Maiden appears as she slowly but surely chops down some trees and sets them up like a tent
Maiden finishes as she climbs to the top looking around
"Burn the witch, they say! Burn! Burn! For let her live not one more day! Burn! Burn!" Maiden says as she sicks out her hands, setting the bottom of the wood on fire as it slowy makes its way up. Maiden sighs as it gets closer. A tear leaves her face before it gets closer... and closer...
Knight do be running towards the fire in the WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODS.
Luna walks through the WOOOOOOOOOOOOOODS. Then she climbs a tree and swings through the BRANCHESSSSSSSSSSS.
Cole is sprinting after Knight in the woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooods.
“WOOOOOOOO FIRE!!” Knight screams. They all see Maiden at the top of what looks to be a teepee fire. “YAY FIRE”
Luna stays silent. Cole just stares at Maiden as he twiddles his thumbs
“They made a deal with the devil they say… so let them burn burn burn…” The fire consumes Maiden as she screams bloody murder. Knight just stares at the fire with a wide grin. Luna closes her eyes. She does not want to watch a former friend die. Cole cannot look away.
“I'm… sorry..” They can barely make out before the screams stop as Maidens body falls to the ground in font of the group
"..."
{-Lunes?-}
Knight snaps out of his daze. “Heh? Oh. Oh shit.”
Luna goes down to her friend's body. "Can someone heal her? I know what I'm asking here. I...recognize how fucking stupid I sound here, but I don't want to see her die."
“Maiden killed you and Chris.” Knight says.
"...she did yes." Some owls in the trees watch them. Cole is just staring forward, twiddling his thumbs as black tar tears stream down his face. "But... even Nammu believed she was being manipulated by Byleth. He took advantage of her!"
There are some camera flashes by the owls.
"I... recognize that she murdered me, Ningirsu, and Chris, but... I forgive her. I know the real Maiden is in there somewhere." Luna says.
“……Fine.” Knight kneels down next to Maiden and heals her. Luna is hyperventilating. She doesn't know what the fuck is going on. Maiden gasps as her eyes open. She looks to Luna from the ground and looks back, tearing up. Luna tries to hug her.
"Maiden... I..." Luna says.
Maiden accepts the hug, “I’m a monster… you said so… a monster I am…”
"You're not a monster. You were manipulated by Byleth. He knew you wanted power to enact revenge for your friends... He's truly the evil one here." Luna sighs, "...I... forgive you for killing me."
{-Lunes, how are we going to explain this to the kiss?-}
{"I don't know."}
“It’s…. It’s not revenge I wanted… I… I just wanted… I just wanted… to be noticed… to be powerful yes… but be accepted… with Byleth… I feel… free… like the world is not on my shoulders… like… everything… was mine for once…”
"...Maiden? Please... we need to stop Byleth."
Maiden looks panicked as she stands, “I… I can’t I… I have to stay with him… he will kill me if I don’t I just know it. I… the gods will kill me.. EVERYONE… will kill me”
Luna looks to her with pleading eyes. "He's manipulating you, Maiden... he'll throw you away when you lose your usefulness.. I promise you... I will protect you.. It's my duty as Marked. Even Nammu believes it."
“No no no NO! I can’t I can’t! He will kill me! I have to stay!” Maiden is shaking
"......is this why you attempted your own life?"
“…Melody… she hates me… everyone hates me… I did not care but Melody… I see myself in her… and when you see yourself hate… yourself… it’s… hard to bear…”
"Melody...still cares.. She's scared.. scared that you... or the Naomis... will hurt her. Will hurt those she loves.." Luna looks down in defeat. "It's...what we're all scared of."
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
"On my life, I forgive you.." Luna says, "Can't... exactly promise the feeling is mutual amongst the Kiss, but.. Just know at least one person believes in you, Maiden. And if anything happens to you, I will be there to protect you. It's what... friends do."
“…” Maiden has no words as tears stream her face Luna hugs her some more.
{"Guys, I don't know what to do..."}, she sends to Cole and Knight via telepathy. Cole is just standing there, twiddling his thumbs while crying black tar. Casually.
Knight, {You do realize I shouldn’t comment on this right?}
“Luna… I don’t know what to do… I’m scared…” Maiden sobs.
"...I uhhh don't know either. Byleth is a genuinely scary person. But I believe everything will work out.. god that sounds cheesey." Luna is ✨ dying here ✨ "We... take it one step at a time." Luna is visibly shaking, trying to figure out what the hell to do, "I don't know. I'm sure the Gods will accept you once more. The issue is Byleth.. and reviving Chris and Buck. I really don't know what I'm doing."
“No one does.” Knight chimes in.
"...look, Maiden, I'm not sure what to say. The Kiss doesn't want you around, I'm afraid. Attacking us... was the last straw unfortunately. What you do from here is up to you. Just know that... even though things are completely fucked, I still care about you. And we'll always be friends. I'm sorry, Maiden."
“Maiden, you are very fortunate that I decided to trust Luna. If it were up to me I would’ve just walked away, like I am now.” Knight then heads back for Harmonia’s house. Luna chooses to stay by her side for a bit longer.
Maiden dries up her tears as she looks to Luna, “They think I’m a monster… I am a monster… what I did… I’m a monster”
"...I mean you ended Chris's life and murdered a God, plus you had Naomis attack the house. Sure, was Byleth behind it? Absolutely. But it was still by your hand." Luna looks serious. A rarity. "You're lucky my friends trust me."
“I see no reason you should be killing me right now… They will never be able to see me as friend ever again…”
"I refuse to murder a friend, even if said friend attempted to end my life."
“They will never see me the same again… I don’t know what to do…”
"I mean, you could start by reviving Chris."
"I... I dont know how... Ill see if I can find his soul.... but I dont know how...."
"That would be incredible. Past that, I recommend laying low. We're all still suffering from the brunt of your attacks this week. It's understandable that they're hurt or they think you're a monster. You've hurt all of us. But this is where you can begin to atone. Not... by fire I mean."
"Ok... I'll try... to change... for you... and Melody..."
"Thank you, Flower Maiden. I believe in you and I'm sure Melody does too. You're a strong independent woman that don't need no King of Hell." Luna gives her her Discord information. "If you find Chris's soul, you are welcome to DM me the information. I'll relay it to Cole." "Until then, if you need anything, you know how to contact me. Like Vehemence."
"Ok.... Thanks.."
"I wish you the best of luck, Maiden." Luna waves goodbye and disappears, hoping the next time she sees Maiden, it's for something good.
Shortly following saving Maiden from being roasted alive, Luna received a DM from Maiden saying where Chris’s body was.
--
"Hey Luna. Found where Chris's soul might be. The Elysian Fields" Maiden says.
"Of course it's in Elysium. Okay, thanks for the heads up Maiden. Hope you're able to find a place to lay low. I'll let Cole know in a bit." Luna responds, thankful for Maiden even if she caused a bunch of chaos.
"Ok... Thanks"
"Anytime."
--
She heads into the group chat to let Cole and Harmonia know what she learned.
--
After getting together with the two of them, Luna, Cole, and Harmonia travel to Hell and acquire Mnemosyne’s water and to go rescue Chris. Unfortunately, their trip to The Elysian Fields was interrupted by Byleth who offered them a deal: kill one of the other Marked in order to rescue Chris. It can be any Marked, and whoever dies will be stuck in Elysium until someone else dies. A soul for a soul. Thankfully, Maiden was a potential target as well. Luna, Harmonia, and Cole return home preparing for tomorrow’s plan.