Epilogue: Taken

About twenty minutes before Hiro met Elroy.

Wanderer looked out the window of Rosary's house and watched as the crowd of people formed in front of the Temporary. He really wanted to be a part of that crowd, but Rosary kept him from doing so since he was a Wanderer. She didn't want to bring unwanted attention in case some people from Josiah's cult were still alive.

"How long do you think this crowd will be here for?" Wanderer asked Rosary as he watched with curious eyes.

"Probably for a couple of Sections," Rosary said. "Come sit down with me and read a book. If you distract yourself, you won't be as sad."

"Hmm… Ok."

Wanderer really wanted to talk to Hiro again and thank him for helping the other Wanderers, but he knew the risk was too great. He also remember the look that people gave him when Hiro walked him across the city as Hiro asked the other people if they knew what Wanderer was.

'I guess it really is for the best.' Wanderer thought somberly.

"Wanda, it'll be ok," Rosary said with a smile. "Just try and-"

*CRUNCH!*

A figure in a white cloak suddenly appeared from the curtain of a window and kicked Wanderer hard in the stomach. He tried to scream, but the impact left him gasping for air. Soon after, a second figure popped up from behind Rosary's chair and wrapped their hands around Rosary's mouth, preventing her from screaming for help. A third figure emerged from another curtain of a window and used some sort of magic to pull out liquid from a vial they were holding. They then shot the liquid straight up Wanderer's nose, causing Wanderer to stop moving.

"I MUST say, this was way too easy considering who we're facing."

A man in a snarky voice and a black trench coat appeared from Rosary's bathroom. Rosary's eyes went from pure anger to complete panic when she saw who it was.

"For an ancient creature, he's quite oblivious," the man joked. "And for someone like you…nah! You really are just a normal, vulgar woman."

The man though for a moment, but quickly brushed it off as soon as he saw the look in Rosary's eyes.

Rosary began to scream and shake, desperately trying to draw attention while attempting to break free. While her screams were muffled, there was still a chance she could be heard. Just a small chance was-

"Can't have that now can we."

As quickly as the though appeared in Rosary's head, a knife was quickly plunged deep into her neck. Her muffled screamed turned into low, gargling noises followed by a gushing stream of blood that sprayed down to the floor and partially onto the man's trench coat.

"Let this be a message," the man said, bring Rosary right up to his face. "If that boy and his pity party even think of following us, they'll wish death gave them mercy. Hell, compared to what I have in store for them…this is mercy for you."

The man snarled at her one last time and ripped the knife out of Rosary's throat. The figure holding her let go, letting Rosary fall face-first onto the floor and bleed out. She twitched and convulsed before finally ceasing any activity, her pupils dilated and her breathing no longer audible.

"Alright, bag the Mistake up and let's go before someone sees us," the man said. "And someone get me a goddamn handkerchief. This dumb bitch got blood all over my coat."

And with that, the man, the three figures, and Wanderer seamlessly vanished from the city, leaving Rosary's corpse to rot in her own house.

Twenty Five Minutes Later

Rosary staggered back up to her feat, rubbing her neck gently to make sure the bleeding had stopped. Her eyes were bloodshot with rage and her fists were clenched tightly. So tight, that they suddenly transformed into something else. Multiple strands, stretched outwards and flung her front door off her house's hinges.

The crowd of people quickly turned to see what the commotion was about, only to tremble in fear upon seeing a woman drenched in her own blood and severely pissed.