To Father Raphael, Bain has turned himself into a slender young woman with fair soft skin, red eyes, and long white hair. Adding insult to injury, she even wore Bain’s clothing that was loose fitting on her.

Father Raphael’s eyes widened in fear as he saw the beautiful yet dangerous young woman who was pinning him down, “you…! You’re that woman!”

With a sinister yet playful smile, Umbra Witch confirmed his worst fears, “yeah, it’s me! I guess your first question will be, who am I or what’s your name like some goober? Those questions are very redundant and condescending. You know exactly who I am, and my name doesn’t even matter. What matters are the names that you did murder or tried to that you need to know.”

Father Raphael trembled in fear as the Umbra Witch continued, “Kenyon Danvers, Willis Rochford, Daniel Branigan, Lewis Bates, Lydia Cromwell… Those are just some of the few people that you have killed with no mercy or with no sense of commonality. All because you wanted me…” She growled. “I have to say; I am very flattered that you would do so much to have someone like me in your hands. Well, now you do! Kind of. Aren’t you happy?” She said with an innocent smile.

However, Father Raphael just mumbled to himself as he prayed.

“I bet you are… If you’re wondering about your little friend Bain. He wished he killed an Umbra Witch. I sometimes wonder why you go after these sympathizers who supposedly love to dress, and act like us. At first, I found it prejudicial and offensive. At times, I even found it appalling on those who try to put their little spin on it. Some of it was far from the truth, while other fun facts were a bit dead on. As much as I loathed these pretenders, I had to say they didn’t deserve to die. And I guess that’s the point; they were too damned easy for you to kill because people like you and Bain couldn’t go after the real thing. And even if you would have someone like me in your hands, I don’t think you wouldn’t do anything at all.”

“Full pardon. I will give you whatever you want--!”

The Umbra Witch laughed at Father Raphael’s halfhearted pleas and offered, “I don’t need anything from you! Especially salvation. Can you turn back the hands of time and give me back my friend and the villages that you burned down? And what about the babies that you had them drowned--?”

“I had nothing to do with it! I said no women and no kids!” Father Raphael, lying through his teeth again.

“You know something, my Lord…” Umbra Witch had to laugh at that. “It has been a while since I’ve done something like that. Gaining power of such magnitude has to deal with such sacrifice. I killed Bain and everyone else. He tried to escape me, but I hunted him down; I ripped his heart out, consumed it, and drink his blood afterward like all of the others with him. Why do you think I absorbed all of their strength, abilities, and memories? And the beautiful part is that it’s permanent. What was once theirs is now mine forever. I can even transform myself into them--?”

“YOU ARE A FUCKING MONSTER!” Father Raphael fearfully yelled with his voice cracking. “I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG! YOU BITCHES SHOULD BE HUNG BY YOUR ANKLES AND--!”

Hearing enough, the Umbra Witch took one of his hands and stabbed it through his palm with Bain’s knife. He immediately screamed in pain as the blood started to shoot out of his hand.

“Well, that was a real gusher!” Umbra Witch said with a cheesy smile. “Bain always had a lot of sharp toys. Too bad none of them ever worked on me. Once again, a waste of time and energy. He could’ve been something better. All of them could have. But you, my Lord… You just wanted to be fear and respected.”

Then the Umbra Witch dragged him to the table as she sets his wounded hand flat on the table.

“When I was in that barnyard of a prison, hearing all of those women being raped and then strangled to death by your so-called holy constituents, it got me wondering. Why is somebody who is so holy is named after one of the seven archangels of heaven? Raphael is one of the seven archangels who attended the throne of God as the angel of healing. He’s also considered the patron of science, doctors, travelers, and healing. This name sounds both powerful and artistic. You aren’t either of those things that I’ve mentioned--”

“Please don’t kill me! I’m sorry! I repent!” Father Raphael pleaded.

“I guess it is true when they say only God forgives because I’m not the forgiving kind,” she denied. “However, God usually tests us. Gives us tests of strength and endurance. That is why I want to walk with God and give you a test.”

Father Raphael was afraid to ask as he looked up at his tormentor, “what test?”

Then the evil woman, with a smile, showed him the same bloody knife she killed the bodyguards and stabbed him with, “how much can one man take before enough is enough. God can only give us so much to handle. And the test is simple, my Lord. I’m going to cut off every finger you have on this table.” Hearing that made Father Raphael tremble in fear as he sobs uncontrollably. “It’s best that you don’t scream. Even though nobody can’t hear you, thank you soundproof doors that you have built for only this room-- you sick fuck. Because if you don’t scream, you win, and I will turn myself in. But if you scream just once, and I’m going to get what I want.”

“What is it?” Father Raphael asked as he tried to pull himself together.

“Well, that’s just it, you don’t know. Maybe it’s something bad. Maybe it’s something good.” The Umbra Witch joyfully teases. “You don’t know unless you give up and scream for me.” She then cupped his chin as she wanted Father Raphael to see her eyes as she was profoundly serious, “just don’t scream, padre, or I’m going to get what I want from you.”

He didn’t nod or said a word. Father Raphael’s silence was enough for the Umbra Witch.

“Citing my favorite nursery rhyme, my best friend love to sing to her baby… Get through this entire nursery rhyme, and you will win! Then let’s begin!” The Umbra Witch commences as she readies her blade on Father Raphael’s. Solomon Grundy… Born on a Monday…”

Then, the Umbra Witch slices off Father Raphael’s thumb. Blood spilled out of his stub as he tried his best not to scream.

Then, she readies her blade on his index finger, “Christened on Tuesday…”

Then, the Umbra Witch slices off Father Raphael’s index finger. The sound of flesh being sliced off, the bone detaching from his hand, was bad enough as he felt the pain of his fingers being severed. Miraculously, he didn’t scream.

“Well… I am blown away by your God’s given masculinity, padre! Anyone who was anyone would scream like a bitch by now!” Then, she mixed it up as she readies her blade on his pinky finger, “Married on Wednesday…”

Father Raphael shut his eyes tight as if it would make a difference as he still felt the flesh and bone being sliced open and ripped off his hand. He was indeed losing consciousness. Breathing slowly, sweating profusely, Father Raphael still didn’t scream.

And so, the Umbra Witch carried on as she readies her blade on his ring finger, “Took ill on Thursday…”

Father Raphael just felt numb as he knew his ring finger was being cut off; it didn’t matter. The pain from getting his other three fingers being sliced off was just enough for his body to shut down, apart from the mass of blood loss. He didn’t scream, but he started growling and grunting like an animal.

And then the only finger that was left was the middle finger, “Grew worse on Friday!” The Umbra Witch shouted as she raised the blade and chopped the middle finger down. Impressively the middle finger flew off the table.

Dazed and confused, Father Raphael looked at his bleeding finger-stubbed hand with such lazy amazement.

It took the Umbra Witch a few moments to realize the snag of her game. She blinked out of confusion, “wait for a second… I’m not done with the nursery rhyme; there only two more verses! Ah, man! Lydia always said I suck at giving instructions and making game rules!”

Triumphantly, Father Raphael looked up as he snickered with a conquering smile, “I won... I’m going to make you… my bitch!”

The Umbra Witch was quite shocked by Father Raphael’s premature victory speech as it made her laugh, “um, didn’t I say you have to go through the entire nursery rhyme to win? I still have two more verses left. But don’t worry. I got an idea!” The Umbra Witch puts the blade down and then places her hand on top of the wounded hand of Father Raphael, “exsarcio!”

And then a glowing purple magical symbol appeared on the table as Father Raphael’s hand glowed in purple light. All of the blood on the table was gone as it dissipated, and all five of his fingers were restored. He even moved all five as they were perfectly fine and back to normal. He wanted to cry tears of happiness, but then he suddenly remembered.

The constant reminder was plastered on the smiling Umbra Witch’s face as she was holding the knife, “great, now I can continue! Yay!”

“FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE! SHOW MERCY!” Father Raphael pleaded.

However, the Umbra Witch showed none, “Died on Saturday!” Swiftly chopping off his thumb again, Father Raphael broke his concentration as he screamed in pain. Acting as she was shocked, the Umbra Witch claimed her victory, “oh no! You screamed! And I guess you lost and your so close too!”

Father Raphael felt ashamed and disappointed in himself as he sobbed in despair, “you… You cheated…”

“I did not cheat, padre. You just didn’t pay attention and ask any questions about what I can do in our little game. You thought that you would win after five!” The Umbra Witch laughs. “Like you don’t even know what I can do. I mean, look at what I have accomplished this far, padre!” She then licked her lips with such anticipation. “Now, I think it’s time I get what I want. And I know just the thing. But first… exsarcio.”

Just as before, the Umbra Witch restored his hand as he had his thumb back for the second time. She even helped Father Raphael up and dragged him to the bed. As she flung him onto the bed, the Umbra Witch grabbed him by the back of his legs, “Enervo!”

A quick spell she had to enact as both of his kneecaps had green symbols glowing on them. Two seconds later, they dissipated. But the damage was already done as he couldn’t stand or walk without falling down.

It was clear what the Umbra Witch wanted and nothing that Father Raphael can do anything about it.