Chapter Text
Heavy rain poured as Ethan Winters stood there and caught his breath. He shakes all over, his body still buzzing with adrenaline from the fight. As his mind began to calm, his phone rang. ‘ALPHA’ was displayed on the screen; it was Chris Redfield.
“Ethan!? I heard explosions. What the hell happened?” Chris asked, voice filled with confusion. “I dealt with Heisenberg. Now, I’m going to find Miranda and get Rose back,” he answered coldly. This was it, the final tribulation. Defeat that bitch, and he’ll get his daughter back. Their lives will return to normal, as they should have long ago.
“Not without me, it’s too dangerous. Wait there, you hear me?” demanded Chris. But as soon as he said those words, Ethan heard Rose’s cries near him. “Ethan? Ethan, respond!” But it was no use, Chris’ demands fell on deaf ears. Ethan had already fallen into Miranda’s trap.
As Ethan stepped closer, he sensed something. For the first time in his journey in search of his daughter, he knew something was wrong. At that moment, he made the quick decision to run. He ran and ran until he felt his knees falter. It was a cowardly move, but in reality, this choice saved his life. When he felt that the area was safe, he contacted Chris again, hoping to lead him to his new location. “Chris!? Listen to me, do not go to my previous location. M-Miranda. I think she set a trap for me there,” he said, his voice still shaky and out of breath. Before Chris could even respond, Ethan dropped the call and kept moving. Miranda’s ravens were already looking for him, and he didn’t want to get jumped this time.
As he ran deeper into the woods, a familiar silhouette suddenly appeared in his peripheral vision. It was the Duke’s carriage. “Mr. Winters,” Duke said with a wide grin, “I didn’t expect to see you...this early,” he said with a slight chuckle. Ethan looked at him, perplexed, but immediately changed his expression. “Duke, listen, can I ask for a favor? Can you take me to…Rose?” his expression now that of a steely determination. But Duke responded with a hearty laugh, “Mr. Winters, that’s the reason why I am here.”
The Duke’s carriage was filled with interesting ornaments and various tools. The scent that permeated the air was surprisingly soothing. “Are you sure you want to fight with Miranda? You may die, you know? “asked the Duke. “Yes,” Ethan answered firmly. He had already gone this far; getting killed would be the least of his worries. The Duke laughed as if he realized how silly his question was. “Foolish of me to ask, Mr. Winters.” Silence pervaded the air for a while, then suddenly Ethan perked up as if he wanted to ask something as well. “Speaking of foolish questions, who-what are you?” Ethan asked nervously. Once again, the Duke chuckled in glee. “Even I can’t quite answer that,”
After a short while, the Duke announced that they had arrived. As Ethan got off the carriage, he was greeted by a dark and oppressive atmosphere. The village was now in ruins. It was surrounded by thick, hard, mutamycete-like branches. After fixing his supplies and ammunition, he bid his farewells to the Duke and hurried to the ceremony site.
As Ethan fought off some enemies, he heard Miranda's voice in the walled-off site. She stood in the middle of an altar, peering into a large container filled with black liquid. “Ah, little Eva! My beautiful daughter, come to me!” Miranda said in delight. Suddenly, a baby emerged from the black liquid. “Eva, is that you? Oh, how I missed you,” exclaimed Miranda, her face full of joy. However, this happiness doesn’t last long, for her face contorts in confusion and disbelief. “M-my power i-is leaving me!” Her face was now being covered with a black liquid. She looked weaker and paler as she held onto Rose.
“Rose!” Ethan screamed out as he moved closer to Miranda. “Interesting, you came back despite running away earlier?” Miranda said in a mocking tone. “Give Rose to me, now!” He demanded. Miranda chuckled, “You will see after I kill you, I-” but before she could even finish her sentence, she was swiftly shot in the head. “Get her now!” a voice demanded. Ethan hurriedly took Rose off of Miranda, but before he could run with her, she grabbed Rose and pushed Ethan to the ground. “Rose is mine!” screamed Miranda as large branches of the mutamycete surrounded her and Rose.
“She’s my goddamn daughter, you psycho!” Ethan screamed as he fought off Miranda’s attacks. He wasted no ammunition and meticulously aimed every shot at her. As he fired at her, she slowly weakened and decelerated. Realizing that she may be defeated, Miranda quickly entangled Ethan in a web of branches and trapped him.
“This is how you end, Ethan Winters!”
But before she could enact her finishing blow, Ethan quickly removed the branches and shot her square in the face, killing her.
“My daughter...My Eva!” Miranda screamed as she slowly calcified into a pile of dust.
As she died, the surrounding mutamycete calcified with her. Ethan hurriedly grabbed Rose and calmed her down. He did it. He killed Miranda, and now it was time for him to get Rose to complete safety.
He stumbled his way to the exit, where he was met by Chris, who helped him get out of the castle. “We have to leave now, this place is wired to the brim,” said Chris.
“I-I don’t think I can make it,” Ethan said with a weak chuckle.
“C’mon, we’re almost there. Even though Mia is there, I rescued her just before I found you here. So...so just hold on for a little longer,” Chris’ voice was faltering but filled with hope nonetheless. “Mia?” Ethan said weakly, “Thank God…”
As they neared the chopper, Ethan suddenly slumped over. His body felt limp and heavy. “Oh my God, Ethan!” Mia cried in worry. She quickly grabbed him and placed him on her lap. He looked so weak and exhausted. His face was pale and sweaty as if he were ill.
Mia couldn’t bear to look at him without tearing up.
As they slowly ascended into the air, Mia tightly held Rose and Ethan. When they were out of the blast zone, Chris pressed the detonator, blowing up what was once the quiet Romanian village.