It was Christmas, more especially, a white Christmas. Practically every townsperson was gathered in the small church. December 25th was a big day, after all. No one would dare miss it.

Mary happily played the organ. The service would soon be over and, for once, Mary was a little sad about it. She didn't remember the last time she felt this happy on a Christmas day. It was all because of one person. One boy. A boy who had befriended her and accept her.

O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the newborn Lord,
lying in a manger!

The young, wavy-haired girl was playing O Magnum Mysterium with the children, singing along. It had taken her a while to learn it (more than usual), but now she could finally play it with the emotion the piece needed. She thought back to the day Sister Theresa had first taught her how to play the organ and smiled.

Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!

Mary slowly hit the last note as the parishioners stood up and left the church. The service was over. She sat on the bench, deep in thought. This was far from the first Christmas she had been part of, but the young girl still didn't know what it meant to her. Sister Theresa had always called Christmas a joyous day, and Mary could understand that statement a little better now. Now that she had a friend. But deciding she didn't want to think any more of it, she got up from the seat.

-

"Gah!!?"

"Happy birthday!"

Allen, who had just been tackled by Mary, yelped in surprise. The two children fell into the soft blanket of snow. Unable to hold in her laughter, Mary giggled.

"The look on your face is priceless!" She grinned.

"That's cause you scared me!" He pouted. Mary put her forehead to Allen's.

"Woah...you're so warm!" The young girl's eyes widened.

"And you're freezing!" He flinched at the contact.
Mary yawned, hugging the boy underneath her.
"I don't know how or why you're so warm, but it's making me sleepy...." She closed her eyes.

"Hey! If you're going to sleep, don't sleep on me!" Allen attempted to push her off, but the girl wouldn't budge. Soon he gave up, simply laying back down and looking at the cloudy morning sky.

Mary could hear the other children in the distance. They were busy playing in the snow, making snowmen, and having snowball fights. After all, it was rare for them to even get snow, even in the winter. Yet, it seemed this Christmas was going to be a white one.

"Say," Mary spoke, her voice muffled by Allen's winter coat. "Why did you keep hanging out with me? I know you talked to the other kids after we first met. They must've told you about me." She fiddled with the coat buttons.

"Honestly," the auburn-haired boy looked into the distance. "I'm not sure. I guess something just made me want to talk to you, but I don't regret it."

"Good." Mary nodded.

Suddenly, she heard a voice calling out to her. It was Mother Jeanne.

"Mary! It's time to go!" she said.

Mary sat up, gasping.

"Oh, I forgot! I have grocery duty today. I can't believe I didn't remember." The girl frowned, looking at Allen apologetically.

"It's alright. We can celebrate my birthday once you get back." He smiled. Mary couldn't help but smile back.

She quickly rushed toward the door of the church.

-

There weren't many people at the market that day. Most were at home with their families — having fun and celebrating Christmas. Those that were there didn't stay very long. Mary walked through the snow-covered path leading across town. She only had one stop left. With grocery bags in hand, the young girl looked around. She smiled.

'The town really looks better in the winter.'

The small girl didn't go into town very often, but whenever she did, she would always admire the scenery. It was a big contrast to the countryside where she lived.

"Hey, Mary! Long time no see!" the shopkeeper said, waving at her warmly. "You must be tired from walking from the church."

Mary smiled at her.

"Not really." She said, and she meant it. It always took much more effort for Mary to get tired.

Exchanging the money given to her by Mother Jeanne for the food, she said her goodbyes to the shopkeeper. Mary turned around and headed back when she saw something, no, someone, in the corner of her eye. She stopped in her tracks.

It was the man from the circus.

Mary didn't know what, but something about him unnerved her. However cautious she was about the man, though, didn't seem to matter as Mary slowly approached him, clutching the paper bags in her arms.

"So we meet again." The brown-haired man gave her a smile, his eyes covered by the lenses of his glasses.

The man's smile made her shiver. Mary hadn't had this feeling when she first met the man or the second time. So why did she feel so on guard?

"Yeah....." Mary narrowed her eyes at him.

"What's wrong?" He tilted his head in confusion.

"Well, it's really weird that I've met you three times now. You're not from here, are you?" Mary looked at what the man was wearing.

A black garment that looked suspiciously like a priest's clothing.

There were no priests around where she lived.

"Does it matter if I'm from here when you have more important things to worry about?"

"What do you mean?" She looked at him quizzically.

"Well," the man looked over to his right. "The fact that there seems to be smoke coming from the church."

Mary froze.

"What?"

"Look." He pointed.

Far in the distance, she could see wisps of gray in the sky. It was smoke.

Mary dropped the groceries in her hand and ran.

'It can't be!'

Forgetting all about the man, she ran.

And ran.

And ran.

The path back to the church seemed even longer than usual.

Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

The girl's heart beat rapidly. Mary ran with a sense of urgency she had never felt before. She tried her best not to trip on her way back.

Mary prayed. She prayed it wasn't what she thought it was. That it was simply something else entirely. Something harmless.

But it seemed her prayer fell on deaf ears.

Mary's eyes widened.

Red.

Everything was a horrible scarlet. The building, now destroyed, was in flames. Mary could feel the adrenaline kicking in.

She had to find him.

Her only friend.

"Allen!" she yelled desperately. Without thinking, she ran straight into the chaos.

Through the rubble, she ran, calling his name. Her voice became hoarse with every shout. Then she saw it.

Blood.

In front of her was the dead body of a girl.
It was Kate. The fallen wall had crushed her body. The red liquid seeped from her torso.

Mary felt sick to her stomach. She looked at Kate, horrified. It was true she didn't like the blonde, but that didn't mean she wanted her dead! Suddenly, a realization came to her.

'If that's what happened to Kate, what about the others?'

Mary continued through the fire, looking for anyone—any signs of life. She saw a half-burned bow, which she recognized as Priscilla's. Mary looked around.

She screamed.

All around her were the bodies of not only the children, but the nuns.

'Priscilla, Thomas, everyone!'

The young girl heard a voice call out to her.

"Mary.....run......." It was the Head Nun, Jeanne. The older woman extended her free arm towards the child, but it was no use.

"Reverend Mother!"

Before Mary could rush over to her, one of the church pillars fell in front of her, separating the girl from the woman. Mary fell onto her knees, and with her hands on her face, wailed.

'How could this have happened?'

Then, from the corner of her eye, she saw the answer to her question. There in the distance was a terrifying creature. It was as if one of those armor stands had become sentient. Except, it was every scarier than that. Following the inhuman being was a group of floating creatures. Shaped like bombs with horrible faces in their centers.

Mary looked in horror. She had to find Allen now.

Trying her best to avoid being seen by the monsters, she continued her search for the auburn-haired boy. The search seemed fruitless until she saw a figure slumping on one of the church walls, still intact.

"Allen!" She rushed over towards him.

"You're alive!" Mary embraced him, tears flowing from her eyes.

"Mary..." he croaked.

On a closer inspection, Mary could see the blood on his head. The wounds on his body needed immediate care.

"How—how did this happen?" She questioned him.

"I-I don't know...." The boy groaned in pain. "But my head really hurts...."

Before Mary could do anything, however, she heard a voice behind her.

"Well, if it isn't a little human! And here I thought we had killed them all!"

Mary got up and looked at the knightly being, covering Allen defensively.

"What do you want? Who are you? What did you do to everyone—"

"Bah! You have way too many questions." The monster walked towards her.

Mary panicked. She backed away from the approaching creature.

'I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I don't want to-'

The monster swung at her.

"No!!!!!" she screamed.

A light glowed from the girl, blinding the monster.

"Gargh!!" it yelled in pain.

In the place where the girl once stood was a black, wolf-like beast. Like smoke, it appeared, with golden eyes and sharp white teeth. On its abdomen, a green cross-shaped crystal. It roared.

"Hah! Just what we were looking for: innocence!" The demonic creatures all gathered around the black beast.

The smoky beast attacked the monsters. Sinking its teeth into their hard exteriors. Destroying them one by one. But its strength was not enough. The numbers of the creatures only continued to grow. The beast, tiring.

Soon, it was overwhelmed. The light shone once more, only this time, only Mary was left. She lay on the cold ground. Right when the monsters were about to get the finishing blow, they stopped. Seeming to be frozen in time.

Mary could hear the distant sound of a woman singing. Then she blacked out