The bell gave a loud chime, almost deafening. Hidraya screamed, covering her ears. The chime lasted long, and it was enough to defeat the snake lady.

Dave watched in horror as Hidraya's beauty began to fade. She was in her original look with scaly skin and ugly hair. That was not all, as Hidraya began to vaporize. First her legs, then her body and arms, and last of all, her head disappeared like a mist. The vapor went into the empty bell, forming its missing structure.

It was finally over.

Dave turned to Aurora, and almost cried when he saw that her beauty was back. She looked as beautiful as ever. Aurora felt her face, and was delighted. "Oh, Dave! Thank you so much!" She hugged him tightly in joy. "You're my hero! Thank you!"

"Hey, watch the bell!" exclaimed Dave with a laugh, making sure that the bell did not ring again.

"Glad that's over," Nick said with a relieved sigh, wiping his brow as Stan scrambled out from under the table.

"Tell me about it," he agreed, brushing himself. He shuddered. "I do not want to be involved in any paranormal stuffs anymore. What are you going to do with that, Dave?"

"Well, I have to return it," Dave said slowly, examining the bell. "I can't just destroy it. Madam Magdalene must have a reason to keep it, so I'll have to do what's right." Stan rolled his eyes in disbelief, and Nick shrugged.

Dave entered Gastrange's Repository the next morning, the bell wrapped carefully in a handkerchief so that it would not ring. He found Madam Magdalene feeding the fishes in the tank.

"Good morning, Dave," said Madam Magdalene without looking up. "You have something for me?"

Dave decided not to ask how she knew that. "I defeated Hidraya," he said softly. "Here's the bell back."

Madam Magdalene straightened up and looked at him with a raise eyebrow. "Well, I don't want it," she simply replied.

Dave was confused. "I don't want it either. So what am I supposed to do?"

"Well, if you don't want it, destroy it," Madam Magdalene told him knowingly as if it was obvious. "You do not want to bring Hidraya back, do you?" Dave was silent, looking at the bell doubtfully. "Oh, give it to me," she said impatiently.

Reluctantly, Dave passed it to her carefully. Madam Magdalene took the bell, and then dropped it into the fish tank. Dave watched in astonishment as the fishes used their sharp teeth to break the bell. It was kind of terrifying to him. "That's it? She's gone forever?" he asked.

Madam Magdalene nodded. "But it's just the beginning, Dave," she said, walking to the back of the counter as Dave continued to stare at the tank. "Hidraya is only the beginning."

"What do you mean?" Dave queried, looking towards her. But she was gone. Shaking his head, he started to head out of the shop.

"Prepare yourself."

He turned around quickly, but there was no one there. The skull on the counter continued to grin at him.

End of Beauty Bell