Veles disappeared and a stunned silence fell over the group. An unexpected voice from the entrance drew their attention. It was Lin, hand grasping the flap of the big top to help him stand.

"So the worst came to pass," he let out a shaky breath. "Veles has taken control of my brother's body, but even if things look pretty bleak right now, we have one shot left. You all know what I'm referring to, right?"

Smolkie staggered to a stand and took off his glasses to wipe the tears from his eyes, "Indeed I do, young man. The last thing Io said to me - to us, rather, was 'find Ran.' You're in no shape to be up and about, I say, but... do you have any guidance for us?"

"I do in fact," Lin nodded. "Ran's... love for Io is no secret to the rest of us, hah. I know it's why she hates my guts. Anyway, Io was attempting to cast a spell here that'll destroy Veles for good, but it's a lot riskier than just whacking the host. Cut a long story short, Io was tryin' to hide it from the rest of us, but my guess is he had a back-up plan. He was being super secretive when we first settled in here, but if he's saying to find Ran, chances are she knows that back-up plan..." His voice trailed off as he started to fall forward, but Velvet at the back of the group was there to help him maintain his balance.

He gave her the best smile he could muster under such dire circumstances, "I'm... sorry for what I did to you, miss."

She looked away from his piercing gaze with puffed-up cheeks, "Hmph! You better be. Don't think I've forgiven you!" He nodded slowly.

The group left the big top, then, and noticed something strange. A flock of birds flew out of the nearby forest in frantic flight. In their seeming escape, Lin noticed a flash of what might have been a baby blue sparkle amongst the birds. His eyes widened and automatically he felt his legs begin to move despite their ache. "H-hey, hold on! You shouldn't be running yet!" Velvet called out and he stopped briefly to look over his shoulder: "Sorry, but I feel like she's there! I know it." He busted out into a sprint towards the forest.

"Hey, wait up!" Vyctor hissed as he followed the red haired man. Velvet and Smolkie went running after him, surprised at the sudden race. The delicate heiress struggled to keep up, but the peculiar hypnotist helped her along.

Lin only abruptly stopped when they reached the forest entrance, goosebumps crawling through his skin when he heard a strange unsettling sound. It sounded like a banshee crying in despair through an echoed tunnel. A small family of deer came running out of the forest along with a pair of foxes that seemed bent on escape. Fear began to curdle in his stomach, thinking that the worst had transpired. It seemed he wasn't the only one scared.

Vyc stopped beside him while making a face, "The hell is that?"

"It's Ran." He said with cold determination while making a brisk walk towards the sound, Vyc right behind him while staying alert.

"We have to go -there-?" Velvet protested while she saw the two men make their way deeper into the creepy forest.

"Our choices are quite limited, I say! We must follow them and make things right." Smolkie gave a nod and seemed to be perfectly alright despite the mad dash.

"Ugh, why am I always stuck with these things..." Despite all of her complaints, Velvet made a real effort to catch up to the two.

The two men waited for Velvet and Smolkie as the wailing cries of Ran's distorted voice echoed throughout the forest. Each step brought the group closer to the sound, each step making them feel like falling into the same crazed despair. The cry was accompanied by a scraping noise that really put Velvet on edge. She grabbed onto Vyc's jacket and he gave her a brave expression.

The moment Lin spotted Ran, his heart dropped. She had two extra pairs of appendages frantically digging through the soil, tears streaming down the dark abyss of her eyes. She looked to be extremely upset, exaggerated by the wide frown on her precious unblinking face. After digging in one spot, her beautiful butterfly wings floated her to another and she continued what seemed to be her fruitless struggle.

"Ran...?" Lin began softly while gently walking towards her, taking one step at a time in order not to startle the bug-eyed acrobat. Velvet covered her mouth in a gasp while Vyctor frowned and Smolkie tightened his hold on the pocket watch, ready to act.

Ran cried desperately, ignoring Lin even though she knew he was there. Purposefully, she flew around him to search in another spot while they could see mounds of overturned dirt littering the area. Nothing else seemed to matter.

"Ran, please! Listen to me!" Lin tried again with more urgency in his voice.

Despair. Sorrow. Frenzy.

"Ran...! What are you looking for? How can we hel- wait!" In his concern, he hadn't considered the most obvious conclusion. "Io's journals! He always hid them from me... not that I wanted to look. You know where they are, don't you? They hold the answer, right?"

Hysteria. Her cries grew louder like a tantrumed scream as if she couldn't comprehend what he was saying.

In a sudden flash, shadows began to surround Lin. Unnatural. Sinister. Hell bent on destroying everything that got in her way.

"Lin, my boy! Your whip! Use it now, quickly!" Smolkie shouted as he held the pocket watch in both hands, chanting.

"My whip?" Lin glanced back at him and then at the rampaging Ran, shaking his head. "You got it. Sorry about this, Ran!" He cracked the whip and spun it a few times like a lasso before slinging it skillfully in Ran's direction. Simultaneously, Smolkie let loose the spell he was charging to power the whip. It wrapped around her arms and even though she tried to break it with her demonic strength, she couldn't.

"Hold fast, my boy!" Smolkie leapt forward as Lin held his ground with a grunt, and the hypnotist swung his watch to press it against the butterfly with his words of power: "Debilis tenebrae animus!" Ran let out a scream of pain as shadow spilled out of her body. Lin caught her as she collapsed backwards, and Smolkie gently guided her dazed focus to the swinging watch. Her memories were intensely jumbled, but he was determined.

---

Ran's father was an accomplished doctor and to many, a bona-fide hero. He was a surgeon who gave his all to save lives. Her mother...

THE MEMORY DISTORTS...

He gave his little princess the world. Spoiled her with anything and everything she never asked for. He would take her to...

THE MEMORY BURNS...

... One day, he didn't come to pick her up from school. She was left alone in the shivering rain, but she kept on a smile. She knew papa would never let her down. Never ever...

THE MEMORY SHATTERS...

"Hey... we should probably take her far away, yeah?"

She was alone in a corner. Two grownups in blue were talking. She didn't care. Where was papa? One suddenly shouted and she huddled closer to herself.

"That monster ended more - ***** - than he saved!"

She hugged her knees to her chest, scared. Confused. Alone. Alone. Alone.

THE MEMORY... CRYSTALLIZES

"Hey," a gentle voice called out. She hugged her knees tighter. "Your name's Ran, isn't it?" She shook her head strongly. "Mine's Io!" She sniffled. "Do you... want to play with us?" Her ears perked. "It must be boring sitting in this corner all alone! I'd know, too, because I liked the corner when I first got here. But once you get to know them, these kids aren't so bad!" She made the mistake of glancing up at his smiling face. Her breath caught in her throat.

Gorgeous opalescent eyes were looking down at her. Beautiful, like a kaleidoscope of colors that were, in that moment, all for her. But the most important feeling she could read in them was truthfulness.

"You looked up! I'm so happy..." Io smiled, and she couldn't help but giggle. But quickly clasped her tiny hands over her mouth. "Thass wh-what makes you ha-happwy? Th-that's silly!" It was hard for her to talk coherently, but he understood.

"No!" He retorted. "What would make me happy is if you were happy, Ran."

She blinked slowly and for the first time since coming to the orphanage, gave a smile.

---

Ran opened her eyes to the face of her archnemesis, but now wasn't the time for that. "Lin, I..." She choked back a sob and he wiped her tears with a smile. "I'm so so-sorry..." She whispered.

"For what? I know you love Io," he chuckled. "We all knew it. Except maybe Io himself. I'm sorry for always getting in your way."

Ran's face went beet red as she reached up to strangle him, but couldn't find the drive. "No, I've de-decided. I'm not going to hi-hide anymore, but first we have to get our lo-lovable numbskull back!"

Lin gestured to the pages with a nod, "And now we have just the thing to do it." He gave a look to Smolkie, Velvet, and Vyc in turn. "Will you help us finally put this nightmare to an end?"

Vyc cracked his knuckles, "You kidding? Of course. 'Specially after reading your boy's journals. That monster needs to be put down."

Velvet narrowed her eyes, "I may not pack a punch, but anyone who messes with kids needs a swift kick where the sun doesn't shine!"

"That has been my life's purpose for so very long, my boy! There's no way you'll finish this without Dr. Smolkie McMoy's undivided help!"

"Thank you," Lin nodded and hoisted Ran up onto his back with her arms around his neck, feet dangling either side of him. Moments later, the group emerged from the forest to join the others, but it was a surprise what awaited them.

Vanora and all the members of Cirque ad Infinitum were conscious. Berinhard gave a stroke of his moustache with a jolly grin, Arika raced forward to hug them, and Constance gave a thumbs up to Ran. The pieces were finally together, and now the only thing to do was begin the incantation provided by Io to enter Veles' realm.

To bring an end to their suffering once and for all.