Hey there, it's et3rnal.w1nt3r here.

Some of you may know me, some of you may not. Regardless, thank you for giving A Scarlet Tale a chance for your attention. This is a tale about the Scarlet Sisters, who they are and how they came to be.

Enjoy~

Touhou and its characters belong to ZUN / Team Shanghai Alice.


A Scarlet Tale

Prologue

A cloaked figure stood on the precipice, looking down onto the lush green forest. It was a morning shrouded in mist, making vision limited. However, the figure saw not with his eyes but with his mind. Closing his eyes, he concentrated deeply, retreating into the deepest reaches of his mind.

A second later, he grinned to himself. He heard some noise far below in the swaying forest, he felt the movement, he saw what was impossible to see with eyes. With a triumphant howl he jumped down the precipice. The black cloak billowed outwards and a pair of blood red wings spread out. He glided smoothly, using his mind, guided himself to the source of movement.

He landed in front of four humans, two grown ones and two cubs sitting astride a horse. Elegantly he folded his wings and allowed the dark cloak to settle back. He stood as still as a statue as he surveyed the scene.

The male human who was muscular and tanned, was surely used to holding a weapon of some sort. He had a look of surprise that quickly changed to fierce as his hand automatically darted to the sword by his side. He could prove to be a bit of problem. The female beside him was pale and serious but with gentle eyes, used to travel but did not engage in combat often. She posed no problem. Finally his eyes darted to the two young cubs on the horse. They elder one was staring at him with large eyes while the other was asleep, leaning against her sister.

He completed his survey in approximately four seconds.

Without pausing, he drew the slender rapier by his waist and darted to the male, thrusting his sword out towards the male.

Too slow.

The male drew his own sword swiftly, a sturdy one that resembled a sabre. He blocked the figure's thrust and the sound of steel against steel rang out loud across the damp forest, the horse reared up. The two cubs astride the horse screamed. The female ran to their side and held the horse, calming it. Momentarily, the male was distracted. The cloaked figure grabbed the chance and began to attack seriously, no longer playing around.

The male was strong. However, he was neither strong enough for the figure nor agile enough to dodge all his attacks. Soon, he had his back up against a tree. The figure smirked, feinted to his left then thrust the rapier toward the male's right arm. The resulting squelch was oddly satisfying.

He looked with disdain at the wounded man and took the sabre from his useless arm. He pointed the sabre toward the male and grinned. With great strength he thrust it. The male closed his eyes, accepting his fate.

At the last moment, the sabre changed its course and slammed beside the male's head. It embedded itself deeply into the tree. The time to kill the male was not due. Not yet.

He could smell blood.

Warm, rich blood.

No, he must restrain himself. There would be time for feasting later, there was still the female.

He turned around. And instantly regretted it. A bolt of energy headed towards the vampire's way. He caught it full in the face. It stung. But only slightly. He underestimated the female. He did not suspect that she would be capable of magical powers. But such mistakes were not tolerated in battle. Bolt after bolt rained down on him. The female screamed in fury, intensifying the attacks when she saw the wounded male.

However, the female made a mistake too. The very same one the vampire made. She did not know the vampire had magical abilities too.

He smirked maliciously, threw up a barrier and calmly sheathed his rapier. His left hand closed into a fist and he drew it to his left shoulder. In the same second when he canceled the barrier, he swept his hand toward the female, stretching it out and releasing a ruby red bolt of energy.

The female was frozen with a horrified expression on her face, how exquisitely beautiful.

He then walked toward the male who was currently tugging at his sabre, trying to pull it out of the tree. The vampire advanced menacingly toward the male and grabbed him tightly with his hands. Ignoring his struggling prey, he softly punctured the skin on the neck with his fangs that portruded from his gums. Almost gently, he licked the blood that flowed up. He could restrain himelf no longer. With a snarl he drew even more blood and drank it all, killing the male in a cruel way.

When he was done, he turned towards the female and did the same, relishing the magically enriched blood.

Lastly, he faced the two cubs, or children as they were known in human language. They were too afraid to move, clinging to each other and staring at him with horrified faces. The elder one had light blue hair that curled down to her shoulders, while the other had blonde hair that reached to below the shoulder blades. They look healthy, perhaps he should turn them into one of his own?

He decided that he would.

Grinning delightedly at the screams that followed when he grabbed them, he sunk his fangs into the elder one's neck first. He did not draw blood. But instead he injected toxins.

The first, to make the prey sleep.

The child fell unconscious.

..

The second one, to make the prey forget.

She lost her memories, forgot everything including that she was once a human.

..

The third, to alter the prey's looks.

The once cobalt blue eyes turned blood red.

..

The fourth, to make the prey, the predator.

Little fangs grew in her mouth. All her senses were amplified. Her strength was multiplied. Her agility exceeded those of humans.

..

The fifth, to enable flight.

A pair of wings so black that it was as if made of darkness broke the skin of the child and ripped the back of her clothes open.

..

The turning was now complete. Whether she would turn out to be a strong vampire depended on how well the body was suited.

Next, he turned the younger one. He did the same as what he did to the elder sister. The turning was almost complete – The fifth, to enable flight.

Suddenly, he heard the noises.

Before he could give enough toxins to the younger sister for her wings to grow completely, a band of humans appeared. They were carrying spears and were armored, bearing the crest of the king. Patrols, the vampire thought to himself. Too many. He gave a glance at the younger cub.

Her wings were oddly disfigured, a result of not enough toxins. It was colourful, with little diamond shaped.. things hanging on it. It did not have any skin or muscles, just.. a substance that remotely resembled bones.

A loud shout from one of the patrols jerked him from his thoughts. He would have to leave the cubs alone. It's a pity, but not like he cared for them.

He turned and took to the sky, leaving the two newly turned vampire cubs on the ground.


This is only the prologue, so yeah, it's a little short.

I don't normally beg for reviews but.. if you can, let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading!