In the attic, I find a sniper rifle and a note about the "Death Flower Dagger" coated with ancient poisons. Evading an enraged Dimitrescu after defeating her daughters, I solve castle puzzles, collect all stone masks, and return to the hall, fitting them into statues.
"Should open the way," I say.
"No dagger," Eveline notes.
"It's ahead, with these defenses," I reply.
The grand door opens to the castle's outer wall, facing a towering structure. Freezing wind hits; Eveline shivers.
"Cold… it's here?" she asks.
"Search the tower. Hope Dimitrescu doesn't show," I say.
"She'll notice the masks," Eveline warns.
Inside, a church-like room holds a coffin. Opening it reveals a corpse clutching a sharp dagger—Death Flower. As I grab it, Eveline shouts.
"Ethan!"
"Gah!?"
Dimitrescu, furious, twists my dagger-holding hand, stabbing my gut with her claws.
"You ruined everything!" she roars.
"Argh!" I scream.
"Get off Ethan, big hag!" Eveline yells.
"No more taunts, girl. I'll drain him!" Dimitrescu snarls.
Lifted by her claws, I notice my hand's free. I stab her side with the dagger.
"Did it!?" Eveline cheers.
"Agh!" Dimitrescu, eyes bloodshot, grabs my neck, hurling me through a window. I cling to the dagger, tucking it into my belt.
"Ethan, she's changing!" Eveline warns.
Her body morphs—dragon wings, lizard limbs, a grotesque head. She bursts through the wall.
"A dragon!?" I gasp.
"Cooler than Jack's mutation! Cheater hag!" Eveline shouts.
"I'm a lady!" Dimitrescu bellows.
White, armless, with tentacles, she retains a feminine silhouette. My gut's healed—mold's work—but she's no joke.
"Your flesh, bones, all mine!" she roars.
"Ugh!" I grunt, grabbed by her massive claw as she flies.
"Blood! More blood!" she demands.
"Last resort, Ethan!" Eveline shouts.
Eveline melts into black mold, forming a pool. A face emerges, neck stretching—a monstrous version of her rampage form from three years ago.
"What!?" Dimitrescu gasps.
"Let Ethan go!" Eveline's beast roars.
Aerial chase ensues—white dragon versus black monster. Eveline's tentacles corner Dimitrescu, who dodges, thinking they're solid, landing on a tower and tossing me.
"Lucky, Ethan!" she sneers.
"Finally, a form matching your insides, monster!" I retort.
"She's the monster!" Dimitrescu points at Eveline.
"She's family. Cuter than you!" I snap.
"Die!" she lunges.
I fire the sniper rifle, hitting her mouth. She shrieks, flying off as Eveline's beast closes in. I aim for a battleground.
"What's that kid!? Child to monster, like us Four Lords! Only Miranda and you see my true form—pay for it!" Dimitrescu rages, summoning bugs.
I shoot them down with dual pistols, dodging.
"No free rein!" Eveline growls.
"You'll take everything!? I'll gut you!" Dimitrescu snarls.
"You took first! My daughter, the villagers! I regret your daughters, but you don't get to judge!" I shout.
Dimitrescu charges, mouth wide. I aim the rifle at her head, firing three shots.
"Too late! I'll eat you!" she roars.
Cornered, I dash back. Need a plan!
"No escape! I'll crush you!" she bellows.
"Eveline, can you morph my limbs to the fast one!?" I ask.
"Quick-Molded!" she replies.
Eveline reverts to human form, floating beside me, morphing my limbs. I leap onto Dimitrescu's dragon back, Eveline following.
"What!?" Dimitrescu gasps.
"No escape for you," I say.
"Give up, old hag!" Eveline taunts.
"Don't say that! Admit I'm terrifying!" Dimitrescu roars.
"Cooler, but die!" Eveline retorts.
"Human form was scarier!" I add.
On her thrashing back, her tentacles attack. I grip with Quick-Molded legs, slashing with clawed arms. Monster versus monster.
"Rose is our hope! You'll never have her! Killing my daughters, human!?" Dimitrescu screams.
"Sorry, but you, murderer of countless girls, don't get to talk!" I yell.
"Calling him human!?" Eveline laughs.
"Exactly!" I nod.
Signaling Eveline, my right hand reverts. I grab the Death Flower Dagger. Dimitrescu soars to shake me off.
"I'll end you!" she roars.
"You'll end!" Eveline and I shout.
Clinging with Quick-Molded legs, I grab a tentacle with my left claw, stabbing her chest with the dagger. She vomits blood, powerless without arms. I drive it deeper. Her wings fail, and we plummet toward a tower. The dagger flies off. I'm done for!
"You'll die with me, Winters! Never see Rose!" Dimitrescu cackles.
"Damn it!" I curse.
"Ethan, grab the wall!" Eveline yells.
"Right!"
My right hand morphs to Quick-Molded, clinging to the wall. Dimitrescu crashes, the impact echoing. I land beside her.
"I curse you!" she groans, calcifying into a crystalline statue.
"You're the cursed one," I spit.
"Don't curse me!" Eveline squeaks.
A true team effort to beat her. What now?
Eveline's intangibility fooled Dimitrescu to the end. Her rampage form debuted, only stunning foes.
Hope you enjoy! Ratings, feedback, typo reports welcome—more feedback, faster I write!