Persinthemum, persinthemum, persinthe..she didn't finish the last word as she gazed up towards the looming castle ahead. The skies had turned an ominous tar colour, tinged with an angry red hue. The skies erupted thunderously.Emily jolted forward from where she stood in the middle of the cobblestone path. Her forehead wrinkled as she stared upward towards the mountains.

The castle sat atop the highest mountain peak in Hellscape Valley and Emily knew the climb would be treacherous. She knew only with the assistance of Persinthemum would she harness the strength to make it. Persinthemum had been a constant figure in Emily's life since she was a little girl. Guiding her and giving her the confidence to get through each day. Emily didn't tell anyone about Persinthemum as she knew they wouldn't understand. Her chest raised as she took one long deep breath and again whispered "Persinthemum, I need you"

The skies softened, as if the gentle whisper was the antidote for the agitation of the sky above.

Emily now had some much needed courage to continue her ascent to the castle.

Cautiously she navigated her way through each turn, meticulously darting her eyes back and forth between the castle and her surroundings.

She managed to climb quite a few feet when suddenly a burning clawing sensation ripped through her back.

Her mouth hung open, a silent scream echoing from the back of her throat. Her eyes, dilated, exposed to the terror in front of her. It scratched and squealed, latching on to Emily's dark knitted sweater. Large talons, each one sharper than the last, piercing through each layer of her epidermis.

"Persin...." she gagged, the full word unable to exit her mouth. One more swat of its claw down her back as it screeched a sinister squawk.

"Emily, you must run" the voice was soft and nurturing but unfamiliar.

Her hand slowly moved towards her back. Her forehead tightened, her eyes winced as she touched the bloody gashes.

"Go, now" the voice exclaimed.

Emily gulped loudly, peering around for the creature who had taken off as quickly as it had come for her.

Pushing her hands into the ground she lifted her battered body up.

What Emily didn't realize was that the voice she believed to be Persinthemum was in fact the voice of the Morlitor. The voice that needed her to keep going up the mountain, up the valley and into its lair.

The Morlitor could alter its voice, its energy, whatever it needed to get its prize, the human soul.

It had been years since anyone had attempted to traverse the Hellscape and The Morlitor was eager to ensure this one made it all the way.

Exhausted and writhing from the pain, Emily was unsure if she should continue. This journey was proving to be excruciating.

"You must continue, five more miles and you will have reached the top, I believe in you" it was the voice of Persinthemum. The calming voice was all Emily needed to keep going. It was all she ever needed. The voice of reason, the voice of comfort, the voice that told her everything would be ok, even if it wouldn't be.

The Morlitor knew this, he had summoned the essence of Persinthemum, used her voice to fool Emily. The real Persinthemum was caged, unable to speak or move. Held captive at the top of Hellscape Valley, unable to warn Emily of what was to come.

As the night wore on, Emily managed to hike five miles towards the peak of the mountain, not much further to go until she reached the final destination.

"Remember, no matter what, you must enter the castle, you must finish the journey no matter the obstacle" this voice sounded a bit different, not quite the voice Emily found familiar, but nonetheless she knew she indeed had to continue, to reach the top.

Inside the castle The Morlitor began preparations for Emily.

"The human is soon approaching" the voice was otherworldly, reverberating throughout the castle: Alerting The Others. Screeches and Squeels echoed through the many levels of the castle.

A frenzy ensued. Each creature, servants of The Morlitor began to flock to the castle entrance.

Taking position, each creature cackled and sneered. They had one purpose. Serve their master, ensure the master was fed both spiritually and physically. Emily was the prize, the nourishment their master had been craving for far too long.

The rickety door began to shake as the door knob started to turn. Emily's chest rose anxiously.

"Keep turning" the voice assured her.

The servants, each more terrifying than the last began to snarl and bare their jagged yellowed teeth as they lunged towards Emily the moment she came through the door.

Her screams were earth shattering, each sound bottled up by The Morlitor. The searing sounds to be kept for eternity. The servants dragged her by their teeth upwards through the never ending staircases until they reached their master. The Morlitor, pleased with its human prize, rewarded the servants with the flesh of Emily. They gnawed at her cheeks, clawed at her eye sockets and chomped through her bones. Cruching and cackling with each chew.

Her body wasn't important, the physical form was just flesh and blood and bones. The Morlitor had no use for this. The soul, the light of the human is where The Morlitor retained its strength. And so, with the essence of a human, The Morlitor could now grow and strengthen to a level that knew no limits.