Unmarked

One hour had passed since Apple Bloom went limp in Coltstein's hooves, and the entire facility had gone quiet at the mentioning of an exorcism. To prepare himself, Coltstein soaked himself with some holy water, obtained a first edition Equestrian bible, and rephrased a large number of prayers, multiple times. Coltstein was afraid, but he knew that Annie was just playing with him, and he had grown tired of playing games. It was time to end this game of insanity, once and for all.

As night approached, he took what could've been his last trip to the bathroom. He didn't need to go one or two, he just needed a boost of confidence, seeing he had no idea what was going to happen. He did know one thing, and that was that he might not live to see tomorrow. Annie was going to push every bit of his strength to its highest peak, hoping for him to break, but he had a life to save and despite the outcome, would give every bit of what he had to do it.

He shut the bathroom door behind him, locking it, and stood before the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. Coltstein had heard that mirrors can work as gateways for both the holy and unholy, so he kept his distance. Annie was watching him right now, and she could act when he least expected it. She could easily jump out of that mirror, and take him to the depths of hell, or just kill him on the spot. There was no telling what would happen. He just prayed that Celestia and Luna's guidance was on his side.

"This is it, Coltstein," he said to himself. "Your chance to make everything right. Your chance to put a monster to rest for good."

His words echoed within the bathroom, as he thought back to the times before becoming a private detective. He had a sister. Her name was Dazzling Shores, and she wasn't the nicest pony, mainly a troublemaker, due to her influences not being the best. Coltstein was a "keep to myself" type of pony growing up, usually studying on a daily basis. He attempted to lead his sister on the right track, but eventually gave up, seeing his attempts ended up being useless. She usually tried to lead him on the wrong path, using trickery, and for that reason, he never had a relationship with his own sister. It wasn't until the accident that he truly realized how much he did love her.

Coltstein was about eight years old when it happened. He had decided to stay home to study for an activity he had decided to participate in at the school, while his mother, father, and sister went out to see a movie at the local theatre. One of the biggest mistakes he had ever made. Two hours passed, and he was sitting on his bed when the phone rang. The one phone call that he will remember for the rest of his life. It was the police, alerting Coltstein that his family had been killed in a drive-by shooting outside the theatre.

All he remembered was dropping the phone, and screaming so loud that it woke the neighbors. He also remembered throwing the book he had been reading, only to break a window, and punching a hole in his bedroom wall. He was eventually calmed by a neighbor that had overheard Coltstein's outrage, and he was escorted to the police station, where he was cared for, questioned, and escorted to a Canterlot orphanage.

The shooting made him finally realize just how much he truly cared for his sister, who he had argued with earlier that day, ending in him telling her that he wished that she were dead. He regrets ever saying those words, and hated himself for a long time for ever saying such horrid words. He looked at Apple Bloom as his sister and the filly that had committed suicide inches from his face, and even though he had failed to save the others, this time he refused to let it end in death.

"You can do it, Coltstein," he said to himself. "Do it for Dazzling."

He had started to cry, but quickly wiped away the tears.

"No. No more tears," he said. "I must be strong. Stronger than ever before. I can't fail again! I must succeed! No matter what, I MUST SUCCEED!"

His confidence had increased, as he stared at himself in the mirror.

"I must save her! Do it for that filly! Do it for Dazzling! DON'T BE AFRAID, COLTSTEIN! YOU ARE STRONGER!"

He felt confident, as he took in a deep breath, turning from the mirror. The heaviness of Annie's presence was still with him, but he wasn't afraid. Not anymore.

"It's time, Coltstein," he said to himself.

Just before he exited the bathroom, he stated one last statement.

"Mom. Dad. Dazzling. I'm sorry I couldn't save any of you, but I promise, for all of you, I will succeed."

Coltstein exited the bathroom, no longer feeling the heaviness of Annie. He smiled, making his way to Daisy's office.

Daisy stood at her desk, next to Apple Bloom, secured in a wheelchair designed to restrain whoever was sitting in it. Coltstein wasn't taking any chances at Annie escaping him, so he needed Apple Bloom as constricted as possible. He felt horrible seeing Apple Bloom strapped to the chair, as if she were a prisoner, but he just had to remember that this wasn't Apple Bloom. It was Annie using her as a shield, just as she had the past month.

"I did as you instructed," said Daisy. "Her hooves are completely constricted.

"You're absolutely sure?" replied Coltstein, double checking.

"She's not going anywhere, doctor," she assured. "Trust me."

Coltstein gave her a smile, kissing her lightly on the cheek.

"I trust you," he confirmed.

The kiss surprised her, as he attempted to turn away, only for her to pull him toward her, planting his lips against her's. Coltstein didn't retract, and continued to kiss her. He had felt as if his troubles were lifted from his shoulders for just a second, but he quickly came to realization of what needed to be done. He pulled away from her, feeling stronger.

"That was...

Coltstein couldn't define the feeling he had just experienced, so Daisy sugarcoated his feeling.

"It was something you haven't felt for a long time, doctor," she claimed. "It was love."

Coltstein hadn't realized how long it had been since he felt love in his life. Daisy had hit the nail on the head, and as a response, he just smiled.

"Daisy, seeing you're a unicorn, I need you to do something for me," he stated.

"What is it?" she asked, noticing Coltstein grab something from his pocket.

"The spell at the bottom of this sheet. I need you to perform it when I tell you," he confirmed. "It will transport me into Annie, where I can finally end Annie for good."

Daisy expressed a look of worry, only to quickly be replaced by a look of confidence.

"Very well, but on one condition," she bribed.

"What's the condition?" he asked.

"You come back after kicking that demon's ass," she concluded, shocking Coltstein.

Coltstein nodded confidently.

"I will," he stated, as Daisy grabbed the wheelchair, and rolled it out of the room.

The couple arrived just outside of Apple Bloom's room, where Coltstein signalled Daisy to stop.

"You put up the crosses, right?" he asked.

"There's one on each wall in the room, just as you instructed," she replied.

"Good. Now, we need to be ready for anything, because once we hit that room, all hell's going to break loose," he stated. "Remain strong, no matter what."

Daisy nodded her head, as she rolled the wheelchair closer to the room, already starting to notice a difference. The wheelchair was getting harder to push, the room was starting vibrate, and an unpleasant sound was starting to fill the air. She continued to push, until they were at the door opening, and immediately, a demonic shriek erupted from Apple Bloom, nearly piercing the eardrums of Coltstein and Daisy.

"Told you she wasn't dead," said Coltstein, as he violently rolled the wheelchair into the room, noticing four video cameras set up in each corner of the room. All of them were running, due to the red light blinking on all of them.

Coltstein entered, along with Daisy, shutting the door behind them. The shrieking continued, to the point of where Coltstein and Daisy adapted, not being phased by Annie anymore. Coltstein prepared to speak the Equestrian prayer, hearing Annie speak in Latin, as if she were in pain. Coltstein gripped a cross, while Daisy held the wheelchair in place. The entire facility was shaking, as Coltstein prepared to recite the prayer.

"By sun's shine and moon's light, a shadow's cast and a night's sky, the immortals rose of day and night, creating peace upon ponykind!"

Coltstein thrusted the cross toward Annie, causing her to growl. The growl was sinister, but Coltstein remained strong, thrusting the cross closer to Annie's face. Just like before, Apple Bloom's teeth had changed to daggers, her eyes had went pitch black, and her pupils were blood red. Coltstein could see he was affecting Annie, so he continued.

"Shadows created darkness, darkness created evil, evil created disorder, disorder was sealed!"

Annie continued to struggle, desperately trying to get out of the chair. Coltstein almost had her, and with only a few phrases left, he had to push her to the point of manifestation. He continued, struggling to keep his balance, due to the entire facility shaking.

Through the power of the sun and moon, harmony was created of six elements! Laughter, honesty, loyalty, generosity, kindness, and magic!

Rephrasing the elements caused Annie to struggle violently, release a sinister moan, and the floor beneath them had even started to crack from the force within the room. Coltstein was close, so he spoke the last bit of the prayer that would lead to the next step.

"WITH HARMONY, PEACE CAME, TO EXTINGUISH THE WICKED! WITH THE ELEMENTS, THE IMMORTALS CREATED FRIENDSHIP!"

Annie shrieked so loud that the room felt as if it were going to collapse, following a sick-sounding moan. Coltstein signalled Daisy to be ready for the spell, as he spoke the final phrase, hoping for Annie to manifest herself within Apple Bloom.

ANNIE OF THE WICKED! I HAVE POWER OVER YOU! SHOW YOURSELF!

The room suddenly stopped shaking, and Annie had gone silent. Coltstein continued to hold the cross toward Annie, as he heard a sinister laugh erupt from Annie. She raised her head up, looking directly at Coltstein. She continued to laugh in her full manifestation, as Coltstein examined the evil that had plagued him for so long, now fully visible to him for the first time.

Her eyes were pitch black with blood red pupils. Her teeth were daggers, chipped and deteriorated. Her flesh was a pale yellow, with all the blood vessels visible, and her tongue was long and thin, much like a serpent's.

"Here I am, doctor!" said Annie, wobbling her head around, attempting to anger Coltstein. "How do you DO!"

Her voice was very low, raspy, and sinister. Coltstein didn't answer, only stared at the demon, unoffended.

"What's the matter, doc?! Cat got your tongue," taunted Annie, releasing the sound of a cat meow from her mouth. "I'm sorry we must meet like this, but I've loved to torture your ass ever since I killed that pathetic little nuisance that night!"

She was attempting to anger him, but he kept his anger level at zero, continuing to stare at Annie.

"Oh, how long I have wanted a vessel, and thanks to you, I now have one!" taunted Annie. "You can't save her anymore! SHE'S MINE NOW!"

Annie erupted a sinister laugh, but Coltstein remained calm.

"I've won! You've lost! Her soul is mine forever!" Annie sang in a cruel voice. "You can't win! She is gone! You will never get her back!"

Annie continued to laugh, as Coltstein finally spoke to his adversary.

"You're right, Annie," he stated. "I can't win. Not like this. However, I can win another way."

Annie seemed confused, as Coltstein gave Daisy the signal.

"DAISY! NOW!" he commanded.

Daisy did as he commanded, and cast the spell, immediately sending him into the depths of Annie's mind.

He fell from a pitch black sky, and landed on the hard ground, where he struggled to catch his breath. He quickly remembered where he was, and stood up from the ground. Coltstein took a minute to study his surroundings, which was the outskirts of a foggy forest.

"Welcome to hell, Coltstein," he said to himself, entering the void of Annie's mind; the forest where she lived.