Mrs. Ruth appeared suddenly in Chief Mina's mansion, her surroundings striking her with an eerie stillness. The once cacophonous space now felt like a frozen gathering such as grotesque creatures caught mid-snarl, gods poised mid-chant, and spirits trapped in their wails. She took cautious steps forward, her heels echoing faintly on the marble floor. Her bruises burned as she surveyed the unnatural stillness.
Turning her head, she spotted Obianuju chained and motionless, his expression locked in anguish. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what had happened, but the sight of the altar pulled her attention.
Mirabel lay there, still as death, but her eyes moved. She was the only being in the room untouched by the freeze. Ruth's breath caught in her throat as she rushed forward, tossing the chocolate box aside.
"Mirabel!" she cried, gathering her daughter into a tight embrace. For a moment, her heart filled with relief. She had found her daughter. She had saved her.
But Mirabel's voice broke the illusion.
"Mother," Mirabel said softly, pulling away from the embrace. "I can't leave."
Ruth frowned, confusion etching lines across her face. "What are you talking about? Of course, you can! You don't belong here!"
Mirabel's expression hardened, her eyes steady as she clasped her mother's hands.
"I understand how you feel, but this is my world now. I am part of them, Mother. This is who I am."
"No, no!" Ruth's voice cracked with desperation. "You're a believer. You're my daughter. You don't belong to this darkness!" She sobbed, clutching Mirabel's hand tightly. "Don't worry. I'll fix this. I'll fix everything once I solve the puzzle."
"There's no puzzle, Mother."
The words hit Ruth like a blow. She blinked, struggling to process what she had just heard. "No puzzle? What are you saying?"
"It's all a lie," Mirabel said, her voice tinged with pity. "The puzzle was a distraction, just another deceitful story told to buy time. Don't you see the bigger picture? Don't you see it Mother?".
Ruth staggered back, shaking her head. "No! Your father told me to solve it. He said I had powers…he said it was the only way!"
"Father lied." Mirabel's voice was steady but pained. "He only wanted to keep you away from this place while he figured out a way to save me. The ribbon was all he needed, and you've already found it."
Ruth stared at the red ribbon tied around her bruised hand. Anger bubbled beneath her confusion, and with trembling fingers, she untied it.
"You mean I suffered all this, these bruises, this torment, this mansion, for a ribbon?" Ruth muttered bitterly.
"Mother, no!" Mirabel's voice rose sharply, her calm demeanor cracking. "Don't remove it! You can still save Father…"
It was too late. The moment the ribbon fell from Ruth's hand, the room shuddered. Time resumed with a roar.
The creatures sprang to life, snarling and snapping. The gods continued their chant, and the Alpha plunged the golden dagger toward Mirabel's chest. But Ruth acted instinctively, grabbing the discarded chocolate box and smashing it against the Alpha's head.
The blow echoed like thunder, sending the dagger clattering to the ground. The Alpha staggered back, clutching his head, before dissolving into black mist. The box pulsed faintly in Ruth's hands, its power undeniable.
But before she could breathe a sigh of relief, Chief Mina appeared behind her, grabbing her roughly by the hair. "Foolish woman," he hissed, dragging her toward the altar.
Chaos erupted. The air cracked with the sound of swords clashing as Obianuju's ancestors materialized, their forms glowing and ethereal. Seven warriors, each bearing a shining blade, faced off against Mina's dark spirits. Fourteen shadowy figures emerged, each wielding cursed rings that glimmered with malevolent energy.
The battle shook the mansion to its foundations. Every strike of the swords sent shockwaves through the air, shattering light bulbs and leaving scorch marks on the walls. Creatures roared and scattered, some fighting, others fleeing. Slaves ran for cover, their chains rattling against the ground.
Obianuju, finally freed from his chains, lunged toward Mina but was struck down by one of the dark spirits. He crumpled to the floor, motionless.
In the midst of the chaos, Mirabel stood silently on the altar. Her eyes roved over the carnage before settling on the fallen dagger. Without hesitation, she picked it up and plunged it into her own chest.
The room went silent.
The gods froze mid-chant. The creatures stopped mid-strike. Even Mina stumbled, clutching his chest as if feeling the pain of the wound himself. All eyes turned to Mirabel.
She rose slowly from the altar, the dagger still embedded in her chest. But she was no longer the same. Her presence radiated power, her movements deliberate and commanding.
The creatures, gods, and dark spirits bowed their heads in submission.
Mirabel began to speak, her voice calm but laced with authority. "Look at what you've done, Mina. All this destruction, all this deceit and for what? To claim me as your bride? You couldn't even convince me to marry you properly, that you had to borrow the body of another and change your identity you wicked and evil man", She continues… "Now I'm forced to confront more than family drama, I just didn't recognize the unsettling darkness that laid in my vibrant wedding".
She chuckled as she looks at her Mother who was sat on the ground, "But Mother, you were so engrossed by your reputation that you just couldn't see me for who I was, you've always wanted me to do more and meet your relentless scheming, LOL,Mother look at me now, I finally got married, I am a wife now and take a look at my diamond ring", pointing at her finger, "it looks just like yours Mother, are you happy now? Are you happy!!!?" Mirabel spoke in a very painful and regretful note.
Mina stepped forward cautiously. "My bride," he said softly. "You shouldn't be burdened with this. Let me handle your wicked family."
Mirabel's eyes narrowed, her voice sharp. "Why don't you handle yourself first, you fool and do not speak of my family like that. Whatever they are, they are mine, not yours to judge."
She turned toward her Father, who groaned weakly on the floor. "Father," she called, kneeling beside him. "Why did you lie to Mother about the puzzle?"
Obianuju coughed, struggling to sit up.
"I needed her to find the ribbon and the box. It was the only way to delay Mina's plans long enough for me to figure out how to save you."
Mirabel's expression softened slightly, but her voice remained firm. "And now? What's your plan, Father? Because this…" she gestured to the chaos around them "is no victory."
Mirabel returned to the altar, surveying the gods, spirits, and creatures that now knelt before her. "This isn't the end," she said, her voice resonating through the room. "This is only the beginning, you chose to accept the wrong bride and I am no weak woman".