Thamiezel and his sister sit upon the dark throne of the Earth. Mabel feels the powers of the vampire flow through her veins. She looks out into the dead wastelands of the Earth and feels her heart falter. She turns to her brother as he sits in thought, his crimson eyes staring into space. Thamiezel yawns in boredom, tired of sitting in silence.

"Mabel… would you care to take a walk?"

"What?"

"A walk… I haven't had one in some time. Perhaps it is time for the King of Earth to see what his funny world has gotten up to. And to teach you the powers of Dracula."

Thamiezel stands and offers his hand to his sister. She steps off the throne and the two walk towards the balcony. Mabel and Thamiezel gaze out as footsteps echo up the staircase towards the throne. Thamiezel and Mabel turn towards the sound as a female vampire comes into the throne.

"My master… who is this?"

"My na-"

"This is my queen. Her name is of no concern to you."

"Yes, my master."

The vampire walks away, turning to eye the queen questioningly before she descends the stairs.

"Why did you cut me off?"

"Our names… they can be used against us. Few know who I am anymore. For now, let's call you… the Shooting Star."

Mabel nods her head as she walks with her brother.

"Who is that?" Mabel asks.

"Her name… I believe it's Boethius. She's one of my… I do not know what she is."

"You have someone and you do not know who she is? Is she your lover?"

"No… that's funny, but no. She simply relays commands to my armies and forces down below. Except I never officially hired her, so I have no idea if she is a general, or a messenger… or something. Probably a friend of one of my dragons."

"So a vampire simply showed up one day in your throne, and you just accepted this?"

"Stranger things have happened."

Mabel scoffs in disbelief. Her brother simply smirks in amusement. The twins come towards a court of their demonic servants. Thamiezel's presence causes the monsters to leave in fear. Away from the eyes of others, Thamiezel prepares to teach Zelestra her powers.

"So… your powers. I want you to try them. I want to see if you can fly."

"What? I… I don't think I can."

Thamiezel floats above the room and moves upside down as he watches Mabel.

"Come now, it's fairly easy. One of the first things vampires can learn to do. Just picture a happy thought and fly! ... or is that fairies?"

Mabel stifles a laugh, trying to prevent her brother's oddness from getting to her. Mabel concentrates; she focuses her mind on trying to fly, but she finds herself unable to do so.

"Well, all in due time. You did just change a day ago."

"Will I need to drink soon?"

"No. See, the advantage our powers have over the usual vampire is that we do not feed for hunger. We feed for power. Every soul added to us makes us more powerful than before."

"And your souls… are they in you now?"

"Yes and no. See, we are more of… gateways. Passages into the realm of the Order. We can harness the souls we have taken, but their minds are within the other world. And no, they are not horribly tortured or being mind-controlled. They simply aren't allowed to leave. Surprisingly not as evil as one would think at first, although that may be because I like the bastard in charge. I do owe that wonderful lunatic a lot."

Thamiezel returns to the floor and smiles at Mabel. His face is bright and beaming, filled with joy for simply being with his sister again.

"Why do you continue to serve him?" Mabel asks.

"He helped me… I'd still be a floating, invisible, useless brain. Completely hopeless and doomed until the final war… and if that is what happened… I… I might not have remembered you."

Thamiezel's smile falters slightly. He shudders in pain before he walks over and hugs Mabel.

"Brother… it… it'll be alright."

"Yes… yes it will. That is my promise to you."

The twin vampires part and look into each other's eyes. Thamiezel smiles at seeing his sister. Her vampiric, crimson eyes. Her pale white skin. And her brown hair.

"My sister… you will be a great vampire."

The dark tyrant takes his sister's hand and begins flying.

"Come now. Concentrate. You are the alpha, remember?"

Mabel focuses her thoughts. She prepares her mind and attempts to fly. But she can't. She smirks weakly as her brother hovers effortlessly above her. He returns to the floor, realizing that she doesn't have control over her powers.

"Well, we will learn later." Thamiezel says. Thamiezel and Mabel return to the throne room. A dragon flies towards the tower of Thamiezel. It approaches the throne room, ready to receive orders from the king.

"My master, our armies have beaten the Vulsarian host."

"Have they surrendered?"

"Yes. Their world will soon be ours."

"And what of the Ertheks?"

"They have returned to their world."

"And… are they still a threat?"

"No."

"Then leave them. It's time for a celebration!"

"Wh-what?"

"All we need is something to do… have someone bring me some blood."

"Yes, my master."

"It's plural, now."

"Yes, my masters."

The dragon flies back down. Thamiezel stretches his back as Mabel looks at him.

"What?"

"Master? Me?"

"Yes. You. are. queen. The Shooting Star."

Mabel looks at her mad brother as she turns her gaze back. The twins wait at the top of the tower for their drinks to arrive. Boethius returns carrying two glasses of blood. She brings them to the throne and eyes Mabel questioningly.

"I do not recall seeing you before." Boethius says.

"I am new here." Mabel says as she takes the glass of blood. She gags at the strange texture before allowing it to pass down her throat. She feels the blood change and melt within her. She hands the glass back as Thamiezel drinks his.

"Boethius. Why are you concerned with my queen?" Thamiezel asks.

"She… it's just, I didn't know you had chosen."

"Chosen? You think you were ever worthy to begin with? You think this was a game?"

The other vampire cowers away in fear of Thamiezel's presence.

"Enough, brother." Mabel says. Thamiezel obeys and sinks back to his throne, remaining silent.

"Boethius, why do you come to the tower? Why have you approached Thamiezel?"

"I simply desired to serve the throne, however he may wish."

Mabel focuses her thoughts on Boethius, gazing into the mind of the vampire. Mabel can see thoughts of wanting for the king. Thoughts of love and devotion that have turned into obsession.

"If you desire to serve the throne, then leave." Mabel commands. She sees envy and wrath fill the heart of Boethius, who flees from the throne in fear.

"I saw her heart."

"You saw her desire. For me. I saw it also. She leaves her mind open. I will teach you how to block others from your thoughts."

Thamiezel and Mabel remain in the dark tower for many days. Mabel continues her training, focusing her anger at the loss of her family and desire to see them again into power. Thamiezel teaches her how to cloak her vampiric powers in human form. She learns how to fly with her brother. Thamiezel offers his hand to Mabel as he takes her flying around the tower. He giggles before he begins to sing.

"I can show you the world
Shining, burning, and dying
As we magic vampires fly!"

Mabel glares at her brother with anger for his evil. He has not attempted to redeem himself with her around. He seems to actually become viler than before. He is arrogant and taunting, as if he believes that she is as mad as him.

"You really don't care about anyone do you?"

"Not anymore… can't afford to."

"Coward…"

Thamiezel stops and hovers in place with his sister.

"Coward...?" Thamiezel says, repeating the words his sister told him.

"You are a coward. You're afraid of your heart… afraid of turning back!"

"This cannot be turned back… and I cannot become who you want me to be."

"Yes you can."

"You are still thinking like a human. Death means nothing. Power is everything."

"It isn't just the death. You hurt everyone! You killed so many…"

"Death comes sooner or later to mortals… it matters not how they die."

"You killed everything! Nothing more than a tantrum! You… you are not the brother I loved… "

Thamiezel's smile fades.

"If I am not… then leave… humanity dwells within Africa… you will find your people there."

Mabel feels her heart crack in pain. She flees from the insanity her brother has caused. She flies far away from the ruins of her home and across the ocean towards the remaining humans. She finds the land where they lay beneath and begins crying. The continent is a frozen wasteland. A dead world where no life can survive on the surface. Mabel descends below the surface into the caverns dug by the escaping humans. She descends through miles of tunnels and dead ends. The maze is designed to prevent any monster from discovering the true entrance to the last world of humanity. But Mabel has luck this day. She sees a small flicker of light within the cracks of the wall. Mabel searches the narrow cracks for a way to enter the caverns. She fiddles through before she finds a small rock. She presses down, and the large stone wall begins to open. Mabel walks through the passage and begins her descent into the human world. She walks down the deep, narrow tunnels, feeling the harsh ground with her bare feet. But she finds the coldness from above fading. She feels the world become hotter as she continues down the path. She comes down towards a large cavern. She finds, to her delight, that the humans remain. They live in houses carved into the rocks or built from brick. The small town is asleep, save for the presence of several guards. She moves past the guards like a shadow as she comes to the end of the cave and finds another path leading down. Mabel continues down into the caverns, finding larger towns and groups of people within. She finds a long and wide cavern that leads to a large doorway. Mabel's jaw drops in awe of the sight as she passes through, finding the last great city of the human race. A colossal underground cave supported by massive pillars that stretch to the top like mountains. The humans have smoothed out the top to prevent any rocks from falling, and the streets are permanently lit, giving the caverns the appearance of the stars. Mabel walks into the city, keeping to the shadows as she watches the humans that remain. Mabel drifts through the sky as a pale ghost as she finds a large forest.

"How do they keep that down here?"

Mabel moves into the forest and finds that the trees are artificial, and the roots become tubes that travel deep into the ground.

"Artificial trees. Neat." Mabel mutters.

"They are, aren't they?"

Mabel spots another person wandering into the woods and flees. She flies deep into the artificial forest to escape the other person, not willing to reveal her vampiric powers to anyone. She finds that the small world still offers life. Animals that weren't destroyed in the wars before have been brought down by the human race. Mabel smiles warmly as she sees a deer wandering past. But she hears footsteps running towards her. She hides within the tops of the trees and looks down, seeing a human male run up. He scratches his head in confusion. Mabel looks at him, seeing into his eyes and finding no malice in his heart. Mabel descends from the trees. She changes her appearance back into her human form and approaches.

"I… uh, you kind of scared me there." Mabel says with an awkward laugh.

"Well, you scared me too. I thought some ghost or something got past our defenses or I was going crazy."

"Nope. You aren't crazy."

"Uh, so, hi. Name's Jeff."

"Mabel."

"Nice to meet you… do you need a place to stay?"

"Yeah. I ran away."

"Some people do that. Think they can escape the craziness by coming to the city. But a lot of it's the same. Paranoia, cults, and just trying not to die."

"Yeah, it's horrible."

"Well, anyways, come on."

Mabel follows Jeff back out of the forest. She walks with him to his home. Hundreds of buildings line the walls of the caverns, and many more are built up in the center. It simply appears to be a human city that has been made deep underground.

"So, how the heck do our fun pals keep everything nice and smooth down here?"

"Well, when facing the end of days, the human race is surprisingly resilient. Although they… they can get pretty bad now, too."

"What else is new?"

"Nothing much, why do you ask?"

"Oh… sorry, it's a joke. Meaning nothing's changed since before everything failed."

"Oh… yeah. Town people joke. I get you. I haven't traveled much outside the city. I'll probably go there soon enough. When they try and go to war again, they'll try to drag me off."

"And… you're alright with that?"

"There… there are worse fates than dying. If they think you're a monster or a witch or something… they… they hurt you. That's why you shouldn't be out alone at night. Especially dressed weirdly."

"You don't think I'm a witch?" Mabel asks with a smile.

"No. You don't have the look. Arrogant, or angry, or ugly."

"Thanks. Yeah, if I were a monster, I wouldn't be cut out for it."

"So, which town do you come from?"

"…Gravity Falls. Before it got screwed up by you know who."

"I'm sorry… crazy monster… all of them."

"I know." Mabel whispers with a frown. Jeff stretches his arms as he yawns.

"So, uh, I don't have a bed. But there's a couch you can use. You're probably tired."

"Yeah… I think I need some sleep."

Jeff walks with Mabel to the living room. Mabel sits down on the cushioned seat.

"Nice and bouncy." Mabel says with a bounce.

"Yeah. What, you think us city folk don't have comfy couches?"

"Thought, with you all living deep in the caves, that everything would be made of stone or something."

"No, that would be painful."

"Yeah. It is silly..."

"Well, I'm getting tired. I'll see you later."

"How do you know when to get up?"

"Synchronized alarm. Gets everyone up at the same time. Unless you're a heavy sleeper."

"A bit… I'll see you later."

"Goodnight."

"Night."

Jeff turns off the lights and goes towards the bedroom. Mabel lies on the couch, staring into space. She had allowed her brother to change her. She had willfully thrown away her humanity for power. She thought she had forgiven him, but she had merely hoped that her brother could be saved. Now she knows he is the demon Thamiezel. Mabel hugs a pillow in fear. She shudders in pain as her mind drifts into sleep.

Mabel walks through the forests of her old home. She remembers how beautiful the world was. The woods of Gravity Falls, the people in the town. Having fun showing off her discovered monsters, as well as a few invented ones created to lure in tourists. She remembers travelling with her brother across the globe, discovering every possible secret they could.

"I should have seen it then… I should have known."

Mabel remembers her brother's darker side. He had grown uninterested in the lives of humans in general. He had become angry and vicious. She remembers seeing him watching the television, laughing at the developing tragedy of the second war in Korea.

"Only five thousand dead? They'll never beat the high score with those numbers. Ain't that right, me? Sure thing. Hehe."

He had become depraved and monstrous. But he still maintained his connection to humanity through her… but she remembers the day she died. The day he fled in fear, unable to bear watching her in her last moments. And as her mind drifts through the memories, she sees a familiar shape. She sees her brother in a dark tuxedo with a top hat. His eyes are yellow with black slits, the shape he had taken as the dream demon.

"Dipper."

Mabel follows the apparition of her brother. He wanders through her mind, drifting through her memories. He comes to a spot on the couch, hovering next to a version of Mabel. She is older; her face is wrinkled, and her hair has begun to turn grey. Mabel watches the memory play itself.

"So, saved your world again, eh Dip?"

"Again… it's funny… I'll save the world from monsters, demons, werewolf legions… but in the end, it is us who will be the one to destroy it."

"What are you talking about, grumpy grumbles?"

"The human race. The race that never learns. They'll be their own demise if something doesn't kill them all first. They unite to force back the supernatural, and then they go back to butchering themselves."

"Hey, bro. There's still hope for us goofballs yet."

"Hope… yes, there's hope."

Mabel now realizes that her brother was lying. He didn't feel that there was any hope left for their race. The television switches between the major events of their world from all those years ago. Cults rising up against the better judgment of any sane mind. Brutal wars as nations sacrifice countless lives to maintain supremacy. And hatred that drives family to kill family.

Mabel leaves the memory. She walks towards her home in Gravity Falls. She sees her children meet up with her after a long trip with her brother. She squeezes them in a bear hug, happy to be back with them. She meets up with her husband, Greg. She had met him in Piedmont. He was the normal in her life of strangeness, and Dipper was her connection to the world beyond.

Mabel's dream family laughs and plays together. Yet she feels a sense of dread as she watches them. Her family begins to cry tears of blood. Their skin melts off and their skeletons fall to the ground. The bones turn to dust and blow away in the wind. Mabel sees everything she cares for fade into nothing, and all that remains is the specter of her brother and a great flame. She looks closer at the massive inferno in the sky. A great void opens within, appearing as an eye. The eye of Dracul comes to take all things within.

Mabel awakens from her nightmare with a sudden yelp. She turns over on the couch and realizes that there are sounds coming from outside. Mabel stands up and goes to the window. She looks out towards the street to see a large crowd. They shout and yell towards the center. A man in a white mask stands in the center. She sees another man lying weakly on his knees.

"You don't want to see that." Jeff says.

"What are they doing?"

"They say they've found one of Thamiezel's allies. Some poor bastard they found walking in the streets at night. Probably some homeless kid."

"We have to help him."

"He's already a goner."

Mabel watches as the head of the mob lights a match. He sets a fire in the body of the captured man.

"No!" Mabel shouts.

"Mabel… it's over. There's nothing we can do."

"There…"

Mabel feels her eyes glow in anger. She all but growls in rage at the sight. She turns her head away in shame.

"You should get back to bed… I hope no one heard you shout. They'll think you're with him."

"… Why won't anyone stop them?"

"They probably have friends up top. Some city councilman or something."

"And no one is going to do anything about it."

"You… you should keep this between us. Don't want them finding out… and trying to get you… let's get back to sleep."

"Yeah… yeah, let's."

Mabel returns to the couch. Jeff closes the window, keeping the sounds of the angry mob out of the house. But Mabel can't fall asleep with the events on her mind.

"I… I should have helped him… I should have stopped them."

Mabel lies awake long into the night, angry with herself for not stopping the madness. Many hours later, the siren blares throughout the city, signaling the beginning of the day. She hears an alarm in Jeff's room go off. Mabel moves off the couch and waits for Jeff to wake up. Jeff stumbles out of his bedroom several minutes later. He stretches his back and walks over to Mabel.

"Morning." Mabel mutters.

"Good morning. So, ready to eat?"

"What do you got?"

"Not much. Although the farm truck passes through tomorrow."

"What do you mean?"

"Can't afford the production anymore. That means one animal per week."

"Okay."

Jeff goes towards his cabinets and refrigerator. Mabel sits, listening to the radio, as Jeff prepares a measly meal for the two. He gives her a glass of water and a plate full of vegetables and bread.

"Thanks."

Jeff sits down with his own meal and begins to eat. But Mabel finds that she isn't hungry. She nibbles on most of the food, but finds it lacking. It's small and weak, and unable to satisfy her. She moves onto the water and takes a sip. But she finds it burns her tongue. She continues drinking, finding the burning sensation growing. She moves the water away and coughs slightly.

"What's wrong?" Jeff asks.

"Oh, just, went in my lungs. Oops."

Mabel sets the water down and finishes her small portion of food.

"So, what are you going to do today?" Mabel asks.

"Just going to my job."

"What is it?"

"Making weapons. That's mostly all we do now."

"Weapons… and they think they can beat him?"

"They say that… but I think with the resources drying up, they're just trying to get rid of unneeded people…"

"Then they should be trying to find a solution that isn't killing everyone."

"Yeah… I'd keep this to yourself… don't need anyone else finding out about it. They'll… well, you saw."

"It's… it's horrible… we should be uniting… trying to survive, not killing for superstition…"

"Yeah, well, I need to get going. Stay here for the day. If people see a stranger, they'll get suspicious."

"Yes, I know."

Mabel watches Jeff leave. She sees him walk down the street towards a large industrial factory near a nuclear plant.

"Nuclear power… and they're using it on guns…"

Mabel hears a whisper from deep in her mind.

"That is all they've ever known."

Mabel remembers her brother would say that as she neared the end of her life. She saw him beginning his dark path before she even died. Her death was simply the catalyst to Thamiezel discarding his ties to the human race. The spark that ignited his endless fury against the world. And yet now she sees that there is truth to his dark thoughts. The human race wasting its limited time on wars it cannot hope to win, instead of finding a way to escape. Mabel shakes the darkness from her thoughts.

"There… there is hope… There is still hope."

Mabel leaves the room. She goes towards Jeff's room and snoops around. The room is white and colorless, with very little decoration on the wall. She snoops through the dressers and looks at her reflection in the mirror. She focuses on changing her appearance. Her brother could become a dark cloud, or a monstrous animal. She tries to focus on changing her form, but all she can do at the moment is revert to her true body. She sees the dark reflection and grows angry.

"Idiot… you should have told him to just let you go… but no… you…"

Mabel sees crimson tears pour down her face. She growls at her reflection and turns away. As she turns around, she sees a picture on the wall. Jeff and a blonde female are sitting, smiling for a photo. Mabel wonders who Jeff's companion is as she leaves the room. Mabel returns to the couch and lies down.

"Cursed…"

Mabel mutters to herself as her mind drifts away, attempting to find peace in her dreams.

"You are not cursed…"

Mabel returns to the forests of Gravity Falls. She sees her great uncle creak his old back as a bus of tourists comes up. Mabel watches as her old self steps off the bus with Dipper. Mabel smiles weakly at the memory as the twins meet with their great uncle for the first time. But Mabel remembers her great uncle. And she realizes that he was not with her in Paradise.

"They allowed him to be claimed. His one good deed, saving the world, was not enough to be free from the Nine Hells. And they made you forget."

Mabel feels anger overcome her. She turns her mind back towards the heavens. The realm of Paradise that allowed everything to happen.

"They let him suffer… Dipper… they could have stopped it and they didn't care…"

Mabel awakens from her darkened thoughts. She realizes that her fangs have regrown and her nails have become sharp as daggers from her mind's anger. She reforms her body, becoming the image of her human self again. And as she does, she hears the door to the building open. She looks out to see Jeff return.

"Oh, back already?"

"What are talking about? I've been away for hours."

"Oh, well, I just woke up. My brain's a bit wobbly from… stuff."

"We've all got stuff. Sorry about whatever your stuff is."

"Thanks. Sorry about your stuff."

Jeff chuckles slightly as he goes towards the refrigerator. He finds a package of vegetables and cuts it open. Mabel and Jeff sit at the table. Mabel takes her drink of water and drinks it, ignoring the stinging sensation in her throat.

"You know, it's kind of funny, but I was worried for a bit."

"Worried about what?" Mabel asks with a grin.

"When you first had water, you choked a bit. There was me thinking 'oh great, now I've got a vampire. This day can't get any worse.'"

"No worries. I'm human."

"That's good."

"I take it the water's blessed or something."

"Yeah. Stuff poisonous to vampires but harmless to humans."

"So… what's happening in your life?"

"Oh, well, not much. Girlfriend left me. I hope she's alright. Found a place to get away from all this."

"I hope so too."

"I take it you didn't get much sleep the night before."

"Yeah… yeah, this is… it's wrong."

"Well, it's the best we got. Can't do anything about it."

"So, Jeff, is there anything neat to see around here?"

"Not really."

"Come on. We can find something."

"Well, alright. But you'll need to get changed. Don't want to look too weird, or they'll start to get suspicious."

Jeff and Mabel head to his room. Jeff finds a white, unbuttoned shirt and a pair of torn up slacks.

"So, was that your girlfriend?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. She was."

"Sorry she left you."

"Yeah… I kind of messed up with her."

Jeff laughs weakly as Mabel takes the clothes into the living room. Jeff waits for her to finish dressing before stepping out into the room.

"How do I look?" Mabel asks with a twirl.

"Like an angel."

Mabel giggles at the line before walking up to Jeff.

"Come on, you dork. There has to be something good left in this world."

Jeff and Mabel walk out the door and down the stairs. The pair bump into another person, who looks at Mabel with a curious gaze.

"And… I've never seen you here before."

"Well, I'm new in the city… I ran away from home."

"So Jeff, I would be careful. Word from the upper towns is that the gate was left open."

"The passage inside?"

"Yes. Might just be a mistake, but it's going to start a panic soon."

"Shit… Mabel, maybe we should stay in."

"Well, that might just make it worse if you are acting all weird with a stranger."

Mabel drags Jeff down the stairs against his better judgment. The strange friends walk down the street. Mabel takes in the spectacular sight of the great city as they walk through. She sees the rows of buildings leading down to the weapons plant. She turns away from the sight of humanity's war lust and walks into the inner city. She sees several large manmade mountains above the rest of the buildings. Large mansions rest on the top of the mountains.

"So who lives up there?"

"The ruling houses. The ones who run this place."

Jeff and Mabel continue through the streets, wandering past the different sights. Mabel sees several city workers open a hatch in the ground. Jeff gags at the stench that rises out of there.

"What's in there?"

"Garbage, sewer… they must have a malfunctioning piece."

"So… it takes everything away?"

"Yeah."

"Neat."

As the two walk down the street, Mabel continues to find reminders of her species' anger. Defaced shops with broken windows, people getting into pointless fights and attacking each other while no one goes to help, and hatred driving them to fight against Thamiezel. The two see a piece of graffiti. The white mask of the cult is painted on the side of a building, and below it lays the message "The Watchers know all." Mabel and Jeff come upon a large stone pillar before a massive cathedral. A large mass of worshipers gather around the stone pillar and pelt it with stones. They shout and curse, screaming at the hardened pillar with mindless rage.

"The pillar… it represents Thamiezel. They shout commands, telling him not to tempt them away from the righteous path."

"It's… it's insane."

"Shh… don't let anyone hear you… but yeah, I agree."

Jeff and Mabel walk away from the mad sight and towards a street lined with taverns. Mabel and Jeff walk into one of the bars.

"Oh, hey Jeff. The usual?"

"Yeah."

"And what does this fine lady want?"

"I'll have… whatever's tastiest."

The bartender smirks as Jeff and Mabel find a table.

"So, Mabel… what do you think of our messed up world?"

"It's messed up."

Jeff laughs as a server brings the drinks to the table. Jeff immediately downs the glass, shivering at the taste. Mabel sips the sweet alcoholic beverage.

"Yeah… those psycho vampires and demons."

"They messed it all up, didn't they?"

"Yeah… I'd like to get my hands on them… just line them all up and… bang! See how they like it."

Mabel laughs nervously as she looks towards a mirror. And for a moment, she can see her brother walk past. She shakes the image from her mind before turning back to Jeff.

"So… you'd want to kill all the vampires and goblins?"

"Yeah. They deserve it. Screwed up everything. Think we're nothing but meat."

"That is a bit rude."

"I know."

Mabel and Jeff drink long into the night. Mabel watches as Jeff becomes broken and tipsy, while her vampiric powers are not affected in the slightest. Mabel helps carry Jeff home, and the strange pair stumble down the street. Mabel looks towards the pillar of Thamiezel and frowns, seeing the same warped anger driving the humans that drives Thamiezel.

"At least he admits he's a crazy bastard."

"Wh… what wasss that?" Jeff mumbles.

"Nothing… it's nothing."

Mabel takes Jeff home. She leans him down on the bed before turning around.

"So…. sorry Jess…"

Mabel turns and looks at Jeff with a questioning gaze.

"Jess… don't…"

Mabel leaves Jeff alone and returns to the couch. She looks out the window to see several of the masked cultists wandering the street, looking for targets. Mabel feels her anger grow at the sight of them.

"I… they'll kill someone else… but not if I kill them first…"

Mabel opens the window and drifts outside. She watches as the two cultists search the alley for targets. Mabel decides to indulge them. She flies up to the roof and watches the cult members. She crawls along the wall, stalking her victims as her vampiric gaze focuses on them.

"Why do we hunt tonight again? We have already slain the soldier of Thamiezel."

"Our hunt is never over. Thamiezel's servants will take control wherever they can."

Mabel approaches the two cultists silently. She waits until one is farther away than the other. She leaps down and lands without a noise. She approaches the two humans. She removes the mask of one and grabs his mouth, silencing him. She sinks her teeth into his neck, sucking in his blood, mind, and soul. And she feels his memories rush into her. Memories of hatred. Memories of attacking a pointless pillar representing their enemy, an attempt to keep their hatred fueled. Memories of finding a lone man, shivering in an alley, and dragging him away. Memories of the same man burning alive as he screams in agony. Mabel drains the blood from her victim, devouring every last drop of his body's moisture. She drops the body, and it crumbles into dust. The noise is enough to attract the attention of the other cultist. She lunges at him, silencing his screams and devouring him greedily. She wipes the blood from her mouth, satisfied of her bloodlust. She crushes the two masks within her grip and leaves the cultists' clothes in the garbage chute, removing all evidence of her feast.

She returns to the room for the night, making sure that there is no trace of blood on her clothing. She lies awake, staring at the ceiling. She murdered two humans and claimed their souls.

"They… they deserved it…" she mutters. She lies awake as the hours pass by. She cries tears of crimson blood which become a red mist as they drop to the floor. But instead of feeling remorse overcome her, she feels her anger grow again. Anger at the humans who killed an innocent man for nothing. She feels her thirst for vengeance returning. Mabel sits on the couch until the alarms blare, waking up the city. Mabel continues to sit in thought as Jeff stumbles out of the doorway.

"Oh, hey. You're up." he mumbles.

"Yeah. Got a pretty good night sleep."

Mabel stretches and leaves the bed, meeting Jeff in the kitchen.

"So Jeff, ready to have fun again tonight?"

"Ugh… sorry. Bad headache… I don't know. It's weird. You don't seem affected."

"Well, I'm just awesome that way."

Jeff chuckles at her as he goes to prepare the last of their food.

"So, this is it?" Mabel says.

"Until tonight. Then we get the meat truck. I'll be back a little later than usual. Going to get some fresh vegetables, too."

"Meat." Mabel says. Her mouth drips with anticipation of their larger meal. Jeff says goodbye to Mabel, leaving her alone. As Jeff leaves, Mabel looks out the window. She sees several strangers enter the alley. She hears them from far above.

"This was where they were hunting last night. We haven't heard back from them."

"Do you think we have a demon here?"

"Perhaps."

Mabel closes the window and walks out of the room. She meets back with the man she bumped into last night.

"Hello again." Mabel says.

"Hey… there was something going on in the alley last night. You wouldn't happen to have heard anything?"

"Me? No. I was sleeping. What happened?"

"Nothing I know of. I'd stay back in the house. Don't need anyone getting suspicious."

Mabel looks into his mind's eye. She sees anger and hatred in his thoughts. She knows that he is part of the Watchers. Mabel walks up the stairs, leaving the man down below. She returns to the home of her friend and lies on the couch.

"They deserved it."

Mabel turns over and allows sleep to take her mind. She drifts back into her dreams. She now dreams of a world where her brother had stayed by her side. A world where they grew old together. She sees her mind's true desire. Greg and her children are still there, but her brother is also with her. Mabel sits between Greg and Dipper while her children play with their children behind the Mystery Shack. She notices another presence in the memory. She sees Thamiezel drift through the air with a bored face before he disappears.

Mabel sits with her dream versions of Greg and Dipper. She yawns in the dream before it drifts to another memory. She sees her brother when he first became the dream monster. The young Mabel squeals in happiness at the sight of Dipper, believing he had died. He flies around the room like a ghost. She sees the memories of the twins growing up, and Dipper's shape changes with his age. She remembers when he first chose his demon name.

"What should I call myself? If I'm stuck with these goofy powers, I might as well use them."

"Let's see. Bob? Waddles? Joe Joe Mcbumble Snaps?"

Dipper laughs at his sister's jokes as he thinks through for a name.

"I… will be called… Thamiezel…"

"And what does that mean, bro?"

"It means… brother."

"I lied."

Mabel turns to the apparition of Thamiezel. He does not realize that Mabel can see him.

"I shouldn't have lied to her… Lonely traveler… maybe I should have just told her…"

The apparition fades, and Mabel realizes that she can see her brother's mind. She follows the apparition through his own thoughts. He drifts into the thoughts when he first confessed his strange love.

"Come on, broski. You can tell me anything!"

"I… I love you…"

"Well, duh. But what else is bugging you?"

"No… I… I've always loved you… you were always there… and now… I should have told you… I should have…"

"…Dip?"

"… I…"

"Dip… it's okay… I've… It's alright…"

The apparition of her brother's inner mind smiles weakly before he drifts into another memory. He looks upon the last day that he had with his sister when she was human. Mabel is old and dying. She lies in a hospital bed, clinging to life. Thamiezel sits in pain. The dream demon shudders in agony as he pleads with Mabel to stay.

"Please… I… I don't have anyone…"

"I… I want you to… look over Stan… and Bella…"

"We… we can see them together… please… Mabel… don't go…"

"I… I can't leave… I can't leave Greg… I'm… I'm sorry, Dip."

The agonized demon flees from the room, screaming in blind fury. The old Thamiezel, watching his younger self, smirks in amusement.

"Coward… yes, I was a coward…"

Thamiezel retrieves the younger memory as the hospital turns into a greyed out landscape, frozen in time. Thamiezel puppets the version of himself around on meat hooks jutting out of the body.

"Oh, look at me! Look at me! Boo, hoo, hoo! I'm all alone. So I'm going to go batshit crazy and fuck everyone up. Hehe."

Thamiezel giggles as he parades the macabre puppet around in his broken mind. The dream world shatters into fragments and shifts all around, passing through the memories of Thamiezel's long life. Mabel sees the memories of war and ruin pass by. Memories of Thamiezel butchering others, devouring them as a mad vampire. She sees him massacre an entire apartment complex with razor sharp tendrils that burst open doors and pierce the hearts of innocent civilians. And what disturbs her is that Thamiezel does not regret his actions. He sighs in fondness and giggles at his more creative kills.

Mabel looks into a room. A blonde lady hums to herself as she brushes her hair. She looks in the mirror next to her bed. But the mirror image begins smiling. Its face cracks open and drips blood as it smiles psychotically. The woman shouts at her mirror image as it steps out and grabs her, dragging her back. Thamiezel drags her into the reflection, shattering the lady and the mirror into hundreds of pieces. Thamiezel devours the blood and chunks of meat before leaving.

"That was a good one. I don't think she'll be forgetting her death any time soon."

Another memory plays of Thamiezel's prowess in death dealing. An opera house is playing the finale of their play and several men in business suits sit within the balcony. Mabel sees them discussing the rising threat of the supernatural. They plan to hunt down Thamiezel's goblin legions before they can return to their full power. Mabel sees Thamiezel looking at the stage. He looks in amusement as a Napoleonic officer stands, ready to execute a man tied to a pole. The play continues as scheduled, and the executioner expertly recites his lines and song of death. But as the officer prepares to fire at the prisoner, he stops. The officer turns around and fires his flint pistol at the balcony, and within a second one of the men lies dead, his head gushing blood and brains out onto the floor. As the confused whispers turn into panicked shouts and screaming, Thamiezel's possessed puppet bows, signaling the end of the play.

"That shot took five months to practice. Worth every second."

Mabel watches as the memories blur past. Thamiezel's mind becomes shattered fragments, showing thousands of eyes glossed over and staring into space. The eyes zoom past until the image of a great, burning void appears. Thamiezel gives a bow to his master, who walks out and meets with his lowly servant. Thamiezel, however, loses his sense of humility. He runs over and jumps on the centaur-like back of his master. The vampiric entity shifts its upper body around and looks at its mad servant. Thamiezel leans back and looks up at his master's face.

"You have called me in your dreams?"

"Yes. I was getting lonely."

"Where is your sister?"

"She's with the humans. Probably end up helping them rise against me."

"And you do not care?"

"I… I don't know. I have greatly missed her over these long years… And it's not that I regret serving you. I mean, this has been some of the best fun I've ever had. It's more… should I have left her upstairs? In Heaven?"

"Then she would be destroyed in the final war. Inferno will set its armies against Heaven."

"Is there a way to take them without a war? To overthrow the demons and Yaltabaoth without the endless evil?"

"Unlikely."

"That's a shame."

"Why do you care?"

"I'm all for bloodbaths and butchery. But the difference is we have standards. We leave souls alone when they serve no threat. Those crazies will just screw it all up."

"I thought you enjoyed torment."

"No… no, I don't… I like the fun of war… the bliss of battle… but I don't have the heart for torture… that's why I've sided with you… no one will have to go through my pain ever again once you're in charge…"

Thamiezel moves up and jumps off the back of his master.

"Well, I'll see you later, Dracul. You lovable goofball."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Yes."

The fiery eye drifts away, muttering in confusion as to how it ended up with Thamiezel. Mabel sees the dream world fade. She opens her eyes to find Jeff fiddling in the kitchen.

"You sleep a lot."

"Yeah. Got a lot on my mind."

Mabel thinks back to her brother's mind. How he has changed. But she still sees the pieces of a soul. How he does not delight in endless torture. How he hopes his evil will grow to overcome a greater evil. Mabel swallows as she walks towards Jeff.

"So, when's the food getting here?"

"The truck should be here soon. So, you like deer? Pig? Cow?"

"Oh, uh… I guess… deer?"

"Alright. Deer it is, my dear."

Mabel stifles a laugh at Jeff's joke. She waits at the table, listening to the radio as it announces the search for two city council men that vanished last night.

"What happened?" Mabel asks.

"Two important fellows vanished. Which means we probably shouldn't be out too late. Those crazy bastards will be hunting for a victim, even though they probably just fell down a hole somewhere."

"This… why won't anyone do something?"

"Nothing we can do."

Jeff walks over to the window to spot a large truck pull up. Mabel and Jeff walk down to see it. They come out of the building and approach the truck. But Mabel pauses in her steps. She sees through the cages at the animals in chains. And she sees their thoughts. Pain, panic, and sorrow. She sees a deer, ramming against the cage in an attempt to escape. Mabel grabs her chest in pain and falls as Jeff pays the man driving the truck. The man slits the deer's throat, ending its suffering. The other animals become even more frenzied as the dead animal is escorted off the truck. It has a bag tied around its neck, and Jeff takes the animal towards his home.

"Mabel? You alright?"

"Yes… yes…"

Mabel rises to her feet. She sees the dead animal as its open neck bleeds into a bag over its head. The blood continues to pour out, and the clear bag becomes murky and dark. Mabel holds back her tears as she follows Jeff up the stairs, carrying the beast. Mabel leaves towards the bathroom as Jeff takes the animal into the kitchen to begin carving it up. Mabel stares at her reflection as she begins crying. She sobs silently, feeling the loss of life in her soul. She feels unclean by what she's saw. As if a great evil has violated her heart. Mabel wipes the tears from her eyes, which dissipate into the air. She stumbles out of the bathroom and lands on the couch.

"Are you alright?" Jeff asks as he wipes the blood off a knife.

"Oh, uh… just never seen it done before, that's all."

"It's just meat."

Mabel nods her head. But she thinks on his words.

"It's just meat. No… no, it isn't… but it is… It's sick."

Mabel hears a whispering thought in her head.

"A sickness built into the universe itself… the very foundations of our existence… killing so we are not killed ourselves… insane…"

Mabel shudders in pain and fear as Jeff prepares to cook the deer. She watches him take a large chunk of meat out of the refrigerator. She sees blood drip to the floor like glistening, red rain drops. The small essence of the dead animal splashes silently. Mabel stares at the small drop as it runs along the edge of the floor and dries up. She sees the torn up body roasting in an oven, slowly burning and shriveling. Jeff takes the meat out of the oven and begins basting it in spices and barbeque sauce. Mabel sits at the table as Jeff carves up the slices of food. She sees the plate presented to her. The plate carrying the remains of the once lively animal. An animal that died at her command.

"But… it's not suffering anymore…"

Mabel lets out a depressed sigh as she goes to sit down. She stares at her food as she holds a fork. And as she lifts up a piece of the meat, she puts it to her lips. She bites in and chews the delicious, tender meat. And she swallows it, feeling the small piece of energy become part of her power. She looks back to the food and bites in again. She chews faster and faster, desiring to sedate her soul's pain with power. She drops her fork and picks the meat up with her hands. The small pieces of meat become part of her essence. A piece of her vampiric soul.

"Wow, you're hungry today."

"Yes… more…"

"What?"

"I… I want more…"

Jeff stands up and goes to retrieve another plate for Mabel. She digs into the flesh, ripping tearing with her teeth and consuming the remains of the deer. She finishes her second serving greedily.

"I… I need more…"

"I… are you okay?"

"Yes… give me… please…"

"Well, just one more for today. Don't need to run out of this by tomorrow."

Jeff gives her another serving. And even as Mabel's heart cracks and aches, she desires more. She bites in, ripping burned muscles and veins and swallowing them whole. She eats to the ribs of the animal, and then she licks the ribs until they are cleaned.

"Good stuff, eh?" Jeff asks.

"Yes… it is delicious… as always…"

Mabel stands up and returns to the couch. She turns on the radio and sits in silence. The radio announces that the search for the missing councilmen has ended without a trace. The man then says that anyone will be greatly rewarded should they come forth with information about the disappearance.

"You shouldn't listen to that crap. Most of it's run by a propaganda team."

"Lies… and… meat…"

"Are… you feeling alright?"

"Yes… yes, I'm fine… better than before."

"Yeah, well, do you want to go see some more city life?"

"I thought you said we shouldn't go out?"

"Well, we shouldn't be out too late. We should be back before midnight."

"Why do you want to go out now?" Mabel asks with a smile.

"Well, you seem kind of… sad about the deer thing… maybe a round through the taverns will cheer you up."

"Okay."

Mabel and Jeff stand up and get ready. Mabel cleans her face with a tissue before the two prepare to leave. Mabel and Jeff walk down the stairs and meet up with the man from before.

"So, any news on that open gate?" Jeff asks.

"None yet. But it is probably linked with the disappearance of the two councilmen."

"I hope they catch the monster. We don't need any more madness."

"I hope they catch it, too… by the way. Mabel. What town did you say you were from?"

"I ran away from home. And I don't want my parents coming to look for me. They'll try to control my life."

"They're only trying to keep you safe."

"I do not need to be protected."

Mabel walks past the man, ignoring his continued questioning. Jeff follows her down the stairs. Mabel and Jeff walk back towards the bars. The two friends waste many hours drinking. But Mabel is still hungry. She glares at the bartender as Jeff wobbles in his seat.

"What do you need?"

"Bring me some roasted beef and pork."

Mabel's vampiric mind easily ensnares man. He walks over like a puppet and begins preparing the food. Ten minutes later, Mabel finds the food brought before her. She is hungry. She greedily picks up the large piece of pork and chews in. She rips and tears. She carves with her teeth and swallows whole chunks. She inhales her food, caring little for the taste anymore. She simply desires to fill her belly. She consumes the entire pound of pork before moving onto the beef. She chews in, allowing the grease and moisture to pour down her chin and drip onto her clothes. The other bar patrons look at her with questioning and worried eyes. Mabel finishes her food and sighs in satisfaction. She lets out a loud burp and giggles to herself.

"That hit the spot."

"Sooo…. Mabes… I think I want to go sleep."

"Alright. Let's get you home, happy drunk man."

Mabel picks Jeff up and walks out of the bar. She walks back to Jeff's home, past wandering cult members. She looks into their eyes and sees animalistic desire.

"We have not seen you here before. Who are you?"

"Mabel. And my friend Jeff had too much to drink, so I'm taking him home."

"Then allow us to keep watch over you."

"Thank you."

Mabel allows the guards to follow her. She walks back towards the building, looking in through the window. She helps Jeff up the stairs and fumbles with his keys. She takes Jeff into the living room, followed by the cultists. The three surround her, ready to interrogate the stranger.

"Let us speak together."

"Okay. I don't know what about. I'm just new in the city."

Mabel goes and sits on a chair as the cult members sit next to her.

"You know, the city is becoming very dangerous. There are a lot of unsafe roads."

"I know. I heard that one of the passages was left open. I hope nothing snuck in."

"That is very likely… if you desire, we can take you to a safer location."

"Thank you, but I am quite alright."

"I insist."

Mabel meets the eyes of the man. She sees lust behind his gaze.

"You know. You're probably right."

Mabel allows the three cultists to take her away. She walks with them away from Jeff's home and down the street. They walk towards the great cathedral and pass by the pillar of Thamiezel.

"Where are we going?"

"Safe."

The guards seem to become more forceful with her as they take her away from the eyes of others. They push and shove, taking her behind the church and deep into a low cavern, away from any sight.

"I… I don't think I want to go."

The guards grab her and cover her mouth. They drag her down into the pits, away from everyone. One of the guards throws her against a rock jutting out of the wall. Blood splashes from her head, and she falls to the floor, seemingly killed.

"Damn it. Now she's dead."

"Who cares? They all end up dead anyways."

Mabel begins giggling at her three victims. She stands as blood pours down her face, baring her razor sharp teeth and glaring with crimson eyes.

"Sub-humans need to be dismantled."

Mabel lunges at one of the guards. She tears into his throat as the other two scream. She charges at the other two before they can escape. She grabs them by the neck and throws them across the room. Their bodies break against the wall as Mabel stares into the soul of her first victim.

"A kiss… to die for."

Mabel leans in and begins tearing into the man's face. She gouges out his nose and eyes. She chews into his eyes like grapes, eating away at his face and drinking his blood. She carves into his chest with her razor sharp claws and rips out his lungs. She chews large chunks out of the organs and swallows, moaning in satisfaction. She rips out the man's heart and lifts it over her head. She squeezes the heart like a fruit, allowing the blood to fall and splash on her long, serpentine tongue. She squeezes every last drop out, and then consumes the dried muscle.

By the time the second cultist reawakens, his friend has already been eaten. The man's mind is concussed from his injury. He moves his arms around in confusion and mumbles as Mabel walks over. She grabs him by the neck and lifts him up.

"No… please…"

"How many have pleaded? Why should I give mercy whereas I would receive none?"

"Please… stop…"

"No."

Mabel chews into his neck and begins drinking. The man's limbs flail about, smacking into the wall as he tries to fight. But the jerky movement slowly stops as Mabel finishes draining him of his bodily fluids. She drops the husk on the floor and it crumbles into dust. She turns towards the last of her opponents. His brain and blood is oozing out onto the floor from hitting the jagged edge of the wall. The blood bathes the ground a deep, dark red. Mabel creeps down on the floor and begins licking the blood off the ground, savoring the texture and taste. She slurps up the blood from the floor before moving onto the wound. She sucks the blood from the hole oozing in the man's head.

Far away, Jeff stumbles towards the bathroom. He is unawares of his missing friend as he goes to relieve himself.

"Jess… fuck…"

Jeff grabs his head in pain as the door to his home clicks open. The door creaks as Mabel enters the room. Jeff walks out of the bathroom and sees Mabel sitting on the couch.

"Hey… where were you?"

"I was right here. You should go to bed."

"Yeah. You were right there. I should go to bed."

Jeff, under the spell of Mabel, returns to his room. Mabel wipes the blood off her bottom lip and sucks it off her thumb.

"They deserved it." she says, trying to reassure herself. But she hears the whispering again.

"They did. But that isn't why you killed them. You were hungry."

Mabel falls to the couch and returns to her slumber, hoping that she can find peace in her dreams. She shifts through a greyed out version of the Mystery Shack. She sees her family play together as Dipper sits alone. He laughs and shouts words of encouragement, but his face is a permanent scowl. Mabel watches as the dream family moves away, leaving Dipper alone. And as she sees him, he begins convulsing uncontrollably. She sees a great shadow take form behind him, morphing into different shapes before settling on a familiar face. The shadowy form of Thamiezel towers above his younger self, rubbing the young boy's shoulders affectionately. But as Mabel watches, she sees another figure take form. The creature is as dark as Thamiezel, but its body is different. Rather than the tuxedo and top hat, the creature is wearing a long, thick dress. Its hair is free and flowing, and its eyes glare with monstrous hate. The mouth opens, revealing the blindingly white fangs of a vampire. And the thing stares at Mabel, glaring into her mind. Mabel turns and flees from the dark, misty bodies. She runs out of the Mystery Shack, attempting to escape the looming shades as they grow to cover the skies.

"Your fate. Your doom. Your gift. Your curse."

Mabel jolts awake from her nightmare. She's panting and sweating, gasping for breath. She realizes that her fangs have returned. She forces them back to retain the appearance of a human. But she feels her humanity slipping away with her power. She stands up and goes towards the kitchen. She sits down, waiting silently for Jeff to reawaken as she regains her composure. He stumbles out of his bed and goes to use the bathroom. He wanders out and joins Mabel in the kitchen. Mabel sees him open the cooler. She sees the remains of the deer. Chunks of meat, removed skin, frozen muscles, and pieces of its hooves. She feels her hunger awaken at the sight of it.

"So… are we having more of that for breakfast?" Mabel asks.

"If you want. I see you love this stuff."

"I said it was my favorite."

Mabel sits silently, barely moving as Jeff prepares the meal. She watches him drop the meat into a sizzling pan. The butter and grease dance and jump in the pan as the meat is slathered barbeque sauce. Jeff presents the meal to Mabel.

"So, Jeff, any jobs around here?"

"Not much. You might find something farther into the city. I'll see if they need someone down by the weapons plant."

"Thanks. Sorry about leeching off of you."

"It's nothing, really."

"I know, but I should start working. Just get up and keep moving!" Mabel says, bouncing in her seat like a dance. She enjoys the smile Jeff gives her, a small remembrance of a normal life.

"This place is a bit of a fixer upper, don't you think, Jeff?"

"A what?"

"Means it needs more color. More life."

"I think it's fine. And besides, there's not much to do in terms of decorating. Barely any money left."

"Well, money won't be a problem for this ol' lady. I learned from my great uncle how to get the most out of being cheap."

"That's good."

"Yeah. So don't you worry. I'll go get some, you know, stuff. Just some good stuff to make this place nice. And I can probably get most of it for free."

"Well, good luck to you. I'll be heading out soon."

Mabel and Jeff finish their food. Mabel enjoys the sweet tenderness of the meat. She slowly and delicately eats every bit of the food. Mabel and Jeff part ways for the day. Jeff gives her a key to the house, and Mabel goes towards the inner city. She walks without resting before she comes upon a man driving a small vehicle. She gazes into his eyes, taking command of his mind. The man stops the car and opens the door for Mabel.

"Drive."

Mabel sits in the passenger seat as the man drives past the massive buildings. They pass by the large, mountainous pillar that supports the great caverns. Many religious sites have sprouted up to worship at the pillar, praying that it will keep the world from collapsing onto the humans. The ensnared man continues driving until Mabel sees a shop she thinks she would like.

"Stop."

The man stops the car, and Mabel steps out. The man waits for his master as she goes towards the store. She walks in and smiles at the long drapes, the large supplies of paint, and the various craft supplies. As she moves further in, she finds several antiques and old vases. She sees several items hidden behind glass casing. Many of the items are dated from before the ruin of Thamiezel. Mabel also spots many large shelves carrying alcoholic beverages. Mabel approaches the aisles and looks through for various items.

"I've never seen you before." the owner says.

"I've never been here before."

"You'd better be able to pay up."

"And what task would I be able to perform for one of these?" Mabel asks as she takes ahold of a jar of blue paint.

"What can you offer?"

"Looking for hired help?"

"Not at the moment… although… I will need to deliver a shipment of supplies to the ruling houses. There's a party at the Tanister's. One of their kids is turning ten and the stuff will need to be there by tomorrow morning."

"I can drive it."

"Who are you?"

"I am Mabel. And you will hire me."

"Yes… yeah, I'll hire you."

Mabel walks to the back with the store owner. She finds a shipment of supplies ready to be driven towards the mountains. Mabel walks over to a large truck and introduces herself to the other driver.

"So, we'll be driving through the night. We'll stop to switch places, alright?"

"I'll be fine. I need you to tell Jeff I'll be away for a bit. Go tell him."

Mabel's spell takes ahold of the man's mind. He goes to find his own vehicle and gets in. He drives off towards Jeff's home and Mabel prepares to leave. Mabel hums happy tunes and giggles to herself as she drives the truck long into the day and the next night. She passes through the roads and comes to the entrance of the mountain passage.

"What are you here for?" one of the guards asks.

"Shipment of whatnot for a party."

The guard sends the strange lady through, and Mabel continues up the pathway.

"I… I'm thousands of years old, am a vampire, and I have a job as a truck driver… huh."

Mabel laughs at how bizarre her life has become. Mabel continues up the mountain pass towards the summit. The air is heavy and warm, and the ruling houses somehow manage to keep fields of grass maintained despite the waste of energy.

"How pointless."

She finds the large mansion of the Tanister family. She pulls up to the gate and speaks with the guard before being let in. She steps out of the vehicle and walks towards the back. Several servants come out and help her begin carrying the supplies out of the back of the truck. Mabel takes the supplies towards the side of the manor. She scoffs at the overly large mansion as she takes a large box into the mansion's basement. She meets a brunette with blue eyes in a bright dress that gives her the appearance of diamonds and starlight.

"And who might you be?" the lady asks.

"Mabel. I'm filling in for what's his name."

"Oh… alright. My name is Selene Tanister."

"You look marvelous, if I may say so."

"Thank you."

"Yeah, well, I'll be down here. Working away at the stuff for your… sister?"

"Yeah. You don't know much about us, do you?"

"Sorry, no. I just got here, so I'm new to this city life…"

"Okay. Well, it's a pleasure to have you here."

"Thanks. My name's Mabel, by the way."

"That's a nice name."

Selene walks away from the basement, leaving Mabel and the servants to set everything up. Mabel comes into the large mansion and looks around, admiring the view. She gazes at the large chandelier hanging over the dining room where the party will be set up. Mabel spends the day organizing the party with Selene. They drape lines of colorful bunting paper across the ceiling. Mabel builds a large board with the words "Happy Birthday Emily!" written across and sets it up on the front lawn.

"So, I hope you'll be able to stay."

"Well, I should get back to my friend Jeff's place. But what the heck, I'll stay for the party."

"Thanks. Emily will probably want to meet you. See the person who put this all together."

"Well, I did have help."

Mabel nudges Selene in the arm playfully. Selene takes Mabel up towards a guest room. Mabel walks in and sits down on the bed, relaxing. Selene looks over Mabel. Her clothing is torn and raggedy. Her shirt is more fitting for a larger man, and her slacks are overly long.

"You are going to need some proper clothes for the day."

"Thanks. So, when is the party?"

"Tomorrow. Emily will be back from her travels with mother."

"Where'd they go?"

"To see the weaponries."

"Oh. Still trying to keep the war machine going."

"We have to. We have to stop that monster."

"I… I don't think we'll be able to stop Thamiezel."

"He… we have to try."

Mabel frowns, seeing the desperation driving the humans. She sees the foolishness, knowing that Thamiezel's power is far too great to be defied by the human race.

"Selene… is there someplace to find some food?"

"The servants will be preparing lunch soon."

"Sounds good."

"But first… I will go fetch something more fitting of you."

Mabel rests on the bed while Selene goes away. Another presence looks into the room. A blonde man with blue eyes stares in. He is dressed in a white undershirt and red coat. He bears a smile that Mabel knows means he is filled with pride and self-centered.

"Hello. You haven't been here before, have you?"

"Nope. Name's Mabel. What's yours?"

"You know. A proper lady should learn her manners."

"I did. I found it boring. So, what is your name?"

"Augustus Tanister."

"Big name. For a small man."

Mabel sees the pride and arrogance crack. Augustus scoffs in disbelief before swallowing.

"So, mind if I call you Ugh? Seems like a better name for someone of your stature."

Augustus stomps away in anger. Mabel giggles at the man as she relaxes onto the bed. She hums happily as she waits for Selene to return. Selene comes back towards the room with one of her dresses. Mabel sees the starlight dress and goes to take it.

"It's beautiful."

"Thanks. It's one of my own."

"I see that. All nice and fancy."

"Actually, I made it myself."

"That's awesome! You have natural talent, my friend."

"Thanks." Selene says while shyly threading her fingers through her hair.

"So, I'll get this cool dress on and meet you downstairs."

Selene leaves Mabel in the room. Mabel strips down and begins putting on the fanciful dress. She looks in the mirror and twirls, looking over her beautiful starlit form. Mabel leaves the room and joins Selene.

"So, Selene. Who is your brother?"

"Oh… you met him."

"Yeah. He's a bit thick in the head."

"That's one way to say it. Yeah, I wouldn't get too… funny around him. He can get a bit of a temper."

"Rude. But thanks for the info."

Mabel and Selene walk down the stairs towards the open hall. The two friends spend the day together, discussing the party the next day and their lives. Mabel dodges questions about her past, offering excuses concerning her parents' behavior and saying she wants to leave that life behind. Selene seems to open up in the presence of the vampire, finding a mutual understanding. Someone who also seems lost amongst her own world. Mabel walks down, ready to join the family at the dinner table. She sits to the left of Selene, sitting between the Tanister sister and the brother. She looks left towards the head of the table, where the Tanister's grandfather sits. He looks out questioningly at Mabel, who gives a wave.

"Who is your friend?" the old man asks Selene.

"My name is Mabel. And it rhymes with cable."

The family whispers questions about the strange, young lady. The grandfather, however, smirks in light amusement.

"You will wait until you are spoken to." Augustus says.

"There's no need for hostility. I am simply here to enjoy this meal."

Mabel smirks as she sees Selene's brother clench his hands in anger, not used to any of the servants speaking back against him.

"So, Mabel. Where are you from?" the grandfather asks.

"This silly little town near the surface. I needed to get away from it. My parents started signing up with this cult. They were ending up just as bad as Thamiezel."

"Not easily done, I would imagine."

"No it isn't. They were filling their hearts with… vileness. A sickness."

"Yes… this world has become very sick indeed. I see you are not the same as the usual lower members of our world."

"What does that mean?"

"Usually it is those from below who rouse trouble."

"There are monsters who dwell within all aspects of our realm. People who claim virtue while becoming like Thamiezel, or perhaps even worse. Since there are more poor than those in the ruling houses, it's only natural that there would also be a greater number of monsters amongst the masses."

"That is true. There are some in our own house who are of… lesser stature."

"In time, all monsters reveal their true nature."

Mabel continues her discussion with the grandfather Tanister. She speaks like an equal, much to the discomfort of the Tanister father and Augustus.

"So, 'Ugh'-ustus. What is it that you do?" Mabel asks. The question catches the man off guard.

"I, uh, I help here. In the house."

"So… you do not actually do anything."

Mabel grins innocently at him as he fumes in anger. She sees his mind's desires. A desire to punish the lowly servant for not knowing her place. Mabel turns back as a large plate is brought to the table. She sees a golden brown pig brought to the table. She licks her lips in anticipation. Mabel watches silently as the pig is cut apart and served on her plate. She delicately cuts into the meal with her fork. She lifts up the meat, smelling the peppered pork. She licks her lips in anticipation before bringing it to her mouth. Mabel chews the meat slowly, savoring every second of her meal. She puckers her lips and wipes the juices off her mouth with a napkin. She takes in another bite, chewing into the soft, tender texture. She swallows the piece as a drop of grease drips down and splashes on her hand. She lifts her hand up and licks the flavor off.

"This… is delicious."

"It is. Very tender." Selene replies.

"Who's the chef? I want to tell him how wonderful this is."

"He's in the servant's quarters at the moment."

"I'll have to thank him after the meal."

Mabel and the Tanisters finish the meal. Afterwards, Mabel walks with Selene towards the servants' room. She finds the chef and greets him with a bow.

"Your meal was wonderful."

"Thank you."

"How do you get the texture all… juicy?"

"It's the oven. You have to cook it very carefully, or it'll end up too chewy or rough."

"Thank you, again. That was one of the best meals I've ever had. And the sauce. Perfecto."

"Thank you for the compliment. I'll see you later."

Mabel shakes the chef's hand before walking away. She sees Augustus in the corner, eyeing her with anger in his eyes. The man is not used to being challenged and having his authority questioned.

"You bow to the chef… and treat me like filth?"

"Because he is far more worthy than you, my insignificant friend."

Mabel glares down the older Tanister. He averts his eyes in fear, as if Mabel's mere gaze might destroy him. Mabel and Selene leave the room as Augustus shivers in fear. Mabel walks with Selene towards the bedroom at the end of the day.

"So, tomorrow's the party. I'll see you then, Selene."

"Yeah. You're a good friend, Mabel. I'm glad we met."

"Thanks."

Selene walks away, leaving Mabel alone in her room. Mabel removes the dress and retrieves her old clothes. She smells them, wondering if her body is becoming unbearable. But she finds no scent or odor. Her vampiric body has left no trace of her.

"At least I won't have to wash these in a long time."

Mabel redresses and sits on the bed. She looks out the window towards the human race from atop the mountain, seeing the entirety of their world. She feels a familiar air from her seat. The ruling houses look out and down upon the other humans the same way her brother looks out upon the ruined globe. A seat of power raised into the heavens, looking out amongst their world.

"Humans… never learned, did they?"

Mabel returns to her bed and gets in. She hears the door open. She looks towards the silhouette of Augustus glaring in. Mabel senses his anger. She sees a desire to harm her for her insolence.

"Would you kindly leave?" Mabel asks.

Augustus leaves, slamming the door on his way out. Mabel walks over and locks the door, keeping him out of the room.

"Pathetic man."

Mabel returns to the bed. She falls asleep, drifting through her thoughts and memories. She walks into the great hall of the Tanister's family. But a new presence dwells there. She sees twin shades sitting upon a throne as the Tanisters bow before them. The shadows glare at her, beckoning her to come to them. Mabel leaves and returns to her home in the Mystery Shack. But her memories drift to a sad day. Several years after they saved the world, the twins' Great-Uncle Stan lies within his casket. Mabel cries in her seat as Dipper drifts next to her. His face is blank and unfocused. He dwells on the body, and Mabel sees his worry. His sheer terror as he realizes that his sister will eventually be in one of those. His form shakes with his sadness and fear. Soos walks towards the casket. His eyes are red and bloodshot, stinging from the tears. He approaches his surrogate father and gives the body a kiss on the head. Soos walks away with grim eyes. Dipper continues staring at the body, focused deep in his thoughts.

"Hey Dip… I miss him too."

"Yeah… it… it hurts…"

"I should have helped him… if I had known then…"

Mabel drifts away from the painful memory. She comes towards a large field. The field grows to encompass her memories, stretching out into infinity. She wanders the field until she comes to a strange sight. A sight of the life she could have had. She sees Dipper and Mabel sitting together, smiling and discussing their next attraction in the Mystery Shack. Dipper bites into a sandwich as Mabel sips from a can of soda. Dipper and Mabel sit together as their bodies turn into stone, united in the fields of Paradise. But Mabel sees what their path would lead to. The sky above begins to turn dark. The light above becomes suffocated by a cloud of red smoke. Lightning strikes the ground and the fields begin to burn. Mabel watches as the entire world becomes engulfed in flame, which grows far into the sky. The fires of Heaven become a great, lidless eye that gazes out onto the dead world. The bodies of the twins disintegrate before the eye of Dracul as Heaven falls.

Mabel awakens from her dream. She gazes at the ceiling, wondering what time it is. She looks out to see a clock. The red numbers read "3:06 A.M." Mabel yawns as she turns over in bed. She sees the lights outside flicker for a moment. Mabel waits in the room for the rest of the people to begin waking up. She hears the servants stirring and beginning their preparations for the guests to arrive. She hears a knock at her door and walks over, opening to greet Selene.

"Hello." Mabel says with a wave.

"Hi. The guests will start showing up soon. You should get ready."

"Okay. I'll put the good dress on."

"I'll meet you downstairs."

Mabel retrieves the beautiful dress. She walks out and down the stairs to join Selene at the entrance to the mansion. After a few minutes the other Tanisters arrive. Mabel and Selene greet Emily and her mother.

"Hello. And who is this?" the mother says.

"This is Mabel. She's from… I never got the name of the town."

"I prefer to leave that behind. My new home is here. This big, awesome city."

"Okay. Where do you live in the city?"

"Near one of those nuclear plants."

"Oh… are the cults still dangerous?"

"Uh… yeah… but don't worry. I haven't joined with any of those quackos."

"That's good. We have enough problems as it is."

"So, is this the birthday girl?" Mabel asks while moving down to meet Emily.

"Yep."

"Happy birthday."

"Thanks."

The shy girl runs past Mabel and Selene, who walk into the mansion after her. Over the next few hours, the other families of the ruling houses arrive. Most of them are within walking distance of the Tanister house. The others who live farther away in the city drive up towards the mansion. As the clock strikes noon, the party begins. Mabel joins with her friend at the table for lunch. She finds beef and deer cooked by the same chef. Mabel savors every bite of her meal, taking the time to suck the juices out of the meat before swallowing. She sits between the two Tanister sisters as Augustus spends his time fuming near his father.

"So Mabel, are you leaving soon?" the grandfather asks.

"I'm staying for the party. I'll leave sometime tomorrow morning. I have to get back to my friend Jeff."

"He lives in the lower houses… is he… affected?"

"He's nice. I don't think he's crazy or anything. Although I hope he isn't worried about me."

"Is he your lover?"

"No… no, I had one sometime ago… two, actually. My husband Greg… he died. And then there was this one guy. A bit of an eccentric fellow. It… it didn't work out."

"That is a shame. I remember when I fell in love. It seems almost like it was yesterday… but she's gone now."

"I'm… I'm sorry."

"Yes. I hope I may see her again someday."

"You will."

"Yes, she moved in with one of the Totaka family."

The grandfather turns to Mabel, who becomes flustered for assuming the Tanister grandmother was dead. Mabel mumbles embarrassedly. The grandfather grins knowingly, and Mabel joins him in a fit of laughter.

"You… you should have been an actor." Mabel says.

"I should have, shouldn't I?... anyways, she did move in with the Totaka. Things just didn't work out later in life."

"It happens."

After lunch, the guests begin the celebration of Emily's birthday. Mabel stays close to Selene and the grandfather. She finds herself opening up to her new surrogate family, laughing and playing along with them. She helps bring the presents to Emily before dinner, and watches intently as Emily opens each one. Right before dinner, Mabel and Selene return to their rooms.

"I'll go fetch another dress for you, Mabel."

"You have major talent."

"Thank you."

Selene walks away, and Mabel falls onto the guest bed. She stares at the ceiling and yawns.

"Why am I yawning? I don't need to yawn."

Mabel giggles as she leans up. She takes the dress from Selene and prepares to change. But the door opens again. Mabel finds an unwelcome presence in her doorway.

"Hello, Ugh."

Augustus storms into the room, walking right up to Mabel. He slaps her across the face. Mabel's eyes flash red in surprise, and her cheek becomes a dark red. But the small wound fades instantly, betraying her nature. She sees Augustus ready to flee, so she ensnares him. She points her finger up and touches his head.

"Walk outside."

Augustus's hands fall to his side and his eyes become lifeless. He walks out of the room and heads down the stairs. Mabel walks over and locks the door. She watches out the window as Augustus walks out towards the lawn. He walks towards the gate that separates the lawn from the dangerous rocky cliff and opens it.

"Mabel? Are you ready?" Selene asks.

"I'll… I'll be out in a couple minutes. I'm in the restroom."

"Okay. Sorry."

Mabel hears Selene's footsteps echo away from the door. Mabel opens the window as Augustus approaches the cliff face. She flies with unholy speed past the gate and towards him. She removes her control from his mind and grabs him by the mouth, silencing his screams.

"Stop screaming or I will rip out your tongue."

Augustus stops flailing and yelling. Mabel lets go, but then she pushes him towards the edge of the cliff. He stumbles over and nearly falls. Mabel catches his tie, holding him precariously over the edge. She looks over the side. There is a sheer drop for hundreds of feet before the terrain becomes rocky and jagged. The heavy steep of the mountain side continues for several miles, going farther down until it becomes a jagged formation of rocks above the city.

"My friend, Ugh… I would love to stay and… eat. But there is a party I must attend to. Before I go, do you want to know the name of my home town?"

Augustus begins whimpering as tears pour down his face.

"Gravity… Falls."

Mabel loosens her grip. Augustus's tie slips through her hands, and the Tanister screams as he falls down the side of the mountain. His screams of terror grow silent as he descends, and Mabel returns to her room as a dark specter, unseen. She hums innocently as she changes into a sparkling pink dress with white gloves. She opens the door and goes to join the party. She watches as a large, festive cake is brought before Emily. The young girl eats the first slice, and Mabel takes one for herself. But she finds the sugary flavor lacking. It lacks the power and energy from a recently killed beast, or the still living soul of an enemy. Mabel frowns in annoyance as she eats her slice of cake. She notices the grandfather and his daughter discussing the missing Tanister.

"Where is that pathetic boy?" the grandfather asks.

"He's still my son. Why do you hate him?"

"We had a falling out."

Mabel remembers how she killed the man and giggles to herself.

"Falling. Hah."

Selene and Emily come over and meet with Mabel.

"What's so funny?" Selene asks.

"Nothing. Just this stupid joke I remember hearing from Jeff."

"What is it?"

"It's… eh, I'm no good with jokes. And I don't think Emily here is old enough to hear it."

"Alright. You can tell me later."

"Yeah."

Mabel and Selene spend the rest of the day together. As the guests begin to leave, Mabel returns to the guest room. She hums happily to herself as she goes to get ready to for her nightly travels.

"So, I hope you can, well, come and visit once and a while."

"Well, I can't afford a car for me and Jeff. But I'll try to get back to you on the job. Hopefully I don't get fired for overstaying my welcome."

"I'll write down my number. You can call."

Selene finds a pen and paper and gives Mabel the phone number.

"I'll make sure to call every day."

"Thanks. It was nice meeting you."

Selene walks away. Once the rest of the house goes to bed, Mabel changes into her old clothes. She walks out and heads towards the back of the mansion. She gets into the truck and begins driving away. Mabel drives long into the night and the next day, hearing the morning sirens to wake everyone up. She leaves the truck back behind the shop and walks in.

"Where the hell were you?!" the owner asks angrily.

"I was just at the party. Everything's alright."

"Yeah… yeah, it's fine."

"I'll be taking some of this fun stuff as payment."

"Alright. See you around."

Mabel giggles before walking further into the shop. She takes several cans of paint, a large rug, and several antiques she never would have been able to pay for even if she worked for a year. She takes out a thousand year old bottle of brandy from behind the glass casing and walks out. She stops a driver and gets into the surprised woman's car.

"To Jeff's!" Mabel shouts. The lady follows Mabel's command and drives away. As the car comes into the poorer neighborhood, Mabel can see the signs of the Watchers. They are painting more graffiti as a warning to others. Some even walk openly, not fearing any who would stand against them.

"I will have to change that." Mabel mutters. She returns to Jeff's home and steps out of the car. She takes her supplies up the stairs to Jeff's home. She opens the door and goes in to find Jeff snoring loudly in his bed. Mabel begins silently changing the dreary, white room. She takes the old rug and throws it out the window before placing one of the fancier rugs. She uses a bucket of paint to change the old, stained walls into a bright blue. She places an expensive vase on a dresser in Jeff's room, flying to avoid waking him. She walks towards the kitchen and sits at the table, holding the brandy in her hands. She waits for Jeff to get up and come out. He doesn't see her as he makes his way towards the bathroom. Mabel hums happily as she waits for him to return.

"Oh, you're back… wow, nice colors." Jeff says with his voice hopeful and happy at seeing Mabel return safely.

"Hey. Yeah, I had to work extra carefully to avoid spilling any paint or waking you up."

"Where did you go?"

"I got a job working for the Tanister's."

"Them? Really? They're one of the most important houses!"

"They were nice. Except that one jerk, Ugh."

"Well… what is that? Brandy?"

"Yeah. Fairly expensive stuff."

"What's the date?"

"Oh, a couple of years ago. It was a gift from the Tanister's."

"Should we have some?"

"What else is it for?"

Jeff laughs as he comes over and sits with Mabel. The two friends open the brandy and begin drinking. Mabel puckers her lips at the taste as she downs the glass.

"This stuff is pretty good." Jeff says.

"It is, isn't it?"

"So what's the date?"

"Oh… Year two thousand… and three hundred."

"You're joking, right?"

Mabel laughs awkwardly as she averts her eyes in embarrassment.

"This… this is worth more than this entire house. This entire building and all the buildings next to it."

"Should we have… not had it?"

"Fuck no. Time to drink like a rich person."

Mabel and Jeff laugh as they drink the expensive beverage. Mabel pretends to act drunk with Jeff as they wobble in place. Jeff walks towards the bathroom, allowing Mabel to drop her act of intoxication. She looks at the bottle as Jeff stumbles out of the bathroom. He burps before going to sit on the couch. Mabel looks in her glass, finding the drink lacking. She remembers the food that lies butchered in the refrigerator. She walks over and opens, looking in at the remains of the deer. She opens up one of the bags and takes in a deep whiff. She shudders in anticipation of the blood. She takes the glass and begins scooping up the deer blood. She seals the bag up as Jeff stares into space.

"What are you doing?"

"Just getting something. You should take a nap."

Jeff falls to the couch and begins snoring. Mabel mixes the blood with the brandy. She takes a whiff and sips the blood mixture.

"That… is better."

Mabel looks at Jeff with a warm smile. She continues to sip her share of the brandy mixed with blood, finding the taste to be delicious.

"I… I need more."

Mabel leaves Jeff on the couch. She takes out the meat and begins preparing dinner. She wakes Jeff up from his slumber when the food is ready.

"Oh, hey… guess that stuff did a number on me."

"Yeah. Don't worry. Dinner's ready."

"Okay."

After dinner, Jeff goes back to sleep. But Mabel wants more. She hungers for the blood of others. She leaves through the window and crawls to the roof. She looks out into the world as she flies up into the sky, hiding within the darkness of the upper caverns. She moves towards the very top of the cave and finds that a small group of humans dwell at the top. They have built into the side of the caverns as a long, winding road moves all the way towards the bottom. Mabel stays to the shadows as she observes the small towns lining the upper cave. She finds balconies leaning over to observe the city, suspended precariously over the great chasm. She finds that large cages jut out from the ceiling and move towards the ground, preventing anyone from jumping or anything from coming in. But Mabel remembers her powers. She focuses her mind, attempting to become another shape. She looks at her arm, focusing. And her arm begins changing shape into a dark cloud. Mabel smiles as she morphs into a crimson mist, which moves through the metal bars. She looks in through the windows for a target. Any target that she desires. She finds one she is looking for. She sees a woman walking by in one of the cult masks. Mabel lands silently behind the cultist and approaches. The other lady begins spraying graffiti with the words "We are the Watchers" below the outline of the white mask. Mabel hunts the lady, coming up right behind her.

"Hello."

The lady jumps in place before turning around.

"Oh, you scared me there. You shouldn't do that."

"Sorry."

"You… I've never seen you before."

"I'm traveling. I wanted to see the great city."

"It is a wonderful sight, isn't it?"

"It is."

"Care to join me on the balcony?"

"Sure."

Mabel walks with the strange cult member out towards the balcony. Mabel looks out at the world. She sees the mountain of the ruling houses from so far away. The other cult member takes off her mask and looks out.

"So, who are the Watchers?"

"We are protecting this city. We are stopping any of Thamiezel's servants from breaching the defenses. They like to take on the form of weak and humble people, but they are searching for victims."

"How do you know?"

"Because I've seen the rituals before. We find these monsters and kill them before they can harm anyone."

"And what makes you certain that they are monsters?"

"You… you shouldn't question the Watchers' ways. We're protecting this world."

"No… you are simply ruining innocent men and women."

The other lady becomes suspicious of Mabel. She backs away slowly before taking out a small gun. Mabel senses the attack and begins humming innocently. She hears the sound of the revolver opening, and the lady fumbling through her pockets for bullets.

"What are you doing?" Mabel asks, apparently oblivious to the threat to her life. The other lady puts the rounds in the gun and prepares to fire. Mabel turns around to see the gun ready. Mabel gives a questioning look to her prey as she places the mask back on her face.

"What… what are you doing?"

"I… I want you to come with me."

"What, why?... we… we were just talking."

"The Watchers will need to see you."

"That gun… are you going to shoot me?"

"Stay back. I'm warning you."

Mabel moves away from the balcony with her hands in the air.

"You… don't do this… don't do something you'll regret."

"You… stay back… you are one of them…"

"Hey. I'm just passing-"

Mabel is cut off by the sound of a gunshot. She looks down to see a hole in her stomach. She looks up at her victim and bares her teeth with a deranged smile.

"I was hoping you would do that." Mabel whispers. She charges at her prey and drags her through an opening in the top of the bars. The lady unloads the gun into Mabel's chest as the vampire flies into the shadows. Mabel takes the gun and chews in, crushing the metal into pieces. She delicately runs her fingers along her victim's neck, more of a lover's embrace than a monster ready to kill.

"You… please don't…"

"You were going to kill an innocent woman for nothing but a rumor."

"Please… I don't want to die."

"You should be thanking me for this… death is nothing. Power is everything."

Mabel sinks her teeth into the woman, draining her blood. The woman attempts to fight against Mabel, but her jerking arms and legs come to a stop as she dies. Mabel sees the woman's memories. She sees the woman's family. How her desire to protect them led to her joining with the Watchers. Mabel returns to the town above. She takes on the form of her victim and begins walking. She walks for a mile until she comes to the woman's house. She steps in to meet the husband.

"Oh hey, you're back already?"

"Yes… where are the children?"

"They're still in bed. Are you coming?"

"Of course."

Mabel follows the man through the house. She walks towards the bedroom and waits for the man. She gets in the bed and under the covers. The woman's husband walks in and smirks.

"Hey, that's my side of the bed."

"For tonight… it's our side."

The man climbs in with Mabel. The two begin to kiss heatedly. Mabel feels a deeper heat rise in her mind. A desire to feed. To grow in power. She forces her tongue down the man's throat, licking and tasting the delicate flesh of her next victim. She throws him over and sits on top of him, gazing into his eyes with dark lust.

"Whoa, you aren't usually this into it."

"My needs… have grown."

Mabel continues kissing him, placing her lips against his. And as she does, her eyes flare with fire. Her teeth regrow into fangs. The man screams into her mouth and tries to force her off of him, but Mabel keeps him pinned down. She grabs him by the neck and begins choking. His limbs flail about in agony as Mabel squeezes the air from his body. Within a minute he faints. Mabel moves down towards his neck and begins drinking. She drains him of his mind and soul, devouring every last drop. The man's body crumbles into dust, and Mabel leaves his clothes in the dresser. She walks out and goes towards the children's room. She finds the three kids sleeping soundly. Mabel moves towards the bed of the oldest and sinks her teeth in. She covers his mouth as she drains the life from him. Next she moves onto the youngest. The young toddler doesn't even feel its life slip away as Mabel devours her. She finds the last kid and sinks her fangs in. She greedily devours them all. She takes the clothing of the three and places them in a dresser. Mabel leaves the home with no evidence of her presence. She reforms her body, but now her clothing is the starlight dress worn by Selene. Mabel walks out of the house and leaves through the cage. She flies back to the world beneath, coming towards Jeff's home. She lands on the roof and looks around for any potential witnesses. She sees no one and crawls down the side of the building. She moves inside and reforms her clothes into the raggedy shirt and slacks. Mabel returns to the couch and lies down. She sits in thought and swallows. She devoured the family, killing them all.

"But… but now they're all together… within me…"

Mabel stays up for the rest of the night, staring into space with a broken gaze. In the morning, Jeff walks out and greets Mabel, who offers a warm smile in return. Jeff goes to prepare breakfast as Mabel hums happily. After eating, she walks towards the phone and calls her friend.

"Hi, Selene?"

"Yeah. How are you?"

"I'm doing great. I got back home safe and sound."

"That's good. How's Jeff?"

"He's doing fine. He'll be leaving for work soon. What's new with you?"

"Nothing… although my brother's missing. They can't find him at all."

"Oh… I'm sorry."

"I should feel worse… but he was… he wasn't very nice. You. You don't need to hear this."

"Hey, it's alright sister. You aren't the only one with brother issues."

"Thanks. Emily says she misses you. She's still in bed right now. I'll have to scold her for sleeping too late."

"Eh, it's alright. Let her sleep in. She's got a whole life to get her responsibilities down."

"Yeah. So, are you sticking with the job?"

"I don't know. I should probably find something closer to home. I'll still try to hitch a ride up to you every once and a while."

"That's good. Anyways, I've got some things to do. I'll call you later. Stay safe."

"You too. Bye."

Selene hangs up the phone. Jeff waves goodbye to his housemate as he leaves for work. Mabel sits in thought, alone. There are far more people out in the day, even though the blackness remains in the great caverns. She sits, waiting for the night. But she feels an urge to feed. To satisfy her desire. She looks out the window for any sign of activity. She grumbles impatiently at the sight of several humans wandering through the street. Then she remembers her brother's power. He could move as a dark shape, unable to be detected by anyone. Mabel focuses her dark powers. She transforms her body into a shadow and moves out the window. The dark shape flies into the great caverns. Mabel reforms into her starlight dress and continues flying. She looks through the streets for an opening. Someone she would not feel guilty for consuming. She finds another member of the Watchers looking down an alley. The masked man walks down and looks at a homeless person. He begins robbing the homeless man, who stutters and mumbles in confusion. Mabel descends into the alley and approaches the two. She sees the homeless man mumbling, rotting away in his broken mind. She realizes that within her dark realm, he can be free. She approaches the two and silences the homeless man, placing him under a deep spell. She devours the masked cultist as he wiggles and jolts to escape before dying. Next Mabel moves onto the homeless man. She takes them both in, increasing her power.

"This… this is wonderful…"

A month passes by as Mabel continues hunting the humans. The missing people continue rising in number. Panic begins to grow in the city. The cult of the Watchers begins rising in strength, claiming thousands of new recruits to deal with the vampire. Mabel watches as several armed cultists approach someone they suspect. Mabel lands and massacres them, sending dark energy through their bodies and consuming them from the inside. She sees the man they had attempted to claim cowering in the corner.

"Please… I won't tell anyone…"

"No you won't. And you will forget."

Mabel lets the man leave as his memories are changed. He forgets the strange lady and walks away. But even Mabel's power is not infinite. Rumors rise in the city. They claim to see a pale ghost in the form of a beautiful woman. They say she dresses in starlight, but her eyes betray her demonic nature. Mabel becomes known as the Lady in Starlight. A terrifying rumor spreading insanity and hysteria through the city. She consumes hundreds of humans. She devours families where she can, using the excuse that they'll be together in the realm of Dracul. She searches for people to increase her dark strength, hunting in the night and day without rest.

She sees a group of cultists watching from the rooftops. She approaches them and prepares to strike. But they turn around, suspecting an attack. Ultra violet flashlights shine in Mabel's face. She shouts and yells in pain as the Watchers surround her. They attempt to pierce her heart with a dagger, but Mabel quickly recovers. She lunges at them and begins consuming them. The sounds of battle echo through the rooftops and down into the streets. Mabel finishes her feast, but she finds that she has drawn too much attention. Hundreds of people look at the roofs and shout, panicking from Mabel's presence. Bystanders watch as the Lady in Starlight flees towards the blackness above. She returns to her new home, feeling a rush of joy at the battle. She smiles as she feels the blood of her enemies pass through her veins. She sits down, waiting for Jeff to wake up. She focuses her mind, testing out her dark powers. She transforms into a bat and flies around the room.

"I'm batty!"

Mabel giggles and squeaks in her bat form before changing back into a human. She then transforms into a small wolf. She walks around the room, smelling and sniffing. She nibbles on the table with her canine fangs. But then Mabel hears the phone ring. She reforms her body and picks up, wondering who would be calling at this hour.

"Mabel?"

"Oh, Selene. What's up?"

"I just… I wanted to know if you were okay."

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

"It's just… with this insanity… the Lady in Starlight is killing people. And what's worse is the panic. The Watchers are getting bigger everyday day. They're targeting anyone who even slightly matches the description… I'm worried… you look like her… they'll come after you next."

"I… I'll be okay."

"You… you can bring Jeff here, you know?... I'll make room for both of you… away from the insanity."

"I'll ask him. See if he'll come up."

"Thank you. I hope you'll be here."

After several hours, Jeff reawakens. He comes out of the room and stretches as Mabel makes breakfast for the two. She serves him a slice of roast beef with some corn.

"So Jeff… Selene called."

"What did she want?"

"She says we can leave. Any time we want. We can just get up and go to their place."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Just go and hang out with the Tanisters. Drink overly expensive booze and have fun."

"I… I'll think about it. It's… I've lived here my whole life. Before the cults started becoming a problem."

"It'll be safer, though. Away from all of them."

"Yeah. I know, I know… I'll get an answer to you after work."

"Okay. I'll see you then."

"Yeah… what do you think of this craziness?"

Mabel looks up as she devours a slice of her food. She swallows before answering.

"Well, it's crazy. But these wacky humans aren't helping anything."

"No. But what else is new?"

Mabel laughs with Jeff.

"Yeah. I hope we catch the Lady. She's making everything worse." Mabel says. She's begun to believe it. She knows the cult didn't have as much power before she arrived. But her thoughts turn away from guilt.

"No… they started this… I'm simply finishing it."

"Crazy vampires. Ruining everything."

"We'll get her eventually."

"And those jerks will kill half the city before they do."

Mabel chuckles awkwardly. After the meal, Mabel returns to the couch. She waits impatiently for Jeff to leave. But she realizes how much more aware everyone is. How alert the city has become. She instead lies down on the couch and rests in her dreams, waiting for when most of the potential witnesses will be asleep. Mabel drifts through her memories. She focuses on her family, who wait in ignorance in the realm of Paradise. She looks towards the memories of herself as a human and Greg. She smiles as she drifts through a memory of their wedding. She sees Dipper smiling happily, glad that she is happy.

"Dipper… my Dipper."

Mabel drifts through her memories. But she hears a voice in her head. A whispering sentience, speaking to her directly.

"Wake up… you have to wake up."

Mabel looks around for the source of the voice. She hears the whispers as if they are right next to her ear.

"Wake up!"

Mabel darts awake. She looks around the room for Jeff, but he hasn't returned. She sees the clock, showing that he should still be at work. The window blows open as a gust of wind shoots through. Mabel looks out and follows the whispering voice. She flies back into the air and follows the wind. She worries as it directs her towards the nuclear plant. She hears the shouts of a mad mob. Mabel reforms her body and moves into the maddened crowd. She stares into the center and begins crying. She sees Jeff being dragged into the center of the mob as they begin spreading out. His shirt is torn up and his body is beaten. His face has been brutalized. Both eyes are black and oozing pus. His jaw is dislocated and most of his teeth are missing. Mabel runs past the mob and approaches the men holding Jeff down.

"Who are you?" one of them asks.

"What has he done?!"

"He is a servant of the demons."

"Liar!" Mabel shouts. Her voice echoes from every corner, revealing part of her vampiric powers. The leader of the Watchers steps forward.

"He is a servant of the Lady in Starlight."

Mabel growls with anger as she approaches her broken friend. She grabs the guards and crushes their necks within her grip, slowly suffocating the life from them. Mabel drops their bodies on the ground and grabs Jeff. He looks up as his lips quiver with fear. The mob begins to panic as Mabel reveals her power. The Watcher who had stood in the center runs away from her.

"M… Mabel…"

"I'm here… I'm here…"

"I… I don't want…"

"Shh… it will be alright."

Mabel lifts Jeff up and flies far away as the mob begins screaming. She flies deep into the forest, away from the presence of the humans. She comes to a clearing as Jeff chokes and cries. He smiles weakly as he sees her.

"I… I always thought… you were an angel."

Mabel laughs weakly as she holds him close, crying tears of blood.

"I… is my soul safe?"

"Yes… yes of course."

"I… I shouldn't have… I killed her… I'm sorry, Jess…"

"Who's Jess?"

"She… my wife… I… didn't love her no more… she saw us… I'm so sorry…"

Jeff chokes on blood as his eyes begin to fade.

"I… I don't want to go to Hell… I don't want them… to take me…"

"They… they won't…"

Mabel remembers who she is. She remembers what she is. She is a part of the third path, away from Inferno and Paradise.

"I… I can give you something else… away from Hell."

"Please… please…"

Jeff faints in Mabel's arms. She allows her teeth to grow into fangs. She sinks her teeth deep into Jeff's neck, draining his blood. She feels his memories come through her mind. Memories of Jessica, his first wife. How his love for her had faded. How he came to love another. How their love was discovered, and Jessica fled. She was captured in the street by the Watchers. She was raped, brutalized, and murdered because they claimed she was a vampire. Jeff lost everything. He turned to despair and anger with the world. His family abandoned him. His lover fled in fear of being killed too. Jeff was ready to end his life. He walked out of the house with his gun ready to kill himself in the peacefulness of the forest. But he found Mabel.

Mabel sees herself through Jeff's eyes. How he felt calmed and relieved of his evil by her presence. How he came to feel the pain from his mistakes wash away with every minute they spent together. How even in the dark times as the Lady in Starlight killed and consumed hundreds, he never suspected Mabel.

Mabel drains the blood from Jeff's body, taking in his mind and soul. But this time, she drifts with him into the dark realm. They come upon a world filled with crimson skies and souls travelling all around.

"Where… am I?" Jeff asks.

"Not Hell… and not Heaven… I did not know if Paradise would condemn you… so I brought you here."

"This… is different…"

"Yes… but from what I know… it isn't so bad."

"Are… are you her?"

"Yes… I am the Lady in Starlight."

Jeff's spirit moves away from her in fear. Mabel falls to her knees, giggling sadly at what has become of her life. She looks far above and sees the eye of Dracul.

"I'm… I'm so sorry…"

Mabel begins sobbing as Jeff remains motionless. He moves over to her, staring curiously.

"I… I am not… I couldn't stop…"

Jeff feels his heart falter. Despite everything he has seen, he drifts over to Mabel. He sits next to her, the one who saved him from despair, and waits with her.

"I…"

"It's… why?"

Mabel looks towards her left. Jeff looks into her eyes, pleading for an answer.

"I… I felt power… I am not simply a vampire… I am one of the line of Dracula… a powerful weapon meant to take in souls and bring them here, disrupting the flow of spirits to Heaven and Hell… and when I tasted the power… I wanted it… I needed it. I need more."

Jeff looks on in shock and shame. He drifts away from her, leaving the vampire alone.

"Goodbye Jeff."

Mabel returns to the forest as Jeff's body blows away as dust in the wind. She feels hatred fill her soul. Hatred and a desire for vengeance. She flies above the trees and charges back towards the city as a militia of armed humans enters the forest to attack the vampire. She no longer desires to hide. She crashes down and sends trees and humans flying back with a great shockwave. Giant bat wings burst forth from Mabel's back. The wings flap, sending the remaining humans flying through the air. She walks towards the cult's leader as her crimson eyes burn brighter than ever before. She grabs the broken man off the ground and lifts him up by the neck as Jeff's blood drips down her face.

"You… will know pain…"

Mabel brings him down and tears into his neck. She chews and rips apart his body and consumes his flesh, devouring his soul. The mob begins to flee from the vampire. She eyes them; the ones who had tormented Jeff and now attempt to run away.

"Cowards… you will burn."

Mabel flies against the crowd and grabs one of the humans. She devours him like a ravenous animal, driven by thirst for vengeance. She finishes draining him and moves onto another victim. She devours her soul and mind and looks towards the others. She tackles another cultist to the ground and sinks her fangs into his chest, ripping and clawing in blind rage. She flies against another member of the Watchers as he unloads silver bullets into Mabel's body. She decapitates him with her claws and devours his body and head.

And as Mabel consumes them, she feels their minds. She sees herself through their eyes. An unstoppable monster, feared enough that the mere rumor of her drove the humans to condemn others to torment and death. She hunts down the crowd, continuing to push forward and ignoring the weapons used against her and fighting against the madness in her mind. The crude human guns carve up her body, but she simply regenerates her skin as she consumes the flesh and souls of her prey. She hunts down the humans as they flee from the forest, scared beyond all measure. Mabel continues her hunt of the masked cult, ending hundreds of them as her thirst grows.

She decapitates one and lets blood drip from the neck, splashing on Mabel's tongue. Mabel drinks from the head and tosses it aside. The dried up face explodes into dust as Mabel continues her hunt. She sees the man who had turned Jeff over to the Watchers. The one who lived in the apartment below. She flies after him with her fangs bared and her claws ready. She grabs ahold of him, slashing at him as he attempts to throw her off. She pulls his neck back and snaps it. She bites into his flesh, ripping out pieces of skin and muscle and swallowing. She continues her ravenous feast, eating the entire body of the man who allowed Jeff to be taken. She looks up to see several cult members curling up in fear against the walls of a building. Mabel approaches them and devours them all.

The humans begin to bring in more powerful weapons. They fire at her heart with weapons blessed by Enochian magic and attempt to bind her with powerful spells. She continues pressing forward until her body is reduced to a shredded mass of bones and flesh. Mabel crawls along the ground with shredded limbs. Her body continues to crawl as she is broken and torn apart. She falls to the ground weakly as the blood drains from her dark body.

"Monsters… you are… monsters…"

The humans approach her, ready to end the Lady in Starlight. But a great wind flies through the forest. A dark voice whispers through the air as all the lights fade. The humans look around, blinded by the piercing darkness. Mabel sees a great shadow fly towards the ground. The air seems to be sucked into the mass of dark energy as it reforms into a familiar shape. Mabel sees her brother stand against the humans.

"You… will never harm her again…"

Mabel takes her blood back into her body and repairs her damaged form. She stands up and glares at the humans with malice. All the humans can see are two sets of burning red eyes in the encircling blackness.

"This world belongs to me. And I will not allow you to harm those I love."

The light returns to the caverns and the humans look upon the image of Thamiezel. The twin vampires stand ready against the human forces. Thamiezel weaves a thread of dark magic through the area. And he tightens the nearly invisible strands. The human weapons are sliced apart by the hidden magic, leaving the Watchers defenseless. Mabel charges at the humans and continues her dark feast. Thamiezel waits as his sister devours every last one of the human defenders. The alarms begin blaring in the great city as the knowledge of the vampires' presence passes through the homes. Mabel desires to hunt them all down, but Thamiezel stops her.

"We have to leave."

Mabel grabs hold of his hand and the twins fly through the dark caverns. Mabel and Thamiezel fly away from the city and through the tunnels, knocking down any humans that are in their way. Thamiezel and Mabel return to the surface. Thamiezel looks over Mabel, seeing how bad the damage to her body is.

"Are you hurt?"

"No… how did you know?"

Thamiezel turns his head away. He closes his eyes, as if he is ashamed of what he is about to say.

"I… I saw what had happened. They turned their weapons against you… I would not risk your death."

"How long… how long have you been watching?"

"… I never left your side. Even knowing you hated me… I would not risk any harm coming to you."

"Why didn't you save Jeff?!"

"I didn't see at first… he… he was away when he was taken… and when I saw it was too late."

"I heard your voice. You told me to wake up."

"Yes… I… I saw his mind… filled with love of vice and pleasure… He would have been claimed by Inferno…. I knew that you should have been the one to take him. Better to be claimed by someone you love than a monster like me."

"Monster… they are monsters…"

Thamiezel opens his eyes and sighs.

"Mankind." he says with an amused smirk.

"They… they hurt him… they didn't even know and they still hurt him… I'll kill them all… I will kill them…"

"Kill them all… that is what I wanted… why I became what I am…"

Mabel turns towards her brother, seeing the broken man with a weak smile. Mabel glares at him with anger and sadness. Thamiezel turns to meet her gaze. His smile fades into a blank stare, believing the wrath and pain to be directed at him. He looks down at his dark body. He stabs into his chest, digging through and grunting in pain. Mabel sees him lift out a dark, pulsing heart.

"This… this is me… my powers… my memories… All of it…"

Thamiezel places the object in Mabel's hands and presses his forehead against hers.

"Mabel… if you believe… this world will be better without me… then destroy it…"

"…what?"

"…my powers… rip it out… tear into it… end me…"

Thamiezel begins to sob.

"…because…because I don't think I can live… with all this… and not knowing you…"

"Dipper…"

"…let me forget… please…"

Mabel gives the heart back to Thamiezel. She places a gentle hand on his cheek and kisses him. She lets the power return to Thamiezel's dark form, and the vampiric tyrant shudders in relief.

"I… I am not leaving you again… Dipper… my Dipper… I know now what it means… to be you…"

Thamiezel falls to his knees and grabs Mabel, hugging her legs as he sobs. Mabel moves down to meet him. She smiles weakly at her brother.

"Dipper… I… I will not abandon you again… I will not let you wander eternity alone…"

"All… everything I've done…"

"I… this world has suffered… under the hand of man and under you… but you have prevented worse suffering… I see now what it means to be Dracula… to walk the line between life and death every day… to see the true meaning of evil… pain… no one should have to feel that pain… and although we bring pain… we are not the monsters… we are the solution to the monsters…"

Thamiezel moves back and looks at his sister. Her face is grim and angered, but focused. She seems to know exactly what must be done.

"You have walked with me, Thamiezel, and we have both seen the true meaning of evil… so let us throw down the Heavens… let us wash away the fires of Hell…"

Thamiezel's face becomes a mad grin as he embraces his sister.

"I... and I will stand by your side, my sister."

The twin vampires return to their throne. Mabel sees the dead land, but she knows that they have come to stop greater evils. That the rule of Dracul is the only one who might defy the masters of Heaven and Hell. Thamiezel and Mabel land within their throne room. Thamiezel and Mabel walk back to their seats of power, but Thamiezel sees an irritation looking at him.

"Boethius, why are you here?"

"Her again?! She left you! She abandoned us for those disgusting humans!"

"Hold your tongue, or I will tear it out." Mabel says. Her voice is changed. She is prideful and filled with wrath, no longer unsure of who and what she is.

"This world is mine. And I have seen the error that is mankind."

Boethius backs away in fear as Mabel flies over to the small vampire, glaring with unholy wrath.

"I am Thamiezel's. And he is mine. This is how it will be. Now leave us."

Boethius turns back. But as Mabel turns around, Boethius takes out a dagger. The dagger is infused with powerful magic meant to kill the queen. Mabel senses the attack and flies to the ceiling before Boethius can strike. Mabel exhales toxic, dark fumes into the room, blinding and suffocating the vampire. Thamiezel stays aside, watching intently. Mabel crawls along the ceiling, waiting for a moment to strike. She sends a razor whip against Boethius and slashes the vampire's wrist. Boethius drops the dagger in pain. Mabel begins speaking to her enemy, ready to attack.

"You would strike me… that will be your ruin… I am not as weak as before."

"Thamiezel, you have to see! She will betray-"

Boethius is cut off as the blade pierces her lungs. Mabel leans in and sinks her fangs into the other vampire, devouring the creature. Mabel feels the memories of the other vampire wash over her. The obsession with Thamiezel. The jealousy of the weak, frail vampire that had somehow won Thamiezel's heart. And Mabel sees her brother during the days she was not there. Boethius had said that Mabel was a coward and a traitor. And as Thamiezel stood ready to strike down the weaker vampire, he paused.

"I… should kill you… but it isn't what she would want… get out…"

Mabel finishes devouring Boethius. She consumes the vampiric power and makes it her own. Thamiezel claps in amusement as Mabel walks over to him with mad lust in her eyes.

"I… I feel her need… and it is my need…"

"You haven't been safeguarding your memories… Mabel."

"I am not Mabel… I am your Shooting Star…"

"Are you alright?" Thamiezel asks with worry in his voice. His sister grabs him by the neck and forcefully brings him to her lips. She forces her vampiric tongue into his mouth and down his throat, tasting the moist flesh of her brother. She parts their lips and retracts her tongue.

"You are my brother, a monster… but there are greater monsters out there. And I will not let my mind be controlled by my ties to humanity. And we will help make this universe our own… and I am the alpha."

Mabel pokes her brother on the nose.

"Boop."

Thamiezel falls to the floor and giggles madly, relieved that his sister has come back to him. He jumps up and drags her into a hug, squeezing her as he squeals like a happy dog.

"Brother… this is a bit painful."

"Oh… sorry. I'll, uh… sorry."

Thamiezel lets his sister down and coughs slightly. His arrogant smile has returned, and now the vampire queen has a dark grin of her own. She moves in and places her head against her brother's.

"You know… I always wanted a vampire boyfriend."

"And here I am after all these years… now, my sister… you are powerful… and you will need a new name."

"I am the Shooting Star… perhaps that would be fitting."

"The name Shooting Star… in the language of the old vampires, it is Zelestra… what do you think?"

"I like it."

"I do too."

"Then I am Zelestra."

"Zelestra, we shall stand together."

"There… there is one more thing I need to do."

"And what is that, my sister?"

"Selene Tanister."

Thamiezel and his sister fly out of the tower. They fly across the globe with lightning speed. The twin vampires become great shapes of darkness as they make their way back down to the caverns.

Selene paces back and forth, worrying about the massacre earlier and wondering if Mabel was safe. She stares into the mirror to find another presence. She turns around to see Mabel waiting in the room. Selene runs up and hugs her friend.

"I… I was so worried. They said a vampire killed hundreds of people before escaping. It ate them all… I thought you might of…"

"I'm alright… I need to ask you something…"

"What is it?"

"Please… sit on the bed."

Selene turns to sit down on the bed and faces Mabel. Mabel turns her gaze away in shame. Tears form in her eyes and begin pouring down her cheek. But her tears are dark and crimson.

"Mabel… are you alright?"

Mabel opens her eyes, revealing the burning red irises of her vampiric body. Selene becomes frightened and silent. She nearly charges out the door before another dark shape enters the room, closing the door behind him.

"I… my name is not Mabel… I am Zelestra…"

"Who…"

"I… am a vampire… and I am his sister… I tried to run from my lineage… but I can't… I am immortal while others die."

"You… you are… did you kill them? All those people?"

"They… they came for my friend. One of the last good people I know, and they tortured him… for nothing but a rumor… they were going to burn him alive… so I killed them all."

"Don't… stay away from me…"

Mabel walks over and sits next to her friend. She wraps Selene in her arms, crying into her shoulder. The Tanister sister tenses up, scared and silent. But she sees her friend, broken and crying, and releases her muscles. Selene watches the other figure sit down across from them. She sees a man who seems no older than herself. But his broken gaze betrays his age. He seems weary of the years as his eyes stare into space.

"Who are you?"

"My name… so many names… I am her brother."

"What… what are you?"

"I… am the solution. The one who will erase this universe's evil. I am Thamiezel."

Selene shifts back in fear, keeping her eyes on the one who destroyed her world. But he doesn't smile, or threaten her, or force her to stay. He simply looks at her before averting his gaze.

"Selene… you are mortal… and this world is dying… but there are other places… other worlds you might live on…" Mabel says.

"… I… stay away…"

Mabel turns her gaze away in shame.

"You desire to remain in this world?"

"Stay away!... You killed us."

Thamiezel smiles weakly as he looks up.

"Death… is simply a path. But it is a path that I desire to erase… do you see? I will end the greater suffering in this sick universe. I will rewrite the laws of creation… and no one will have to go through my pain ever again."

Selene eyes the door and runs. She attempts to open the door and cry for help, but she finds no answer.

"They cannot hear you. I have silenced this room. Will you join? Or will you wither with age as this world takes in its last breaths?"

"Stay away."

"Calm down."

Thamiezel's command sets Selene's mind at ease. She shudders in pain as she stands before the twin vampires.

"Selene… I'm still the same person… there's just… more to it."

"Leave… please go."

Mabel smiles weakly as she stands with her brother.

"Selene… do you wish to forget?"

"What?"

"Forget me… to let me become a simple rumor. Someone you never knew."

Selene nods. Mabel walks over and places her finger on Selene's forehead. The Tanister falls into a trance and walks over to her bed. Mabel and Thamiezel leave through the window. They return to the world above and fly back to their fortress. They find a dragon waiting for them near the balcony as they come into their throne.

"My masters. The Ertheks have summoned another army. They are coming against our outer colonies."

Mabel sits on her throne with her brother. She clasps her hands together as she thinks over the information. Mabel leans forward before speaking

"End them all. If they are to be a thorn in our side, then remove them as a threat."

"Yes, my queen."

Mabel leans back in her throne and looks towards her brother. He smiles warmly at her.

"I am glad to have you with me on our path."

"I am glad too, my brother. I will not abandon you again."

"Dragon. We need some blood."

"Yes."

The dragon leaves to give the orders. Thamiezel and Mabel wait on their throne. Within several minutes, a vampire servant walks into the room. He offers the twins two wine glasses filled with blood. The twins wait for the vampire to walk away.

"My brother. A toast. To the kingdom of Thamiezel and Zelestra."

Thamiezel and Mabel clang their glasses together.

"Let the good times roll!" Thamiezel shouts before drinking.