Rising from the Ashes BY Only For You

The puppet's wooden mouth split even wider, cracking at the edges. Thick, black-red blood began to gush out

from the widening seam, and it poured in streams that made the sight almost unbearable.

Tiana and Chantelle instinctively drew closer to each other, a bone-deep chill gripping them. A shared,

unspoken fear filled the air-something terrible was about to descend.

The puppet chuckled. "Stanley, I've waited for you here... in this cursed Underworld Kingdom of the Dead...

for 100 years. From the moment they buried me, I knew you'd never let go. Even after all this time, I knew

you'd still crave the Elixir of Immortality."

Stanley shouted, his voice wild with denial. "No! No, you're not real! You can't be real! I saw you die-l

remember everything! I was there when the Demon Queen forced the arsenic poison down your throat!

"First, you vomited blood, even spitting up your internal organs! Then, you went into convulsions while the

light in your eyes gradually dimmed and was replaced by blood red..."

The puppet's entire body began shaking violently, letting out a malevolent roar that echoed through the

chamber.

"Why? I treated you as a brother among our people, as my own flesh and blood, only to have you betray me

in the end! Why did you hand me over to die?"

The fear drained from Stanley's face, replaced by a cold, snarling grin. "Why? Simple-because I wanted to

live forever. I wanted the Elixir of Immortality, Maximillian. You can't blame me for that.

old! But I knew even then what the Elixir meant. It was a miracle, a

was to defy death and become eternal! And even at

that kind of temptation."

sneered and added, "So, of course, you had to die in my place. If you want to hate someone, hate

being

onto the floor. Its voice screeched through the air, filled

and fury.

going to kill you. I want you to suffer and die in agony from poison just like

me? You don't deserve eternity-you don't

for 100 years!"

puppet let

more

face,

where all

was coming from. It

out of thin air,

viscous blood flowing endlessly

within the puppet's

seeping into the puppet's eyes, nose, and other

filled with hatred

it.

you and make you feel the same torment

but

into maniacal laughter that echoed through the tomb like the

victory.

spirit truly still lingers in this world, it's too

kill you back

arrogance knew

over his