Aconitum: Epilogue
If one had a choice, they would definitely not choose the dilapidated Shrieking Shack as their dwelling, its walls peeling, floors stained, moth-eaten furniture, and boarded-up windows, allowing only a microscopic stream of light into the building.
Stepping over the creaky floorboards, decrepit and splintering at the edges, Valeria, wand held high, cautiously yet hurriedly makes her way up to the second floor. A distant moan is heard. Picking up her pace, the witch turns into the corridor, laced with cobwebs, and travels to the direction of the moan, leading her to the far bedroom. The rickety door, almost entirely off its hinges, is swung open, a lanky figure curled up in the corner of the dark room. With a start, Valeria rushes over to her brother’s side. Sensing her presence, the wizard, ready for his painful transformation, grabs Valeria and with a low growl, his fingers tighten around her neck, and shoves her against the wall. Valeria drops her wand. Alain’s usual emerald eyes are now of a coal colour, hostile as his animal instincts start to cloud his mind. Valeria chokes, but manages to sputter out a few words: "Alain! C'est moi! C'est Valeria!“
The wizard’s disheveled chestnut head cocks to the side as if understanding her words, but his grip remains tight, teeth baring. Managing to free her hand from behind the wall, Valeria reaches into her robes and frantically searches for her vial of Wolfsbane potion, as Alain’s grip becomes almost unbearable. Her fingers pick up on the vial’s cool, glass-like material, and with the whip of her hand, all while trying to stay alive as Alain starts to slash at her face, Valeria one-handedly uncaps the vial and forces the liquid into her brother’s gaping maw. With the Wolfsbane potion now seeping through his system, he lets his sister go, leaving her gasping for air, as his transformation begins. With a howl, werewolf Alain retreats into the corner and curls up in a ball. With a sigh of relief, Valeria knows that her acts have been successful. Picking up her wand and catching her breath once more, she turns to the door and starts to head back to the castle.
