Belle who was fighting and getting rid of the mighouls turned to see something taking place in the corner of her eyes. Even Edgar who was fighting with the mighouls turned to look at Lucas and Winston of them and his eyebrows raised in worry, 

“This is not good,” he said and Belle heard it. Before she could ask what was going on, the wind started to blow across the land, like the air that was blown from the centre in an outward direction. 

When she looked back at Winston, Lucas was missing from there. Her eyes moved left and right, searching for Lucas but he was nowhere in the scene, “What happened?” questioned Belle. 

“I think he sent Lucas away from here. Momentarily and it will take time for Lucas to return back again. If his apparition works,” said Edgar before he noticed something on the other side, “Or maybe not.”

Belle’s eyes followed Edgar and she noticed Lucas who was lying on the ground. He looked like he was beaten too hard and his body had reached its limit. Winston moved towards her but Edgar came in between them. Unfortunately, as Edgar was created by Winston, all it took was a command for the Grim reaper to bow down. 

“Down!” Winston ordered and Edgar fell on his knees. 

Great, thought Belle to herself.

She didn’t know that Hawverts were able to control the Grims whom they had created. This was nowhere good. Where was Crane?! Asked Belle in panic when Winston made his way towards her. He made sure to let Belle know how much time had been wasted and how much he disliked her for taking something that belonged to him while fooling him from taking a replica of Vervus. 

With one wave of his hand, Belle’s body went flying to hit the already demolished building that was near her. Belle doubted she would be able to find blood in her current condition. She pushed her hand against the ground to get up. When she finally stood up, Winston sent her to crash against another building. 

���Why don’t you hand over the book that you have with you?” asked Winston to her, “I know you have hidden it somewhere in here. 

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” replied Belle to his question. She was glad that she was in her death reaper form where she didn’t have to cough more blood. She wondered how much pain she would feel tomorrow, that was if she could return back to her mortal form. 

“Don’t test my patience, reaper. Where is the book?” Winston asked, his eyes glaring at her. 

“Why don’t you tell me why you killed Crane? Do you know what you did?” Belle asked him. 

Winston rolled his eyes, “Haven’t you heard of the phrase ‘Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong’?” Winston asked before chuckling, “Because he took what is mine.”

Belle frowned. Nothing belonged to Winston in the first place, “The forbidden magic was taken away because of your own actions,” and she saw Winston shake his head. 

“He took the woman who was betrothed to me,” said Winston and Belle finally realised what was going in here. 

“Preciosa,” Belle murmured the name of the girl’s soul that they had taken from Winston’s home.

The rain around them had stopped and only light sounds of clouds clashing each other could be heard.

“I was the one to marry the head priest’s daughter. Everything was going to belong to me, but the demon of the vampire came and spoiled it all,” tched Winston, “I was going to wield the forbidden magic, it was going to be mine. When we found out about the other members death that was taking place around us, the head priest decided to bait the killer and he used his very own daughter.”

“She fell in love with him,” said Belle and Winston spat in distaste. 

“We didn’t expect her to change sides. The black witches back then were much more together unlike now,” Winston continued to say, “So I decided to set it up on how to kill the demon. But who knew that Preciosa had so much power within her that she would come to curse her own people with hate. It was something none of us ever predicted. I lost everything that day. My life because of the fire, the girl whom I wanted beside me and the power that would have come to belong to me but nothing went according to plan.” 

He then said, “We then moved to this land. As if fate was not done with me, do you know what happened? Preciosa just didn’t curse the black witches by taking away the forbidden magic that rightfully belonged to them but she handed it to Crane while leaving me with nothing!”

Belle stared at Winston as his voice was filled with hate. As much as Belle was interested in knowing the story, she was also trying to borrow time, hoping for the other Grim reapers or Crane or Gorron would arrive. 

In that time, Belle turned herself back to her mortal form. She could feel pain erupting from every part of her body. Her heart started to hurt again and she coughed more blood out of her mouth. She didn’t know if she could stall him more and waiting for others was going to be stupid at a time like this. The book was with her and all Winston would have to do was search her robes. 

Bringing her hand up, she covered her mouth as blood splattered on her hand. The corruption was moving forward. She placed her hand on the ground. 

“You stole her soul,” said Belle and Winston smiled. 

“I wonder how you know things. Were you a black witch too?” Winston questioned her but Belle didn’t go to answer it, “As high standing as we are, most of us don’t have memories of who we were or what we were. I knew somewhere deep down I wanted the power that belongs to me but it looks like others haven’t received their memory of the past life. By the time I realised about Preciosa, I decided to steal her soul out of the river of the dead so that I could revive her. Bring her back so that she can reverse the curse.” 

That is why he wanted the book of the dead. To revive Preciosa but that was not good, thought Belle to herself. 

“So. Where is the book?” Winston glowered, stomping his feet on the ground as he made his way towards Belle. 

When Belle had placed her blood covered hand on the ground, she had already started to whisper the forbidden magic without Winston’s knowledge

The pain was excruciating and Belle finally realised how much pain her parent’s had gone through the day when they were poisoned because of spitgrass. She huffed for air, her breath turning shallow. Winston who was walking towards her, his footsteps slowed down. 

He stared at the mortal with a frown before he laughed, “You are a mortal. Here, I thought you were something special but look at you. Your heart is getting corrupted. What a pity.”

When Winston went to take another step, something stopped him, as if resisting his movements and he pushed through before hearing the mortal girl who was on the ground say, 

“Seal!” and the ground lit up with blue light that came from the circles and lines that had formed around them the creatures of the dead.