"I'll..I'll kill you...I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!" Pain washed over her face in the form of crimson, her blood-red hair scattered about the dusty ground, crimson blood flowing all the way down her body like ribbons of red. She dragged her wounded, scarred body across the dirt as flames began to dance around her, drawing in closer and closer from the burning buildings. "I'LL MAKE YOU PAY! I'LL-" A scream of agony escaped her lips as the shadow man walked over to her and stomped on her back with his large platformed boot. "Do what?" He chuckled maliciously. "Yell at me to death!? Your a helpless little rat!" He laughed. Crimson blood splurted from her lips as he continuously slammed his foot into the small of her back, purposefully, for he knew she'd been stabbed through the abdomen and he was causing her agony. He chuckled and smiled in malicious joy at her screams. "BASTARD!" She yelled, trying to maintain a strong voice despite how weak she felt. "YOU BASTARD!" His grimy fingers intangled in her hair as he yanked her naked, lacerated body upwards and looked her deep in the eye with a smile of satisfaction on his face. "Aaahhh...What's more beautiful than seeing a whore like you in agony?" He chuckled. "You'll never kill me girl...you cant even stand on your own!" She kicked and waddled and wiggled trying to free herself from his grasp, making him pull her hair tighter. She groaned in pain, only amusing him further. "Such a firey one..Nothing like that sweet little sister of yours..They say twins always have much in common, I see nothing similar between the two of you..." The shadow man examined her body top to bottom, with a look of shame on his face. "No no...You're not nearly as beautiful or as well-endowed as she...You simply will not do. I bet I couldn't even sell a piece of shit like you for a penny!" He laughed, throwing her back on the dusty ground, stained with ashes and blood of the fallen. "Oh well..." He chimed as his malicious grin returned. "I guess I'll simply have to kill you then!" He laughed, pulling out a long, English style sword. He kicked her over on her back so he would be able to see her sweet, horrified face as she realized she was about to die. As he lifted the sword above his head, she cried out, "NO! I'M NOT DONE YET! I CANT DIE NOW, I CANT!" The sword began raining down upon her small naked body as he began to slash her around violently, each cut seemingly driving him mad with pleasure. As her head began to cloud and become weary from blood loss, she said to herself, "No...I cant die..must...must save Amaranth..."

"Enough of your babbling, bitch!" He screamed in a crazed tone as he brought the sword down one more time to impale her heart. Blood poured from her mouth, seeping and bubbling from her wounds, her life's essence leaking from her body, yet she still reached out to grip any thread she could, until she drew what she thought to be her last breath.

A male voice echoed through the blackness as Aleila awakened. "Hoheo taraina, rondero tarel..." Her fogged over eyes searched around, but found nothing. The voice repeated. "Hoheo taraina, rondero tarel.." Aleila sat up, curiously her wounds had all been healed, and the strangest part is she had survived being pierced through the heart. "W-Who are you..What is this...Whats happening?!" She demanded, but the voice only repeated once more. "Hoheo taraina, rondero tarel." Her eyes searched around once more for the source of the voice. Nothing came into sight beyond the ruins of the village, which had once been so beautiful, so proudly standing, all burnt to ashes and reduced to rubble. The flames had finally ceased. She coughed as she realized she was covered head to toe in ashes and soot, choking up ash that had been caught in her throat. The voice called out once more. "Ho...Hoheo...Taraina...Rondero..Tarael...?" She said curiously. A spider crawled upon her lap. "You summoned me, Miss?" The voice echoed. "S-Summoned..?" She asked, confused. "Yes...I have heard your cries, Aleila Ceirce...You wish for my help upon seeking revenge..do you not?"

"I don't need anyone's help!" She snapped fiercely. The voice chuckled. "We both know that is a lie..You DO need help...And I can offer you that.."

"Who are you!? How do I know I can trust you!?" She snapped.

"I am a demon, Miss. I go by the name Claude, Claude Faustus...Why should you trust me, ah? Well..I cannot give you many reasons for that..Yet, have you wondered how you survived being impaled through the heart?"

"You mean...you...You're the one who healed my wounds?"

"Indeed I am. I can offer you any assistance shall you need. I shall remain your faithful butler, and remain by your side until I have made certain of your revenge..However.."

Aleila looked intrigued, yet a bit unwilling. "..What is the catch...Demon?" She asked. The spider crawled upon her shoulder. "In return for my assistance, I should like your soul as repayment.."

Aleila's eyes went wide as she gasped quietly. "My soul..!? What the devil could you possibly want with that!?" She scorned.

"I am a valefar, a demon that sustains themselves on human souls, Miss. However we must abide by the demon laws that we aren't supposed to kill masses of humans for our own gain..thus we result to contracting..We preform a service for the human and in return we get their souls."

"Makes sense..." Aleila replied in a somber tone. "So...If I give you my soul...you will kill that damned shadow man..and help me get my twin back?"

"Indeed. But I before you make up your mind, I am obliged to warn you that shall you accept, your soul shall never know the lights of heaven, therefore I advise you to think long and hard about this...Are you sure this is what you want..?"

"Pf! The light of Heaven...We all know my soul wasn't meant for that..." She scoffed. "Dont come about me and tell me you can help if you are going to ask silly questions! Did you not just hear me, demon!? I want this!"

"I will ask once more...Do you wish to sign a contract with me?"

"I do!" Aleila stood to her feet. "My soul is a small price to pay for my sister! If that is all that you want then take it!"

"As you wish..." The voice echoed from the darkness.

Aleila was horror struck as the hideous black form of a demon appeared before her, with glowing pink eyes and slits for pupils. It approached her. She tried to hide the fear on her face, but there was no hiding her shaking body. The demon reached out.

Aleila screamed in pain as her eye was gauged out and replaced with the demon's Faustian mark.


"Mama! I'm so glad to see you are well!" Aleila exclaimed, throwing her arms around her mother. "Aleila..!" cried. "Your alive, what a wonderful miricle! What about your sister? Did she make it out..?" Aleila's smile faded as she looked towards the ground in shame. "Oh..I...I see..." Her mother replied. "They said...they said they where taking her..to some sort of slave trade mother...But! I promise..I promise mother, I will find her...What about Papa? Did he make it out of the fire?" shook her head. "..Fraid not deary..." examined her daughter head to toe. A black lollita dress with black stockings, black high heeled shoes and a black ribbon tied in her hair, appropriately dressed to mourn the fallen. However, something was new on her daughter. A black, lacy eye patch with a pink heart on it covered her left eye. She caressed her daughter's cheek tenderly. "Aleila dear...What has happened to your eye?"

"'...Tis nothing mother..." She whispered softly, caressing her mother's hand. "Lets say it was a small price I had to pay to stay with you here on earth.."

"I see..And who is this stocking young fellow?" Her mother asked cheerfully, insinuating to the well-dressed, golden eyed butler standing at the door as he waited on Aleila. "This is my butler, Claude...He rescued me.." looked at her daughter curiously. "Strange, I dont recall seeing him about the manor.."

"He is new. I've just recently hired him. He...Had no job..So I thought as repayment for rescuing me I would give him one.." Aleila fibbed, knowing how appalled her mother would be if she were to tell the truth.

"Ah, I see. Well it is nice to meet you, Claude. Thanks so much for saving my daughter!" The weak old women bowed to him out of politeness, took his hand in hers and wept. "It is my pleasure, my lady." He responded in his usual emotionless tone. "You are a saint sir! I cannot thank you enough!" She cried.

"Please miss, I am simply one hell of a butler. There is no need to thank me."

"Claude, we should leave my mother to rest...Its been a long day.." Aleila drooped her head.

"Indeed it has. Come Mistress, you should rest as well."

"Yeah..." She whispered weakly, almost stumbling out the door. Claude went to catch her, but Aleila shoved him away harshly. "STOP! I do not need assistance!" She growled. "As long as I still have two legs, I can stand on my own!"

"Mistress..." Claude looked at her a bit shocked, but then bowed to her. "I apologize, Miss...I saw you beginning to fall and I-.."

"I am not a helpless child, Claude!" Aleila scorned, straightening up and stomping all the way back to the carriage. "Indeed.." He replied, pushing his glasses back up on his face.


Aleila awoke in her bed to the scent of something delicious. She sat up and stretched her tired, aching limbs, looking around sleepily. "Lady Aleila, it is time to get up." Claude opened the curtains allowing the bright morning sun to illuminate the dark room decorated in luscious, shimmering golds and bright oranges, whites, and pinks. "Yeah yeah...Im awake..." She yawned. "This morning I have prepared for you a lightly poached salmon with lemon, lime, and mint dressing. On the side, I've prepared scones and a tropical parfait, with oranges, pineapples, and coconut shavings with almond granola. To drink I have brought you chocolate-caramel frappe, topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce. I hope everything is to your liking, mistress." Claude said, placing the tray of food in front of her. "Breakfast in bed, eh? Heh, a girl could get used to this.." She smiled, digging in. "Aaah, Claude you are amazing!" She gleamed. "I've not tasted anything so delicious! Thank you."

"There is no need for such gratitude, My Lady, for I am simply your humble butler, and I merely acted as befits such."

Claude proceeded to her closet and pulled out a light beige dress with a ribbon around the waist and a pattern of pink and white blossoms flowing across it as if the wind where carrying them. He laid it on the lounge bench next to her bathroom door along with a pair of white stockings with ribbons and lace embroidering the top, a pair of lacy white fingerless gloves with a ribbon stitching through the top of them in a corset-like fashion, and sat her light beige stilettos with the ankle-straps holding beige bows on them on the floor beneath the dress. "A warm herbal bath has been prepared for you, my lady." Claude took a hanky from his pocket and sighed softly as he wiped the creamy yogurt and the crumbs stuck in it from the corners of Aleila's mouth. "Honestly, Miss...You musn't eat so quickly, you shall give yourself a stomachache. Not to mention, its hardly ladylike to get food all over your face.."

Aleila smirked at Claude as she replied, "You are hardly one to be teaching me how to be ladylike, if you are indeed a man, Claude." Claude dismissed the taunt and reached for the buttons of her nightdress. He had barely undid but one of them when he felt a jolt to his stomach. Aleila had kicked him so hard he had went flying into the wall, leaving a hole in the shape of a man. "Just what the devil do you think you are doing!?" She shouted. Claude stood and straightened himself out, bowing low to Aleila. "Forgive me miss, for I had only the innocent intent of helping you undress for your bath.."

"Psh!" Aleila scoffed. "What the fuck do you think I am, two!? I am perfectly capable of undressing MYSELF! I'm not a child, Claude, sheesh!"

"So I see..Forgive my incompetance my lady." He bowed once more as Aleila got up and shoved him towards the door, kicking him in the ass so he went flying towards yet another wall. Claude stood back up again, adjusting his spectacles. "Well..." He said. "That's never happened before...Such strong legs my mistress is equipped with...I should not like to piss her off again any time soon."

Aleila scoffed, slamming her bedroom door behind her as she entered her bathroom and threw her nightclothes to the floor and slipped inside her tub. "Damned demon! Where did he get such ideas!?" She grumbled, closing her eyes and relaxing in the bath. "Ah..It does smell rather nice in here though, I have to give him that much..." Aleila felt the presence of someone standing behind her. She growled fiercely. "Claude..." Aleila grumbled with annoyance in her voice.

"Mistress?" He replied.

"...I can bathe myself too, Claude..." She sighed. "Why is it you expect I cannot preform such simple tasks on my own!?" Aleila scolded.

"Forgive me miss.. These are simply the tasks my previous masters expected of me, I assumed it was as you expected of me as well.

"Well, dont they sound like co-dependant assholes...I bet you never had any free time, eh?"

Claude simply blinked.

"Well I...I suppose while you are here...you could uh..wash my hair for me.." Aleila blushed, sinking far down into the water and cradling her knees close to her as to hide her privates from Claude. "As you wish, Mistress." He sat on a chair behind her and laced his fingers through her long, crimson hair. She expected a demon's touch to be rough, but Claude was very gentle, gentle enough to make her relax and ease her into letting herself go and just laying back and enjoying it. Claude had not seen such a look of peace on her face in the past few days he had been with her. Though he'd never admit it, it was kinda cute. "Such a lovely young soul I have acquired..." He thought. "Such lovely, smooth pale skin, long crimson hair that gently curls at the ends, encircling her cute, round face with eyes that can kill that..Not to mention, her figure is nothing short of curvacious. And on top of that, she has such a heated personality, a fire inside her eyes that burns for all eternity. Such unwavering beauty, such unwavering confidance. Blissful." He thought with a smirk tugging at his lips. "Such an odd, yet intriguing young women..Such a women could make even a demon fall head over heels in love.." Claude dismissed the thought. "no..that is not what I am here for. I must refrain from thinking such rediculous things.." He scolded himself. "I should like to get out now." Aleila stated, trying her best to cover herself as she stepped out and Claude helped her into her bath robes. "There is nothing to be ashamed of Miss, you are quite beautiful." Claude stated reassuringly. Aleila scoffed, blushing. "It is not that I am ashamed. Its that you are my butler, and I'd hate to ruin your image of me.."

"There is nothing you could do to accomplish that, My Lady. Indeed, I am your butler, and I see you as nothing short of strong, kind, and beautiful.."

Aleila's eyes softened. "Claude...Do you mean that..?" Claude pushed his glasses back up. "Indeed I do. You are my Mistress, and I shall always keep a good image of you."

"T-thank you Claude.." Aleila whispered. "Now get out of here!" She scolded. "I should like to dress in private!" Claude nodded and turned to leave the room for Aleila to dress. "No ones...ever called me ..beautiful..before..." Aleila felt her cheek as it burned hot with red blush. "Oh Claude..." She sighed in dismay. "This cannot be so..Surely demons cannot fall in love? Dont get your hopes up, Aleila!" She scolded herself. "Besides, the last thing I need right now is stupid looooveee..." She taunted. "Psh..love...Such a thing only exist in Fairy Stories..."

...Or so Aleila thought.