Francis' POV

"S-Shin, is it true? Did you just make my hopes high?" She did not answer me and she started breaking a sweat.

"Of course she did. The reason why she came back was so that she could kill her beloved sister to kill me." Midas said.

My feelings went intricate. I do not know if I feel mad, pity, or sad towards Shinerva. I just knew she was just doing what she had to do just to save a life.

I slowly walked towards her and held her cold, shivering hands. She was surprised at my sudden action and looked at me.

"You are not mad?"

I shook my head and said, "Let us do what we have to do, Shin. We are all doing this for Minerva."

I did not notice my tears seeping down on my face until she wiped it for me. She smiled weakly. If burning the book to ashes was arduous for me for it would take Minerva's life even more away from us, then it was two times arduous for her.

"Shin, we both love Minerva. Let us do this."

She nodded then we turned to Midas one last time.

"Let us see her burn this fucking book, Francis."

"Of course. Let us send her back to hell."

Midas startled and took a step back. Her eyes widened in fear and anxiousness. Even ghosts are afraid if they are about to lose or if they do not have the upper-hand.

"Y-You are n-not actually thinking o-of burning that book, are you?" She was stuttering. "C-Come on, think about it! Sativa will d-die with me and we will both be sent to hell. Are y-you sure you guys are fucking okay with that?!"

"You know, Midas, one of my greatest regret in life was getting petrified of a ghost when humans are much scarier."

She gritted her teeth in anger. She was clenching her fists like she wanted to attack us so badly.

"You are nothing without this book, Midas," Shinerva grinned as she raised the book on top of the lighter's flame for Midas to see it. "You should have kept your sister alive. You always think that you can survive without her, but it was all thanks to her that you have come this far. You have no heart and consideration. You are not the best friend I once knew anymore!"

"Let us burn it, Lia."

Hand in hand, we were about to bring the flame to the book when Midas suddenly spoke again.

"W-Wait, please, hear me out!" she blurted out.

"What is it this time, ghost?"

She did not like what I just called her. But she managed to let it pass.

"L-Listen, I swear to l-leave Minerva's body and all of y-you alone. J-Just please do not l-let me go to hell."

Tears fell from her eyes. Shinerva and I exchanged glances. It was so obvious that she was just faking it.

Shinerva sighed, "You know, Midas, after all the dramas we have shared, I think I am smart enough to know which person is showing genuine feelings."

"I guess maybe ghosts like you are scared of hell." I laughed when she glared at me.

Our suspicions were right. Midas' strength came from the book and without it, she is nothing. She depends so much on the book that she did not even notice her sister seeking attention, love, and support.

"D-Damn you! W-We can still t-ta-"

We did not let her finish talking and we put the book so close to the lighter's flame. We let it fall onto the ground. I thought it will not be burned that easily because the book was thick. However, since flame was its weakness, it suddenly took effect and the book's thickness was nothing compared to the raging fire.

Shinerva and I took a step back when very dark energy that sent chills down our spines came out from the book. Those were probably the dark magic that the demon Midas was using. Although it was coming out from the book, it was slowly dissipating into the air.

We both looked at Midas when she screamed in pain. Her knees fell to the sand and she was slowly dissipating. My heart melted when I saw how Minerva's body was also disappearing.

We knew by the time Midas was gone, Minerva will be, too.

"C-Curse y-you...! I-I s-swear t-to h-hell t-that t-the b-book w-will c-continue h-haunting l-lives...!"

She screamed again and as she does that, she completely disappeared in front of us. The book was already burned into very black ashes and the beach went serene. The strong wind did not take the ashes, though, like it was staying there for a reason.

"Francis," She called out. "Look."

She pointed at a distance that I immediately followed. My eyes widened in surprise and my heart skipped a beat when I saw all of my friends in there.

Lainux, Sam, Neal, and Lia—even Sania. They were all smiling at me and their faces were tranquil. I felt my tears seeped down on the side of my face as I replied another smile to them.

After that, I saw how their spirits slowly ascended into Heaven. Their souls were so pure and happy now. They have found their peace.

"We have avenged them."

"Yeah."

"And now, we should place this one in a box," Shinerva crouched down to carefully place the ashes inside the box.

"When did you get that box?"

"While you were watching Midas' slowly disappearing along with my...." She swigged a large amount of her saliva. "Sister's body and soul."

That hit me. Even if she tried to act tough, she was still in pain after all that was happening. I looked at the sky as I could feel the sun waking up.

"It is all done... right? We are in peace now, right?" I did not look at Shinerva as I asked those consecutive questions.

I heard Lia sighed and I felt she stood up and watched the rising sun beside me.

"The pain will surely pass. Although, this pain we feel right now will prolly take more than a lot of years to mend," she said softly.

I just nodded to her. Little by little, we could hear the laughter of the children and the people coming towards us.

"Minerva always wanted to go to the beach when she was a kid even though she was scared of it," She uttered a broken chuckle. "I never liked the beaches. But for my sister, I was willing to just shrug it off."

I laughed softly because of what she said.

"I think I heard her telling Lia and Sam before how she hated the ocean but she always felt like it was always calling her," I released a worn-out sigh. "I guess we just really miss M—"

"M-Minerva...?"

"Yeah, Minerva. Wait, why are you—"

"Francis, just look!" Shinerva turned my body to see a girl standing a little away from us.

The voices of the tourists of Davengull may have become clear to me as they were coming right at us, but the image of the girl standing right before us was even clearer.

"M-Min...!" I could not bear it anymore and I ran towards her.

She was smiling as I locked her in my arms. Her body was warm and I could say she was not a ghost nor an imagination.

"Y-You are alive!" I pulled away to witness her face.

"I c-can not believe it myself," Like me, she looked very shocked as well. She even kept moving her fingers and pinched herself just to see if she was not imagining. "H-How am I still alive, anyway?"

"Maybe it is because you have done nothing wrong but being used by Midas' evil soul," Shinerva came closer to her.

Minerva cried when she saw her sister right before her very eyes.

"S-Shinerva...!" She hugged her sister tightly and cried on her shoulder.

"I have missed you, Minerva. I have missed you so so much!"

"I missed you, too!" Minerva pulled away and I chuckled when I saw how red her nose and eyes were. "Do not leave me ever again, you got that?! Promise me!"

Shinerva nodded and said, "Never. I p-promise."

They first exchanged another hug before they pulled away from each other and Minerva looked at me.

"We still have a lot to talk about, Francis."

*****

10 years later...

Living in the Philippines was not that easy for me. At first, I was struggling to learn their language. Second, I was struggling for its very hot climate since it is a tropical country. Third, the internet connection was very low.

I mean, I can live without the internet but it is very different compared to the States. No offense. Well, I was just laying down on my bed, playing games.

"Francis! Come down here!" I immediately stood up when the girl who just meant the world to me just called.

"What is it, Min?"

"Did you see where I put the car keys? I was planning to buy something at the convenience store two blocks away from here but I can not seem to find them. Do you know where I put it?"

"Car keys? Did you check the rooftop? We went there immediately when we got home from the supermarket after lunch. I am sure it is in there."

"The rooftop? Wait, I will check it out," I laughed when she hurriedly went to the rooftop. "Do not laugh at me, Francis Zaveri, or you will not have dinner!"

"Okay!" I still laughed, though, even if she told me not to.

I sat down on the chair in the kitchen. Ten years ago, we successfully defeated Midas and sent her back to the underworld. We thought Minerva was gone, too, but she came back.

She was never sent for she had done nothing wrong. She was innocent. Shinerva and I have studied her movements in years just to see something suspicious. Luckily, she was all fine.

Shinerva is living in Japan right now with her Japanese boyfriend. Minerva became my fiance when I proposed to her 5 years ago. I looked at our engagement ring and it always soothes me to the core. Remembering that day when I proposed to Minerva, it was so splendid and wonderful—so gorgeous.

These past few years, I thought the history between Shinerva and I would complicate her relationship with Minerva. Until Shinerva talked with her sister alone and cleared out to her that she does not have feelings for me anymore. Shinerva and I's history has long been declared gone.

I came back to my senses when I realized that Minerva has never come back from the rooftop yet. I got suddenly nervous as I stood up and headed there. Minerva may be normal, but the only thing that has changed was that she easily forgets things.

When I reached the rooftop, my eyes quickly saw a girl who was looking at the stars above. I walked towards her.

"The stars are beautiful," she uttered.

I also looked up.

"You are right. Perhaps this is the reason why it took you so long to come back down?" I looked at her as she chortled.

"Sorry. I just know you love me so much more than I love myself, Francis." She laughed again that made me smile.

"I found the keys," She showed it to me. "Anyway, since it has been five years since... that happened, do you think it might still come back?"

I suddenly recollected the last words that Midas uttered. I felt a bit anxious, however, I just shrugged it off.

"Shinerva sealed and buried it deep within the forest in Japan, Min. We have done everything that we could."

I came closer towards her and kissed her lips passionately. Her lips were so soft and if I could kiss her all day, I would. We both pulled away and she hugged me tightly.

"You are right. It is impossible. Yeah, it will not come back."

"I am always here for you, Min. Forever and always."

She rested her head on my shoulders as we witnessed the stars together above. All these years I could not deny that I still feel uneasiness in my surroundings. I knew Midas meant those last statements she uttered.

However, if ever the book comes back, we should be prepared for the worst.

And if ever there will be another cryptic assassin, I will never let them get to Minerva again.