American Horror Story: A Tale of Terror from Silent Hill

Chapter 168 Swan
"This theater is cursed; it has become a place where demons descend. I have come with a mission: evil must be destroyed."

After finishing, Baling's IQ returned to its peak, and he remembered the important matter.

"A demon? A curse?" Claire stared at Baling in astonishment. How could things have changed so quickly all of a sudden? The topic had suddenly become heavy.

"On the surface, I'm a street singer, but in reality, I'm a professional exorcist."

Baling clenched his fist, then opened his hand, revealing a gleaming cross in his palm.

A pure white holy light surrounded it, and its sacred aura left no room for doubt.

"You're giving me more and more surprises, it's unbelievable."

Claire felt as if she were seeing Baling for the first time, even though they hadn't known each other for very long.

After the initial shock, Claire slowly accepted the bizarre premise, but new questions arose in her mind.

"Since it's so dangerous here, why don't we leave and go back to New York?"

Claire's eyes were filled with worry, and her fair hand unconsciously tightened its grip on Baling.

Leave, her eyes seemed to say.

“Running away won’t solve the problem, Claire.”

"Demons must be terrifying, and life is far more precious, especially for me. We've only just met, and I don't want you to..."

"No! If even I, with my abilities, retreat, then who will defend humanity and drive out evil? I don't want to see a devastated wasteland or displaced people." Baling stood upright and righteous, embodying the image of a noble and upright man who would risk his life to exorcise demons.

“That’s what I admire most about you. I know about your great love, and it moves me deeply.” Gazing at Baling’s perfect profile, Claire suddenly seemed to see a shining idol, but with eyes that seemed a little bigger.

In the blink of an eye, Claire's vision returned to normal, and Baling was still Baling, only the flashing effects were gone.

Can I stay and help you?

"I can't ask for it."

Baling explained his plan in detail...

Meanwhile, at the Brukenthal Theatre.

The theater owner, Marios, was inspecting the stage setup. The cast had been chosen, and a top-notch performance was about to take place, so every detail had to be perfect.

“You need to completely renovate the stage.” Mario gripped his cane, carefully examining every inch of the space. “The curtain is covered in too much dust; it needs to be replaced.”

He was very dissatisfied and immediately said to the bearded butler in the audience, "I want you to check the backstage area again and make sure it's as good as it used to be."

Butler: "Yes, I will."

Marios: "This floorboard is warped."

Butler: "I will fix it, sir."

After instructing the housekeeper, Marios excitedly went to prepare for the next step: to have the deceased former principal ballerina of the theater, Natalie, complete the possession.

Swan Lake needs a Black Swan, and Natalie Portman is the best choice.

Soon after.

Claire's room at the Gellert Hotel.

A woman dressed in the style of the last century entered the house silently. She was Natalie, the unfortunate woman who was accidentally hit by a car and died a hundred years ago.

She has arrived, and she will perform a completely new version of Swan Lake, never before staged, within Claire's body.

Claire was sound asleep in bed, seemingly completely immersed in her dreams.

Natalie drifted over and slowly approached Claire's body.

They will become one.

That's how it was supposed to be, but once it entered her body, Natalie felt as if she were being burned alive. She only had time to let out a scream before turning to ashes. Outside, twisted dark red marks flickered on Claire's wrist.

In the next room, Baling, reminiscing about his past knowledge, glanced at the wall to the side and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Just now, a male dancer with neatly combed hair and flamboyant attire also attempted to invade Baling's body.

As a result, it was naturally refined in an instant.

……

"Oh, Natalie, my Natalie! You're finally back."

Baling said with an exaggerated expression, while Marios and the butler beside him looked at him as if that was how he should be.

When it comes to acting, Baling is a professional.

By this time, Baling and Claire had officially moved into the Brukenthal Theatre.

Living here long-term can help to interfere with and influence consciousness.

Baling knew Marios's bad intentions at a glance, but he didn't say anything and just acted quietly.

Claire had already been instructed by Baling and was prepared to take appropriate action. Her main strategy was to adopt Natalie's name and project an image of someone solely focused on dance, possessing the mindset that "I must perform in Swan Lake."

That's enough.

Before the official performance, the two need to practice dancing to improve their chemistry.

For Baling, whose body control abilities were exceptional, these rehearsals were a piece of cake. But Claire was just an ordinary person, and the one who needed the most practice among them. Therefore, the official opening of this play would be delayed.

A peaceful and fulfilling period of time has quietly passed by.

A peaceful morning.

The air is fresh and the weather is pleasant.

On the shore of the clear lake, Claire and Baling sat together on a white bench, enjoying a rare moment of time together.

Practicing dance can't be rushed; it requires a balance of intensity and rest.

Now is the time to relax.

"It is said that swans only have one mate in their lifetime, and once they fall in love, they will stay together until old age. Swans are considered a symbol of unwavering love, representing a lifelong bond between two swans."

Claire sweetly took Baling's hand and rested her head lightly on Baling's broad shoulder.

On the rippling lake surface, a pair of white swans swam intimately, their slender and graceful necks touching, forming a heart shape.

“Baling, look! It’s a heart.” Claire suddenly whispered, gently tugging at Baling’s hand, afraid of disturbing the pair of swans.

"Oh! Nature, how amazing." Baling wasn't too moved; he preferred the fragrant roast goose to the beautiful white swans.

"It seems even the swans are blessing us," Claire thought, still clinging to beautiful fantasies about love.

"In fact, according to the latest research by scientists, swans do stray."

"Huh? Really? I don't believe it. Experts are just talking nonsense."

"Not only do white swans cheat, but black swans do too, and they may even change every year, making them more fickle than most humans."

"Alright, that's enough. Black swans are bad, white swans are good. All the bad things are done by black swans."

Claire angrily banged on Baling a few times, simply because he had said such a jarring thing.

Baling grimaced, offering no rebuttal, but then added:
"How about we talk about roast goose? This breed won't cheat on its customers, and it's very popular."

Claire asked, bewildered, "Roast goose? What kind of swan is this? I've never heard of it before. Is it very rare?"

(End of this chapter)