The Vampire's Harvest

51

You snatch the rope from around your waist and place it across your palms as you begin to chant a generic spell. You wish you could conjure up some directive for the spell, but all you know is you need this rope to ensure Ell makes it out alive. So you focus all of your concentration upon that thought as the cord grows hot in your hands.

With the conclusion of your muttered words, the rope rises up and darts forward. It encircles the duke, wrapping him tight within the sturdy cord. He howls with anger as his arms push against the bindings, his teeth gnashing with frustration. Ell takes the opportunity to sprint towards the door and your breath catches as a smile stretches across your face. Her hands reach out for the handle of the door...

Then, she bursts into flames.

All around you is a swirl of screams and clouds of ash. Burning flesh chokes your breath and your eyes water from the heat emanating from the charcoal carcasses. However, you register none of it, your whole focus is trained upon the pile of dust that was your ticket out of town and into a life of romance and mystery.

That night, Ferris and the coven rejoiced. The town was free from any vampire's hold. Though many grew to love the ability to choose how they spent their life, you and Ailisa spend the majority of your days trudging through work and marching towards sleep. Ailisa, at least, had the drive and motivation to look into other towns not far from your own. Towns where you could disappear to and find a vamp to fulfill all the dreams you both were promised. However, you didn't see a point. You had found your vamp. You had touched your dream, but it had vanished as quickly as any dream does with the coming of the unforgiving morning sun.

Unable to leave you as you were, Ailisa remained at your side so that the two of you could wallow in mutual misery. However, the vampires eventually regrouped and reclaimed the town. Ferris and the coven simply weren't enough to hold them back. The coven was beaten and Ferris executed.

Then the balls returned.

As much as Ailisa wanted to remain your stalwart friend and ally, she couldn't resist the allure of immortality once the balls returned to town. With your blessing, she eagerly attended the first year's ball and was snatched away that very night.

She wrote letters to you often, promising you that the life you both dreamed of was real and within your grasp should you simply take it. However, no matter how many balls you attended, none of the vampires measured up to Ell. They didn't have her charm, her smile, or her little gifts.

Each year you wondered what could have been, never living out what you truly had.

***

You've found one of the unsuccessful endings for this branch of the story... Why not go back and see if you can find the right item to save Ell?