A H̕e͘art̵l̷e͠s͡s ͞i̛s̢ e͝m͡p̡t͘y.̷C̡ou̶ld a͟ ͟Heart̷leşs ha̢v̨e͡ ̕a͘ f̡rie̡nd͟? Or an̷ ̕en͝emy ͟f͞or̢ ̸t҉h͏a͘t́ ̶m̕a̷t̸t͜e͜r̶?̸ ͏C҉o͘u̡l̛d ̸a͢ ̧He̴ar͡t͞le͡ss̛ have a ҉com͜pa͝n̵i̛on?͝ A rival̷?̕ ́A ̴l͝ov̨er̵?̴ ̛Co͘u͟ld Hear͘t͢l͏e͠s̴s ̡have͏ ̡t́hes̕e̡ t͡h̶i͠n͘gs̶? ͞T҉h̕e̷y ͏ar̕e ̕tho̡se̴ ͢w҉i̢t̴h̕ou͜t ͞H̴ea͏r̸t̢s̸;͝ c̀omple҉t͏e͠l̨y̛ in̴cap̴ab̵l͝e͜ of ̀em̡ot͞i̢ons̸ a̷nd ͢féel̨i͠ńg̴s tow͘aŗds ͢a̛not̢he͝r. Mindl̛e͞ss̸,̷ sou͠l̸l͞e̴şs cr̶e͠a̢tur̀es ̴wit̴h lit͜tl͡e ̢th̡o͞u̶g̵h̴t̶ b̶e͢yo̸n̵ḑ th͝e̷ h̵un͡ger.̢͝Black͞ c͘l͢aw͜s ̡b̢it͘ ̷inţo ͏t̕he̸ thi҉c͞k ̧w̴oơd̸ ̀of͠ ̢t͏he tree,҉ ̴l͢u҉mi͠n̨o͜u͞s̀ yel͡low ͢ey̸es ̀f́ix̀a̡t҉ed o͏n̨ the d͟a͠r͝k̴ ̀f͜i̸gu͜re sta̧nd̕ing̕ ͝f̷a̛r b̨el͠o̵w ̡o̷n the ͢gr̵ou͜n̴d̨.̵B̸ut H̛e̷ar͞t̢le͢ss̸ ̕d͝id҉ fe͜e̸l͡ c̨er͞tain thin͘gs; ͟ter̵ri̕bl̨ȩ ̡th̕ín͏g̛s.͞ T̷he͞r̨e wa͡s̴ more t̴h̕an̢ j͢u̧s̕t ̨d̛ŗea̡m ̴ļi̛ķe͠ me̸mories͘ a͘nd ̡bl͏a͝ck̕ ̷sludge ͠co͞ur̀si͞ng̨ t̶hr̷o͜ug̷h͏ ̷the͘i̶r̨ vei̶n͜s.̛T͟h̨e m͘onste̷r̛s ĺong, ̀thic̕k͠ ͜bl͡ac͢k̛ tongue l̵icķèd͏ ͝ov̸er ͠his̀ ̷li̴ps.̢́Pri͜de f̧loẃed̡ t͜hŗough ̵a Hȩar̨tle̢ss ̴and̵ ̶po͠we̢r̷ed ͏the͢ir͞ ̨shadowe̴d ͠bòd̷i͡es͠.̵ T҉h̸e̵y̷ ͝ha͟ve̡ ̨w̕al͟k͡e͠d̨ ̵the ́b̧l̷acke͞s͜t ̛r̕oad҉s̕ ̧a͝nd p͝l̸u̴m̀b̀e̵d̵ the̢ ͘da͟rk͟ȩs͞t de̡pth͢s͟.͢ T̵h̶ey ͠h͝a̷ve s̵ca͘l͞ed̀ ̡t̡hȩ bųrnin̶g ҉ski̷es ͠and́ sm̵ile ͘i̵n t̢he ́k̵no͟w͜ļęd̀ge͏ t҉h̕a̴t͟ t͘he̴y̷ ́are ͘b̛e͢t̨t̀ȩr c̵ar͢et́a͜k͢er̢s ͡of̕ the pr̴ec̛ious ̢H́ear̡t̛s̷ t̢han ̶a̸n̕ýţh́i̴n̕g͞ else̡.̸ S͜u҉perior in a͘l͝l̵ wa̵y͜s͜ th̀a҉n th͡osè wa͝sti͏ng̶ a͝way ̵i̛ń ̧th̡e l͝ig͜h͏t.̕T̢h͟e̡ ͟Mo̶ns͢ter ͘crawl̀e͘d ̴d̷o̷w̸ǹ ̀f̢r͜o͢m ͞the tree̕ bra͞n̸ch ͠t̴ơ th͏e͢ ́ńe͝xt̡ thi̡ck ̕ǫne b̡elow, a ̡wi͢ck̨e͠dlý ͟un̨fri̕en͜dly͡ gr͝in̴ fi͡x͟ed҉ ̷up̛on̷ ḩi̴s͠ fac̕e̷.E͠nvỳ d̀r̡o͘ve a̶ H̀ea̢rt̡les͘s̷ ̶fo͜r̨w̴árd;͠ ̀t̛hat̢ ̕de͟sire̛ ͠fo͟r̢ w̡h͘at ҉th͝e ͝d͏e͠n̵iz͡ens o̵f ͏li͞ght́ had.̛ ͟T͡hey̶ wou͠l͡d̨ ͘c̢l̷a̵w ҉a͡nd ͘s̕h̕r̷i͜ek҉ for͘ ̕t̀he b̢e͏ati̛n͠g ͟H͝e̡a̶rt͘s̶,̴ fi̶g͜h̢t̵i̶ng for ͜a t̛as̢t̛e͟, ͢a̴ ̀b͟i̢te, a fl͞e͠e͞tìn̢g p̨iec͝e̢ ̧o͡f̧ plea̕su̴r̴e͢. Thè ͢wi҉c̀ke͘d ̵j́e̴a͏l͘o͡us͞y ̨pum͝pi̡ņg̸ t̕h̡r̶ơu̵gh t̛he̢i̢r̷ b̶l͟a̡ck bodies̴,҉ l̀eav͟in̨g ͟th́em҉ b͘rók͝e͟n͢,̀ ̶d͜óomed͘ an̷d ̀ev̛er mor͟e̢ emp͞t͏y.̛͢His͜ ͞tong̵u҉e͝ ͘s̨n͠ake͜d betw͏ee͞n͘ ͡sh͞a͜r͏p҉ te͘eţh͞,̶ ̧li͞ck͟ing̷ ̷t̡he̢ ͠bl̛a̡c̢k ͞l͘i̴p̕s h̀un̵ǵr͟ily̧.̶̧̛W͢rat͟h̴ b̛le͠d ̕fr͝o̴ḿ ev͡èry̸ H̶eartl̕e҉ss͝. It̷ le͘ak͡ed̢ f̷rom͠ ́their̸ ̡eyȩs͏,̕ th͢eir̨ ͘mo̵ut̴h̕s ̨a̶n͘d fro͝m͠ u͢n҉d̸e̷r͞nea̢t̨h̸ ́th̴eir̷ ͠n̛a̷ils and́ bu͠b́bl̷ęd ͠in ͞t̵heir v͏ery ̶s͞k̡in.̵ ͟A H̨e̷art͟ļess'̸ ̷anǵe̴r; ̧t҉hei͘ŗ r͝a͘g̵e̡ g̶ave̸ ͏t͠h̶e͜m̢ t͡h̕eir vo̷ic͘es͘ ͏wi̧th͡ wh̀ic̸h̸ t͝o͞ s̷ḩr͏iek̡ ͜and̕ ẃa͡i͠l i̢n͟ ͜t͞he͝ir d͘a͢mna̧t͢ion͟.T̵h͏e ńe̶xt́ ͡tr͡ee branch ̸c͏r̷eak͠ed͝ ̧u͘n͡ḑe҉r҉n̶e̵ath̨ thè m҉on͡st͡er ҉a͢s͘ ͏he cr̢aw̢led̕ ́o͞n͘t͠o ̡i͘t;҉ p̨rom̶pt́i͟n҉g͟ ̛h̕i͏m̧ t̶o ̢freeze.̕Sl҉oth ҉c̸h̸urn͢e̸d͜ şlo̷w ̢ánd ̛thic̡k͘l̕y i҉n ͢e̸a͘c͏h̡ ̕b̡la̕c͡k ̡mòn̸ste̕r͠.̕ Th͟ou̶g͝h th̕e͏ huńge̕r bu̴rns dee͏p̛ ͢wi̧t͟h͞ín e͝ach͝ o͝ne, ҉t͢hei̸ŕ ̵p͜itiful ͞u͏nca̢ri͝n͢g ͜fo҉r̶ m̷uc͟h ̛el̀s͘e̛ b̕ey͟ond͝ ̴of́t҉e͘n͞ ̛l̵eav͘es ͞t͟hem̸ weeping ͡f̶o̶r̸ ͟lac͡k o̸f̛ a̢nythi̛n̕g̸ gr͡e͠a̛tér when t͘h̀e̴re a̴re n̷o ̨vo̕i̷c͜e̴s t͡o fol̷l̕ow,͟ to ͠h͢un̢t.̧̕The ̨fi̸gur̸e̷ ͞on̴ t͞h̢e̢ ͝g̨ro͟u͢n̡d͏ re̕m͟a͝i̸ǹed ͞a̕s i͏t w̴a͟s͟ ̛and̕ tḩe mo̧ns̶ter, ̢g̵r̴i͠n͡ne̡d ̧wìde̢r, ̨c͜re̢epi̷n̶g͟ t̛o͠ ̨a͢no̴t͟h̡er̶ ̡b̵ra͞nch,̀ ́s̛lin̵ki̧ng ̨d̡o͟wn ͝th̨e͜ ͘tree.̡G̴re̸ed̵ bu̴rn͝e͞d͡ t̕hròu͟g̛h ̴the ̀H̶e͜a͢rtļess͝ ҉like̵ h̴ęl̵lf̨ir̀e ͟rend̕i̴ng t̸he ́b́l̴a͢çk͟ ̶s̀ki̢e͢s͟ ̢of ̴t͟he̷ U͡nd͏erw̶òr̀ld.͏ ̸I̵t g̛lo̸we̵d͜ in͠ ̀t͡h̢e҉i͝r͞ e̕y͘e͝s ̢and ͟dr͡ip̢p͠èd̀ ͞fro̕m t̵he̶ir salivat̸ing͏ m҉ou͠ths̨ l͘i̵ke ̷ąc͟i҉d. ̨The͟ ̢w̶an̢t̛,͝ t͠he ͏n̶eed, t͞h͠e ̀hun̵ge͝r for the ̶s̛weet̡est ̶o̶f H̶e͟arts̢ c͏on̶s͡tan͡tl͞y̕ ̨b̨l̸aze͡d͜ ̷th̷r͝o̡ùg̀h̕ t̡ḩe̵m͠ ͡e͝a̸ch. ̕I̴t destroye̢d̵ ̕s͢om̸e̴, ̨cár͠r͏i͜e̸d͏ t͡hem awa͡y͞ ͘o̴n sha͟d͠oẃed w̧ings ̡to ͏th͡e ̡da̵rk ͏p̨a̶t͘h̷s͞ t͜o͘ b͟e͟gi͡ǹ a̵gai͡n.̡͠V́en̡it͞ąs ̡w҉as ́s̷o ćlo̶s̀e ͘no̴w͞;͞ ̡An̴ti ćou͝ld͞ ̴s̡m͜e҉l̶l̛ h̕i̧m͠.҉ ̢H̀e ҉cr̛ou̕ched ̀on ̧t̵h̕e ́f̵inal tre͡e b̡r̶anch ̨on̡ly a̴ sc͝an͟t ̴few f̶e̷e͡t͠ ҉ab͜ov̡e th͟e o̷th͜ęr H̢e̢ar͝t̕les̸s.̴G͡l̛ut̢tony, ͡t̨h̸er̵e̛ ͝w҉ould̡ ͏nev͡e͠r ͡be e͢no̢ug̶h.̵ No ͝o͢ne, t҉w̵o n͝o҉r t̕hre͜e gl̷o͜riou̡s͘ly͞ sh͟im̕meri͡ńg ̡tr͠ea̕s͟ured Hȩa̵rt͟ ̢woul̵d͜ b͢e̕ eǹou̢gh. ̴Th́e ̡H̀ea͜rt͘l͘es̷s̵ ͠ẃould tear th̡r͜o̵ug̛h ҉th̛e̢ ́fr͜ag̀i̷l͠e fab̀ric̢ of҉ the wo͡rl̵d͠s͝ ̷i̶n̷ ͝ţh͞e҉i҉r̵ ́r̢ele͢n͢tle͘ss͏ ̵h̵un̸t̨.͞ ̵Th̴erȩ ̵i̡s ̢ņo f҉e͜a̸r o̵r ҉w̢ǫu͜nd̶ ̷t̨hàt co͜ul̷d̴ eve̶r͟ ̢quiet͢ ͏tḩei͏r burning͢ c̵r̀y̡;̵ ͘the ̵mǫn͘st͢e͡rs ̷ẃi͞l̢l a̧l̡w͟a͠y̢s̷ ̷cha̷se a s̛i͡ngi͜ng heart ̢un҉t͡i͝l͞ al͝l ͡t҉he ̧sta͜rs̀ ̴fa̸l҉l fŗo͞ḿ th͢e ͠sky͝.̴͟Òp̀ening͞ hi͡ś ͝m̧o͡u͜t̷h, b͘l̸ac̡k̛ s͏a͟liv̴a d͠ri̛p͠p̵in͜g͘ ̡f̸r͘om his ̀sha҉r̕p̢ ̧t͏e̡eth ̛wi͏th͠ w͡a̶ńt,͜ An̵ti g̸ąv̀e̶ voic͠e to a vic͘iou͠s,͝ f́era̛l grow̢l̛ ̸an̸d d̛r̡o͠pped f͝ro͜m ̛the͡ ͡br҉ançh̀ ͘li҉k̡e ̵b͏l͏a͟ck̶ ̵l̵i͠gh͘t͡nińg. ͢His͡ ͢c̢la̧w̨s̸ ͡bi̡t ҉ḑeep ̧in̨tò ҉t̴he o̸th͟e͟r̕ H҉e̸a̶ŗtl҉e҉ss̶, ̨t̷eeth f҉įndin̕g҉ hǫme̶ i̴n̢ his ǹeck̴ w̨it̷h ͘a͘ ͡de̴ep,҉ poss̕èss͘ive ͡bi͢t͘e̷.́L̸u͜śt.̨̛Cąck̸l҉in̸g̛ ̛out͠ ̸l҉oud,̀ ͘the̸ m̶ons̢t̶e͡r ͡f͜ou̢g̢h̸t̨ ͜wi̕th̶ V҉e̡n̕í, tu͟rni̸ng̕ h̕i̵m o̷ve̷r an̴d͢ ͠pr͜ess̷ing h͠i̶m̕ ̡i͞n̴t͟o ̨th͡é e̵a̶r͘t̛h ̕of t̕ḩe ͢fore̸s͏ţ ̧flơo̕r.L̸u͜s͘t͟.́H͞i͝s.̷ H͏i̷s͞ t͢o̸y͠. His̸ playt́h̡i̡n̶g. ̛H̡ìs҉ ̷nothi͞ng̢. ͟H͜i͠s ͢ev̵ery̧th͢ing͠. ̛H͞i̢s͢ ̷l̷ov̷e̢r. ̛H̷is ha͜tŗed.̶ ̡His͏ ̵fri̡eǹd͘.̨ Hi͠s e͜nemy.̧ H͢i̢s.̷̢L̷ust͘.͜Śhr̶įék͝ing, ͢th̛e Heart̛le̡s҉s l̀ay͟ his͜ w̢e͞ig͞h͝t͘ ̶on͜ ̀th͝e ͢oth͝ȩr̸, h͞ol̵ḑi̧ng h́ím in̢ p̛la̢çé ͠wi̛t͜h h̵i͘s l͢e̵g͟s,͘ ̶bo̸d̶y and one͡ ̢viciously͠ ͞t͠ìppe̢d ̢h̶and͟, te͜ariǹg t͜hroųgh d͜a̸r͢k fl̴e̢sh̕.̧ ̀Th͡e ot̵hèr͟ bi͝t ̕iǹt҉o̕ ͝t́hȩ ̧side͏ ͡o̧f ͜V͢eni's f́a̢ce, ̧ke͏ep̢in̡g͠ ́it ͘st̛ill̵ as ̴he̛ k̡is͏s͟ed̨ him͝ har͟d;̨ ţeèth ͡bi̸ti̸ng t͢h̕roùg͢h t̀e͟nder ̵l͞ip̀s͡, ͢tongu̷e p̴robi͡ng̢ ̵d̛ee͏p̴.̢Lus̶t͞ burns ͝in̕ ͜e̛v̶ery ̸He̡ar̢tless.͡ ́No̷ne͞ sh͡a͜ll ̸kǹow̛ j̴ust hǫw ̢m̵u͠ch ̀t̡h͢ȩy ̢cr͟av̷e.̢̀“Mi̵ne.̴” ̛The w̸o̕rd͡ s͜piĺle̵d҉ ̨fr̨om̨ An̡t͝i's lips ̨i͜n͝ b͘et̵w̶ee̵n̢ ̡k̵is͢ses̨.͡ He ̨s͡tar҉e̡d͟ ̢at ̀V̛e͢ni̸tas̷'͝ ͜fac̕ȩ,͜ p̛o͜s̵s̵es̶si̧on̴ s̡im̛me͢rinģ ͟in ͏h͠is ͝e̢y͜e̸s ̧l̡i͘k͢e h́ǫt c͠o̢a̡l̛s on ̛a͝ gl̛ow̧in̵g͘ ̴fi҉rè. “Min҉e!” H̷e͡ ͡r͢epeat͞ed͘, d̛ra͘g̕gin͜g a h̛and҉ ͘d̴o͠w̡n ́t̷he̕ ̵l͟en͏g͝t̀h̷ ̶o̡f t͠h͝e͡ ̴H͞e̢a͘rt̛l̛e̷ss'̴ ͝bo̸dy̛. ͞He licke͜d̷ ̵ḩís ̷lip̸s,͢ ta̧sti̷n͠g Vęnit͜a͟s u͜p͞on͏ ̢h̨i̕s͘ mo̴u͘tḩ ̕an͏d̢ ͘g͢r̵ee̢d͘il͟y̶ h͜e̢ drank̡ of ҉th̨e̕ ot̀he̢r͝s fl͜av͟ou͘r ̧aǵa̢i͡n.͏ C͞l̸utc͘hi̷n͜g͠ hi̡m͟ t̴ightl҉y, ҉as̡ t͘houg̢h̸ he ͢we̡r̴e t͟he ͏lur͜ìng͠ s͞i͢re҉n s̢on̵g of̀ a͜ H̵e͝a͠rt̕.̢͠B́u̡t H͞e͠art̢le͏s͢ś,̡ ̨a͜re al͘l e̕m̨pt͠y͞.̶