen mother’s name and promising that she would live on for both of them just as they had once always wanted.

  In peace.

  *****

  Everyone watched as Star meowed with her head lowered and eyes closed, her tone conveying remorse and regret for everything she had done. Reiko listened to her speak from atop her shoulder then sighed and shrugged at the group.

  “She left Glyphmare behind, including me, her most cherished friend, hoping to leave all that she had done behind as well. Nobody knew she was the Bloodcat of VanEllovan, the blame for that killer’s doings was placed on a neko instead, so she ditched her identity and sought to seek out a life of peace far away from the land she cleaved to the bone with her claws.”

  “And that led you out here,” Daniel concluded. Star nodded and meowed again, with Reiko watching her curiously and listening to her words.

  “She wanted to put her past behind her, so she traveled far away from her former home. And she vowed never to kill again, at least not on purpose since her cursing aura may not be so merciful to those that attack her.”

  Star meowed sadly at Daniel with hands held together in a pleading manner, with Reiko chuckling then smiling amusedly at him.

  “She said she’s sorry for trying to rape you when she first saw you. She hadn’t been with a man for some time and her inner nature had gotten… desperate.”

  “It’s alright, I understand,” Daniel said nodding. “Your inner nature compelled you to do that, you weren’t in control. I know how that can be for monsters in the world.”

  “A vow never to kill again,” Specca repeated. “That’s why you didn’t kill us when you surely could have to get Daniel. You didn’t want to purposely take our lives.”

  “Or when those bandits were messing with me,” Clover added. “You didn’t kill any yourself. Those that died were struck down by their attacks backfiring on them, but you only fended them away with scratching and kicking.”

  Star nodded and meowed a few times.

  “She doesn’t want to be the monster her former countess made her into,” Reiko translated. “Seraphine wouldn’t have truly wanted that from her.”

  “You’re living on in the memory of Seraphine,” Kroanette softly spoke, herself and everyone watching as Star reached down and picked up her pocket watch from the tiny town she had made. The jinx opened the watch and smiled sadly at the moving hands. She had never cared about the actual time of day, she only cherished the memory the ticking timepiece had forged with her.

  “Asilinte, majenti, vol rummus de allienti,” Daniel said, with Star looking to him with eyes of wonder as he smiled gently at her. “My life, my dreams, my time with you is eternal. Isn’t that right?”

  Star whimpered and nodded as she held the watch close to her chest.

  “That’s why you pushed on afterwards,” Daniel realized as he stood up and walked around the fire to her. “That’s what got you to smile again. That’s why you love our clock so much. The memory of the home you had, the memory of your mother, of the love you shared, that memory is eternal and always carrying you forward.”

  Star nodded with a faint smile, her expression then quickly changing back to concern as she looked around at the group then to Daniel with a meow.

  “So, what will you do now, Daniel?” Reiko challenged. “You know her story just as you wanted to. Are you really going to forgive her for all that she’s done? Can you honestly say you’ll accept her now? Tell us, what do you really think of the Bloodcat of VanEllovan?”

  Everyone turned to Daniel as he stood before the jinx, his eyes gazing into
hers while he remained silent with his thoughts. Star clutched the pocket watch close to her chest as she anxiously awaited his reply, with each passing second making her fear that he would reject her grow even more. After considering her reasons and searching himself for his honest answer about he felt with her he smiled a bit and shook his head.

  “Bloodcat of VanEllovan?” he questioned, with Star meowing with a frown. “I don’t think I’m looking at the Bloodcat of VanEllovan.”

  “She’s right here in front of you,” Reiko said waving to Star expectedly.

  “No, that can’t be true. After hearing her story I believe the Bloodcat of VanEllovan is dead. Struck down just as the monster who killed Countess Seraphine was.”

  “What are you talking about? Star is the Bloodcat of VanEllovan!” Reiko argued hopping up and down.

  “The Bloodcat was a merciless monster who killed any and all that stood before her. She was cold, dangerous, and showed no compassion or kindness to anyone other than her oppressive countess.”

  “That’s her!” Reiko insisted pointing to Star, the jinx whimpering with teary eyes as she felt her heart breaking.

  “No, she’s not,” Daniel argued. “If Star really were the Bloodcat of VanEllovan then all my mates would be dead and I would have been raped into submission by her. She would have killed everyone without hesitation, she would have shown herself to be as evil as a Darker One.”

  “But she is the Bloodcat of VanEllovan! What the hell is wrong with you?” Reiko demanded.

  Star opened her mouth to meow at Daniel before he put a finger over her lips, silencing the jinx who then stared at Daniel with wonder as he shook his head with a gentle smile.

  “I listened to your story, very carefully. I heard what happened very clearly. You loved your home, you loved your mother, you loved everyone. You were a kindhearted girl from the very start, Star. Exactly the kind of girl I want to believe can be within any monster of Eden. You didn’t even want men, you just wanted to be with your family and enjoy life. You were proof of my belief before I even met you.”

  Star took his hand and slowly lowered it while meowing faintly at him.

  “You lost your way,” Daniel empathized. “You made a mistake and took a wrong path in life. But you didn’t do so because you wanted to be a killer. You didn’t choose to draw blood simply because it brought you joy. You were only trying to hold onto your family, your mother who you loved like no other. You loved her so much you were willing to do anything, even scar yourself with a vampire’s blood, to keep her.”

  Star whimpered and nodded as he gently held her hands down between them.

  “You struck down the monster that took over your mother, you freed her from what she had become. And in doing so you also killed the Bloodcat of VanEllovan. That infamous murderer was Seraphine’s doing, not yours. She corrupted the gentle jinx you always were and almost turned her into a Darker One. It was fortunate you had the strength to not only free her from the twisted path she fell down but also yourself. I’m so proud of you, Star.”

  “Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa!” Reiko called out floating up between them and holding her hands out to him. “Hold it, hold it, hold it! Are you honestly saying after hearing everything she did, after knowing how many humans she killed with her own claws, you actually forgive her for all that she’s done?”

  “I want to be clear about this,” Daniel said as he pushed aside the tiny harvester. “Star, you did do horrible things in your past, that cannot be denied. The lives you took while under Seraphine’s command will likely take a heavy toll on your heart as I’m sure they always have.”

  Star lowered her head and nodded, then noticed Daniel gently caressing her hands as he held them. Looking back up to him he saw the boy still watching her with a sympathetic eye.

  “After all you’ve done you have some serious atoning to do. But even with your mistakes I can see who you really are. You do have a gentle heart, you always had it even when it was buried beneath the Bloodcat’s persona and hidden from the world. The girl you were before your countess lost her way, and the one you became again after you freed yourself from her, that’s the girl I know you are. So, I’ll answer your question with this.”

  All the girls anxiously waited for his answer while Star felt her heart about to burst from her chest with it pounding so hard in anticipation. Daniel looked to the hands he was holding, the same ones that were both kind and gentle while at the same time capable of spilling blood with great tenacity.

  “I’ll forgive you, on one condition,” he said looking back up to her. Star meowed and quickly pressed herself closer, holding her hands to his chest while very clearly begging him to name his price.

  “Don’t change again.” Everyone watched him curiously as he smiled and shook his head at the jinx. “Stay as you are, stay as the kindhearted girl you’ve always been. Show the world you can control yourself, that you do want to live in peace. Show the world the Bloodcat of VanEllovan really is dead and gone. Do that, and I will forgive you.”

  Star meowed with awe at him as he nodded in agreement before he glanced back to the other girls.

  “That’s how I feel about the matter. What do you girls have to say? Do you forgive her for what she did, or do you feel she can’t be trusted anymore?”

  Star nervously turned to the girls while clinging closer to Daniel, fearful of how they would judge her now that the truth was known. The girls glanced to each other while remaining silent, with only the sound of the crackling fire and Snapper chewing on Cindy’s chest being heard.

  “Dan’s right,” Clover agreed, with everyone seeing her gazing into the fire while nodding slowly. “I don’t blame Star for what she did, I don’t even blame Seraphine. I blame Vindicus. She corrupted Seraphine with her ways of ruling, fucked up everything Star and Seraphine had with each other. Besides, I know how Star felt then.”

  “You do?” Daniel wondered.

  “I would have killed for Zoey,” Clover admitted with a small smile before turning to him. “And I can honestly say I would kill for you, Dan. I’m not going to hide that, it’s the truth. I don’t know if I could really draw my arrows onto a child, but if I were that desperate enough to keep you, if I really thought I was going to lose you… who knows what I might do. Love can make you do stupid shit.”

  The other girls looked to one another then to Star as she was partially hiding against Daniel while peeking around his shoulder at them.

  “I don’t think I can condemn her,” Alyssa spoke up. “I killed many witches in my past, I’m sure children as well. I never meant to, it just… was something I couldn’t control from happening. You may have killed more than I did, Star, but at least you were able to stop yourself. You didn’t have to watch helplessly as your actions went out of control against your will.”

  “I can’t say I’m happy to hear her tale,” Specca sighed. “So many people met their end, so many humans and monsters had their lives ruined beyond repair. But… I have to agree with Clover. I place the blame on Vindicus, she started the whole mess by corrupting Seraphine and Star. If it weren’t for her I’m sure Star never would have harmed a single soul in her life.”

  “I blame her too,” Falla agreed. “Seraphine and Star had a great life together living in peace. They weren’t mistreating humans at all even though they were monsters like us, they were proof of Daniel’s belief with how they were. Vindicus wrecked everything.”

  “I’m not afraid of Star knowing how she was,” Luna added with a kind smile. “She’s not like that anymore, she’s a good girl like us. I still trust her being around us.”

  “There’s no denying what Star did in her past was horrible,” Kroanette said looking down in thought. “But at least she was able to see what had happened and correct it before it continued on. Love can make you act differently, it’s true. Although her love for Seraphine drove her to extreme lengths I can understand why she did so. She only wanted to make her mother happy.”

 
“She’s not a bad girl,” Pip agreed from the centaur’s bosom. “She’s nice to us. She’s nice to Daniel. She’s not that mean Bloodcat from the past. I like her still.”

  Squeak nodded and squeaked something that was assumed to be in agreement from the way she was smiling gently at the jinx.

  “I don’t think she’s a bad girl,” Cindy pondered before holding Snapper up to her face. “Do you think she’s bad, Snapper? Do you like her still?”

  Snapper screeched with buzzing wings before she started mauling Cindy’s face with her teeth and claws. The group watched with blank expressions as the swarm dug into the wraith’s head before Cindy giggled and waved to them while still holding Snapper close to her disfigured face.

  “Snapper says she’s okay! She likes her still!”

  “Glad to see they’re getting along so well,” Kroanette plainly said.

  “I don’t think you’ve lost any of your friends tonight, Star,” Doku kindly told the cat. “You’re not a horrible demon, you were just a daughter who made a few mistakes showing her love for her mother. You laid Seraphine’s tortured soul to rest and put an end to the Bloodcat of VanEllovan’s existence. A very good start to atoning for your sins if you ask me.”

  Star whimpered with teary eyes at seeing all the girls voicing their support for her still, the sight almost drawing a smile across her face from having her heart mended by their understanding, before everyone turned to Kitten as she was scowling at the jinx.

  “Kitten?” Daniel worried. “Do you not trust Star with us still?”

  “I trust she’s not going to harm you,” Kitten admitted. “And Triska does understand what compelled Star to doing what she did, after all she and I both would gladly kill to keep you safe, master. To protect you and your happiness. We can sympathize with her motives on that.”

  “That’s very… kind of you?” Daniel unsurely replied before the cambion walked over and pushed Star away from him, getting between them while keeping a sharp eye on the jinx.

  “However there’s still the matter of what to do with her now.”