Notes:
BUCKLE UP! We’re coasting down the other side of the mountain.
Now, you’ll notice that I’ve posted all the final chapters at once, and no, it’s not an accident. Gorge them all at once! Take your time going through them! Whatever you want! Either way, I hope you enjoy the end of the first story. I’ve said it before, but THANK YOU for reading and going on this batshit bonkers journey with me.
I don’t think it’s any secret that I plan to take a much-needed break to fill my creative tank (and deal with some very insane but very exciting work projects). I’ve also got tons of simlits that I’m so excited to catch up on, and I plan on losing approximately 20,000 hours to the new game pack. And speaking of building and decorating, I’ve been building an AU BBD world where everyone is teenagers, and Brindleton Bay is basically Salem, Massachusetts. If I get really ambitious, I might do some build videos or release them on the gallery, but really, I just wanted a place to play the game for fun without worrying about screenshots and poses.
I’ve learned so much writing this story, and I’m excited to put those lessons to work in the next iteration. I’ve built a massive world (jeez, so massive) which has been so much fun but requires me to put some new tools in place to manage all the details. And don’t be surprised if you see some site updates going on over the summer as I update images and add more information about characters and the BBD universe.
Anyways, enjoy the final chapters of Baking By Death and stay tuned for Underworld Summer Vacation, coming Fall 2021.
XOXO,
Ferosh
May we never go to hell, but always be on our way.
Old Drinking Toast
Windenburg Woods
Alice
Present
Alice tore the trees out by their roots until she discovered the tiny terror crouched next to a bush, shaking.
Running on unsteady legs, she scooped her up. “You’re safe,” she repeated over and over until she felt Gwendolyn go pliant in her arms.
Gently releasing her, Alice turned to find Vlad behind her. “What the fuck was that?” she cried, but her voice sounded like it was coming from down a long tunnel.
He shook his head and motioned at his ears where a thin line of plasma trickled out. Panicked, she examined Gwendolyn to find her ears were bleeding too.
“Oh my llamas! Fuck! Does it hurt?” she frantically motioned at her head, trying to make her meaning clear.
One tear slipped out, then another, and the tiny terror nodded.
“Okay. It’s okay,” Alice soothed, “I’m going to fix it, I’m going to…” she trailed off.
What?
What was she going to do?
Alice was a god, but she didn’t know how to use any healing magic. Why the fuck didn’t she know? Why didn’t Ben or Grim teach her something beyond her own powers?
She began to hyperventilate and Vlad grabbed her by the shoulders.
“Calm down,” he mouthed, holding her gaze until she felt her heartbeat begin to slow.
“I need help,” she croaked, “I don’t want her to wait to heal, I need—”
Morgyn appeared in a flash of light, cutting her off. They thrust out their hand murmuring a few words and instantly, Alice’s hearing returned.
“You can’t even cast your own healing?” they complained, “You’re a god and yet, you’re just letting it happen naturally like some sort of lesser being!”
Vlad’s lip curled, and Morgyn immediately amended their statement. “Not that that’s a problem. We’ll just have to add that to the list of things to work on.”
“My ears are back!” Gwendolyn shouted, her voice full of relief. Her joy only lasted a moment before another terrified look crossed over her face. She pointed at Vlad, “Are your ears broken? C-can you hear me?”
“Perfectly,” he nodded.
“And you?” she pointed at Alice, her hand trembling, “Can you hear my voice, or are your ears still broke too?”
Alice gave her a weak smile but managed to keep her voice bright. “Nope, all good. But maybe you should do a test.” She shared a look with Vlad over Gwendolyn’s head, “Sing a song, so we know our hearing works.”
“Yes,” he agreed, “Perhaps the Voidcritters theme song? I’ve forgotten how it goes.”
Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes in suspicion but couldn’t resist the opportunity to sing at the top of her lungs. Especially when she knew it annoyed Vlad, who played it up dramatically as they walked towards the cliff’s edge. Even though the sky was bright with flames and filled with debris, her concern about the explosion was forgotten.
Such were the gifts of children.
“We should head back to the cemetery,” Vlad urged, worry coloring his voice.
“It exploded,” Alice said numbly, watching the unmistakable shape of metal fall from the sky, “It fucking exploded.”
“Not only that,” Morgyn added, “Omar called forth the angels.”
The Old Barn
MIKEL
4 Hours Earlier
Mikel stopped just outside the barn door, stretching and rolling his neck as he ran through the final checklist. He was cutting it close, given that the escape pod still needed to be installed, but it was just a backup in case they did need to lure Miss Hell onto the ship and use the explosives. He doubted it would come to that.
In theory, it made sense to have multiple ways to eliminate a dangerous target, but that was if you didn’t have a tool like Vladislaus at your disposal. He’d seen the monster in all his grisly action. They didn’t need a plan B.
Besides, checking Penny’s favorite hangouts was more important. He knew he’d never forgive himself if he didn’t try to contact her before leaving for the Underworld. Though so far, he’d no luck. His old friend seemed pretty determined not to be found.
He was so caught up in his thoughts that he never even heard Miss Hell and Jimena approach.
“No!” he shouted, but within seconds they were on him.
The first hit was excruciating, but he dialed up his core system and increased the speed of his reflexes. He was bait, but that didn’t mean he had to take it lying down.
The last kick flipped him over, and he landed hard on his knees. Before he could recover, Jimena struck out her hands.
His body was flooded with a singular message: Surrender.
Slowly, he felt his core processing unit begin shutting down, the Sixam equivalent of baring his neck. He gave a gurgled cry before he slumped over, and everything went black.
Oh wow, the images in the first section are so beautiful, with all the fire in the air! Amazing!
Now, I’m probably just being unnecessarily suspicious (what else is new), but nobody really saw what happened to Gwendolyn, and Morgyn appeared oh so very conveniently, just in time to demonstrate how useful they are and how they can totally be trusted around Gwen because they’re healing her… Might be sheer coincidence, but it is a little sus.
I completely forgot about Mikel. He is going to the Underworld too? Or was, rather, by the looks of it. Poor dude.
I do remember the funeral home though! Oof, we’ve come a long way since. Aaw, looks like I may have been hard on Alice prematurely, seems she is giving what her brother said some consideration after all. Good.
Damn it, why do these guys always have to change the subject just as they’re about to say something interesting!? I mean, I know why, but still! I want to know about the denying of hunger too. *grumbles*
Aww man. Who knew we’d be wrapping the season feeling sorry for Miss Hell. Well done on that. I’m loving the rollercoaster! Also, the visuals in the chasing scene were amazing yet again.
And double aww for Gwendolyn. Also, this line: “You’re going to make Alice mad with you, and I don’t want it! I like this family, and I don’t want it to break up because I don’t have anywhere to go.” Like, when she said that she was just a regular kid that had been abandoned and handed from foster home to foster home, forget the gods and demi-gods and vampires and witches. Poor thing.
Actually, I forgot to mention earlier in between all the suspense, but what Jimena said about Alice reaching the Elder Realms has me wondering – will Alice want to stay in the Elder Realms? She technically belongs there as a god, sure, but would she really feel like she belongs? Then again, will she ever really belong on the mortal plane now either?
Ok, I’m going to hope Mikel and Miss Hell’s escape plan worked. Hopefully. Aand, I thought maybe by the time we reach the present there would be something to make Morgyn look less incriminating in terms of the whole beginning with Gwendolyn, but… nope.
Ermn, so Alice mourns for Mikel for two seconds before having playful banter with Vlad again. I realise it’s technically unfair to be mad at Alice about this and not blame Vlad, but Vlad’s been like this for centuries, he’s actually regaining humanity, in the grand scheme of things, while we’re seeing Alice’s own slipping. And that’s all before she even left the mortal world. Something is telling me that by the time she’s done in the Underworld, she will have changed beyond recognition.