It seemed that even if the old Corpse Ghoul remembered how his entire family had been slaughtered by the Demon, he still could not escape the relic's influence.
"You persisted in remembering these things so that you could save your family?"
"And for revenge."
His murky yellow eyes revealed emotions that seemed capable of burning everything to ash:
"Someone will always stop Stone Osenfott. No one in this world is without enemies. I know we can't do it—not even now that we have power. But I also know that someone will eventually come searching for that treasure and drive it from our world. For that, even another hundred years of torment would be worth it."
Though ordinary people's emotions could not create true miracles in this True World, at least they had all done what they could.
"Where is that item now?"
Shade asked. The old Corpse Ghoul shook his head.
"Defeat me. Defeat me by any means. Prove that you can do it, and I'll give it to you."
"Actually, I know. It's most likely on your youngest daughter. Fine. I'll prove it."
The old Corpse Ghoul crashed through the glass and leaped from the third-floor window into the snow-filled courtyard beneath the black night. Shade first put away the framed family photograph from the bedside table, then carried his suitcase to the window. A swarm of Red Butterflies like streaks of light flew from the brightly lit room into the night.
The Red Butterflies carried the suitcase, gathering again in the snowy ground that had been completely buried beneath heavy snow and reforming Shade's body. The last butterfly lingered reluctantly before vanishing from Shade's left shoulder.
By then, the old Corpse Ghoul had released the ghost dog. The Corpse Ghoul crouched on the ground as pitch-black Demon runes