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.

then what the Elixir meant. It

drink it was to defy death and become eternal! And

that kind of temptation."

to die in my place. If you want

being

a heavy crack, the puppet collapsed onto the floor. Its voice screeched through

and fury.

you to suffer and die in agony from poison just

eternity-you don't even deserve to live! I've waited

for 100 years!"

let out

more blood

face, though

understand where all

coming from. It

out of thin air,

viscous blood flowing endlessly

the puppet's

into the puppet's eyes, nose, and other facial features, making

person filled with hatred who wanted revenge but was powerless to

it.

you, Stanley. I must kill you and make you feel the same

grew weaker but

laughter that echoed through the tomb like the sound of a

victory.

this world, it's too bad that after

do anything to me! I was able to kill you back then, and you still can't touch

knew no bounds

gloated over his childhood