"My Lord", Tête entered the room and bowed her head, "There is a letter for you, sir".She presented the envelope that she was holding in her hands. "On the table", the master of the house muttered, without looking her way, continuing his gaze into the unknown outside the window, sitting in his recliner. "Anything else?", when Tête didn't leave for a while, he finally asked."My Lord, I am but a servant of your family, like my father was and his father too. We've served your noble family for generations and now, I find it in me to ask you about the fate of your daughter that I raised with my own two hands"."You've served us", he looked her way, uninterestingly, "Your job has been fine. And this is the only time any member of your family has questioned a decision made by the family of Vlad. It is perhaps my own failure that pests like you have gained a mouth. But since you've presented yourself to me with that miserable fate of yours, let me tell you".He began."Vampires cannot hav
"Master is back, girls! Come on up and get to the kitchen, all of you", the head maid came waltzing in, clapping her hands, scattering the group of maids chittering the day away."Madame, who is going to tell him? Will you?", one of the girls approached the head maid and asked slowly."Tell him what? Mistress would tell him herself, is it our duty to give such news to the head of the house? Of course not! Don't forget your place now, go get the stew started already!""Oh, she's not half wrong, Madame. Mistress is what, only 18! And you know how cold their marriage is, good heavens, they don't even talk to each other", another one opined."Goodness, you girls!", the head maid herself wasn't too old, but with all the young ones scampering around, the middle aged woman felt many a wrinkles coming, "Can't you keep your heads in your work? Now get to work and stop idling around".In fact, if there was one place in the huge Valentine mansion that was lively and seemed to be inhabited by any
"It is nice to see you", the old woman stepped in through the door to find Faye in a reclining sofa, "My Lady".Faye turned her head slightly toward her and smiled weakly before closing her eyes and looking away."I had a feeling he'll send you. He'll probably not be well off himself though. Right, Tête?", Faye replied."Barely. My Lord has banished me from his sight ever since you left. It would hardly matter if I was there", Tête answered."Is that right?", that was surprising for Faye, though she didn't demand a reason."I am not the only one he sent either. There's also this young man", Tête said as a young boy entered the room, "He's Cassius, from one of the branch families, the last of his family, quiet like you, my Lady".Faye opened her eyes and examined the young boy who was probably somewhere in his early teens."The last of his family? Are you a Dhampir, kid?""No, my Lady. I'm a vampire. Lord Magnus performed the blood ritual himself before sending me here"."My father did
At first I wasn't sure what had occurred when the wall broke down and I was dragged outside. When I looked back, that dungeon where I had met Deli was gone and I was in some sort of a garden, with a glass roof. It was beautiful but scary. And at night, it was mortifying. I held my breath as I looked around for whatever had brought me out. I couldn't see very well, the moon was hidden once again in the embraces of the thick dark clouds and it only occasionally came out teasingly. Drops of sweat rolled down my face despite the chilly night. I clutched Ebony tightly as if my life depended on it. Soon I heard a brush in the nearby bushes which was followed by the footsteps on the stony path. I kept my eyes peeled for whatever was headed my way. But before I knew it, it seized me and I'd have been impaled if my reflexes hadn't made me duck out of the way of the chained dagger that was headed my way.My arm did get slashed but it wasn't something I couldn't handle. I looked sternly at the
The garden grew darker and darker under that glass roof and cloudy night. Still, it was strangely enchanting as if something was calling me to sleep. And I might just have caved in and slipped into its embraces if it wasn't for this unexpected intruder.I felt like I had lost my consciousness but in fact I wasn't half gone yet. I noticed Albus's face twisting into the most terrifying expressions. "What an unpleasant way to enter. Who might you be, sir? A friend of that dying guest over there perhaps?""Yeah but for someone as half assed as you to have done the number on him, I'm rather disappointed in this friend of mine", he said with utter disgust and a familiar voice that brought nothing but relief to me."Oh? Aren't you one to be forming opinions so quickly even before we have met in battle?"He chortled, though I couldn't see his face."I barely need to do that. That is one of the cursed weapons of your master, I presume. The only problem with these trinkets though, is that they
I lay there motionlessly as Albus and Chopper engaged in a battle that was too hectic for me to keep the track of. I did consider moving out of the way but for some reason, I didn't. Chopper kept shielding me from all the destruction they were causing all around them. Chopper held Ebony between his teeth and switched with Ivory occasionally. I had almost forgotten that Ebony and Ivory had curse imbued in them, they weren't some ordinary weapons. Chopper was right, I had been wasting Ebony's potential.If I remember it right, Ebony can cut through anything and Ivory causes things to disintegrate. I hadn't even thought of using Ebony to cut through a lot. I began to imagine all the things which could have been easily sliced through if I had been using it right. Nosferatu, for one, was what I began thinking of. I wondered if Chopper had met Felix on the way. Actually, I didn't even know how Chopper got here in the first place.Albus was keeping up rather well with Chopper. It seems he ha
"I'm sorry that I couldn't do enough. I've never told you enough, but I'm grateful to you for both of them. And...for you...too", his broad back and faint smile as he left came to her mind.Deli opened her eyes, she had another guest.She summoned a weak smile, "Hello Cassius"."It's been a long time, my Lady", he replied with a similar smile."You've changed...but not as much as me, I suppose"."I can barely tell its you. But you are as beautiful as you used to be, my Lady".She chuckled painfully, "In all this blood?" *****************"Seraph!", I heard a familiar voice as I was heading down that corridor. "Felix?!"He joined up with me and we went on."You made it, huh?", he was looking well, though a little torn up here and there with his boots muddied and bloodied.I wonder why I took notice of that so keenly, maybe because it reminded me of my own shoes."So you took down that Nosferatu, I presume.""Yeah, th
"Felix, how long is it going to take?", I grew restless with every passing moment."I'm trying my best. Well, actually...", he removed his hand from the door."Wha...Felix! What are you doing?""Seraph, we probably shouldn't remove this barrier", he answered calmly."Well, we have to go ahead, don't we? Are you chickening out or what?""That's not the point. Look, thing is-"He didn't have to explain as we were able to witness a rather violent demonstration of what he wanted to say. The door swung open all of a sudden and an explosion ensued which wrung us pretty far back. We were saved by the door itself, else we'd have been scorched. Felix and I fixed ourselves up and looked at the doorway where clouds of smoke rose, blinding our vision."What...", I cleared my throat, I think I tasted blood...or guts, "was that?!""Seraph, you alright?", Felix got up, helping me as well."Oh?", we heard a voice from beyond the smoke, "Boy?!!!"That sure was a familiar voice. He appeared out of the
I would like to think to myself that this isn't the end. But seeing as her story went back to where it all started, I realized that my role wasn't saving her at all. I just made sure she'd continue to exist, eternally.In eternal suffering and forgetfulness and new encounters and the last times, in every world, she'll continue to exist.As for me, I couldn't bear to live in a world knowing she was somewhere out there, helpless and torn, just as she'd been when I first found her.When did I first find her?Who can say? I had always been talking about how I wished I'd met her sooner. In fact, I had always known her. Our existences were intertwined so much that I don't think either of us could just pull away and be happy all on our own without thinking of the other.After I'd returned Lady's power to her, I floated away in an empty space for an eternity. I was foolish enough to think that the sorrow would fade away one day. But no matter how long and far I floated away, the memory and th
It was the coldest I'd felt in ages, and there was an aching heaviness in my head that I simply couldn't seem to shake off no matter how much I walked. I don't know when, how, or why I was walking through the snow towards the top of some hill I didn't even know.For that matter, I didn't remember who I was, how I'd gotten there, or where I was going.And just like that, before I knew it, I had collapsed in a den of wolves. Luckily, it looked abandoned, so I didn't get eaten off right away. I figured it'd be a long, slow death. I found the idea of such a gentle death appealing, despite the fact that I was walking mindlessly just seconds ago.I must have passed out, for when I came to, I was stiff as a rock. And yet, I wasn't that cold anymore. I lifted my head to find myself covered in a bear pelt. Someone had been so kind as to cover me up. And yet, the pelt was rather old and shoddy. Who cared as long as it could keep me warm?I stood up, looking around, getting accustomed to my surr
"I didn't imagine we'd ever come to a crossroads such as this", I let out a puff of smoke, standing opposite her."But, as a matter of fact, I always had a feeling we would", Lady answered with her signature smirk."Sure, you did", I said sarcastically.It was surprising at first. But things made sense soon enough. Lady had sent all of us away on a mission. She'd isolated herself at Valhalla. Chopper had left of his own accord. She'd sent Sight to look for him. Deli had gone to see her children. And she bid Lubbock and June farewell. She'd even given her fur coat to June. Grim was on a mission, too. And I was looking for Jean V. to deliver her letter.It was all exactly as it had been back then. When I'd return from meeting Jean V., Lady would already be beyond saving. Back then, all I knew was that the person who sent her that blank letter was the one who came to kill her. I never ventured to find out much else.It all made sense now as I stood be
"Must you leave without fulfilling my wish, Seraph?"He had some guts to ask. I looked up at the red sky. There was nothing but barren, burnt land all around us."What else could you ask for?", I looked back at him."You look so old, Seraph", he chuckled, "What exactly did you give the others?"I looked behind me without answering his question. There was no one and nothing."What? It's a long story", I answered without looking at him."We've got time to kill", he grinned."I don't", I said, but went on to answer him anyway, "I gave everyone what they wanted.""Really?"I glared at him, "Yes, really, Grim. I took a fee, of course."He laughed."And what will you take from me?", he asked, grinning.I looked around and then rested my eyes on him."There's really nothing."He seemed to agree."So how'd you manage?""Well, Grim, you could almost call it travelling back through time. Though, it really isn't that. I split the worlds to create new ones. Time doesn't exist for me anymore. Ever
"I will take death in any way and form it comes to me, anywhere and anytime."That had to be the most brazen statement I'd heard. It took me a bit to take that statement in."You really have no special requests? If I can, I'd like to make it up to you", I sat down and stared at his bloodied face.He shook his head."Make up for what?", he asked.He didn't know me yet to call me "boy" but I suppose that's the way it had to be.I had become better at rewriting the reality. I could write quite far back in certain cases. For example, in Sight's case, I made it so he never met Lady and Chopper on the night he killed the prima donna, Czarna Dalia.Before meeting them he didn't know anything about what he'd been doing. He didn't know what an outcast was, even though he himself was an outcast. Ignorance is indeed the greatest of all blisses. And I thought for Sight, it had to be the biggest saving.Lady was right. People who see things differently are the most dangerous of all. Especially tho
"This isn't what I asked for, Seraph", she complained, fixing her glasses on her tiny nose."I don't get what the hell it is that you want exactly, June", I was beginning to get tired."You don't understand at all", she folded her arms."You're damn right, I don't. What kind of crazy a-""One thing.", she looked at me sternly, "One thing I'm asking for is a place to be happy. Not a mother, not a wife, not a hero, not any of the other things you're trying to come up with.""What'll make you happy, exactly?", I folded my arms and leaned against the wall of Valhalla.Everyone else was off to fend the red sky off. June had been left behind in a protective barrier.She fell silent."How about Lady? Isn't she your favorite?""I could care less about her", she answered, bluntly, "I hate her.""Huh?", I wasn't sure I'd her heard her right."She does everything on a whim. She claims to understand everything when rea
"They are waiting for you, Monsieur Lubbock", a dark woman poked her head into the dressing room, "It's almost time for the show."The bajillion young ladies that were powdering his nose scattered away.His face was pink with heat and he wore a long fancy coat. It almost looked odd on his somewhat small figure."I'll be right there", he answered, gussying up in the mirror."Aww, you're leaving already, Monsieur?", some of the girls came up to him.He chuckled modestly."What can I say? The life of the greatest singer in the world isn't so relaxing, my dears.""You might be the greatest singer, but Monsieur is also the life of all women's hearts", one of the cheekier ones commented.Lubbock laughed. He didn't try to hide how much he loved being pampered like this."I'm sorry, girls. My audience awaits!"Saying so, he shot out of the room and hurried towards the stage. Backstage was always heated just before his shows. He was the one star that every theater wanted to have. But he was a
"Do you blame me for mother's death, father?", she asked, placing the empty cup of tea on the little side table.Her father wasn't facing her. He was still locked up in his study, reclining on his chair and looking out of the window at some distance lands.She sat straight, with her back erect. The weight of her gown was enough to tire her but she was made up, as befitting of a noble. She had to look all the more perfect since she was visiting her home for the first time since her marriage."Blame you?", the lord of the house spoke in his grave voice after a while, "I simply don't think you were worth her death. Esme was a wise woman. A level headed, understanding, noble woman."Faye looked at her lap."You refuse to carry out the will of the house of Vlad. You'll go as far as to commit a heinous crime to that end. I'm disappointed beyond measure."Faye pursed her lips. No one but she herself had been hurt the most by what she'd done."Vlad was born to you twice. And yet, you ungratef
"Tell you what, Seraph, this one time, I met a girl and she had these enormous scars all over her arms and legs. I couldn't help noticing her, of course. When she told me she did it herself, I couldn't help it. I killed her then and there", he chuckled to himself, "I didn't want to do it, of course. Something just came over me. It wasn't that she told me she did it herself. It was how she said it. She was smiling.""I'm sure she wasn't smiling because she was happy", I answered, with a solemn look on my face."I'm sure of that too. I was sure of it back then too. That's probably why I killed her. But do you know how many people I've saved?"He looked at my face. I stayed silent."I've saved more people than I've killed. I've been counting since the beginning. I know, for sure, that my atonement is over. At least, it ought to be. But does it look like I'm still repenting?", he asked, smiling vaguely, knowing my answer."You do.""That's because I am. No matter how many I save...the ato