Author's Note: Hi, Yuki here! Long time no see~ So small story, I've had this piece mostly written up months ago but I just couldn't let myself publish it until I did a little more research and editing to it and so unfortunately it sat there... for a while OTL. I've been working on another piece along side this one and I've hit plenty of barriers and many nights of frustration. But with a recent encouragement I've received through a generous review, I finally got myself into gear and finished it to the point where I could confidently say "All right, this is decent enough for anyone to read" XDD;; So I hope I'm in the right;;; and I truly hope you enjoy the last chapter! I feel very honored that some of you have enjoyed my previous chapters. Thank you so much for your support!
Again, any review is well appreciated so feel free to leave me a comment and thank you so much for taking your time to read my story~!
Spoiler warning: If you have not read the book yet, please refrain from reading this fic.
Disclaimer: Chrno Crusade © Moriyama Daisuke
Germany. 1898. October.
It was on that one chilly October night. Seifert had fled his home after a fight with his father of his future path he wished to pursue. His father, a wealthy lawyer, had dreamt of his son to one day take over the family business and here he was speaking of his love for art and other fantasies that surely wouldn't help one get through life. Seifert kicked a rock out of frustration. He was convinced that his father probably thought his son didn't understand the hardship he had endured to get where he was. But the fact of the matter was it wasn't what he wanted to do. 'The naïve mind is speaking of nonsense again', he would often say, throwing his hand up in defeat, pressuring his wife to speak to their son in order to talk some sense into him. They would argue of what was best for him, leading to an unpleasant sight. He wanted to get away from it all.
Seifert recalled crossing the small stone bridge connecting the riverbanks that day. The river flowed slightly faster than most days and undoubtedly the sound gave it away. However, what made him take notice of it wasn't just the sound of the water but a low moan coming from below. Stopping his footing, he glanced back behind him to see if anyone were there before he heard it again. He looked over the edge when saw an oddly dressed woman laying face down in the dirt by the waters, brutally injured. With little hesitation, he jumped over the ridge and rushed his way down to where she was. "Are you all right, miss!" He called out to her in German as he knelt beside her. Gently helping her roll onto her back, he immediately was taken by her beauty with her long dark hair gracefully framing her petite face. But it was neither the time nor place to be bedazzled by her as he noticed the deep wounds on her sides and head amongst all the bruising. Carefully picking her up into his arms, Seifert placed his pride aside and carried her back to his home despite having just left there. There were no other place that would be able to give her immediate attention as his home and something told him she didn't want to be found easily either.
How taken the woman was when she finally opened her eyes to find herself in a stranger's bed. It was luck and perhaps fate that Seifert entered the room right when she was about to leave; a small surprised run in at the door way. She immediately backed away and fiercely stared him down as she guarded her sides where the bandage was applied; wincing to the pain felt. "You shouldn't move so suddenly." He spoke his concern as he slowly approached her with both hands up to show that he meant no harm. Her rapid breathing and hostile nature gradually settled down as she felt his warm gentle hand on her shoulder and that relieved smile on his face. She couldn't understand a word, of course, but somehow just that one single touch was enough to convey the message.
As days passed, she slowly allowed him to tend to her even though she really didn't need it being a demon. She would nod a 'yes' or a 'no' to whatever he would gesture at and when she finally spoke her first word in English, he simply laughed feeling rather embarrassed for not realizing sooner that there was a language barrier between them. Having been strictly schooled ever since he was little, Seifert was proficient in numerous languages with English being one. Why he would care this much for someone he's only met was beyond her, thinking him only a fool at first. Especially not knowing who she was and all, but somehow as time passed on she began to think otherwise as well. She enjoyed his company and he seemed to enjoy hers. That's all that really mattered. He never did question what happened on that day. How she had failed a mission and was stripped of her horns, brutally beaten, only to be disposed of by being thrown out to sea and drift away to perish. Funny how it all lead to him. She couldn't have been happier being by this man's side, truly tired of having to comply with her obliged duties. She remained in her reserved form as well as kept one last piece of human jewel close to her to survive, never to return to that dreadful place from then on. Not that they would have suspected her to survive at the time. Luck was on her side that the Elders had more pressing matters than worry about her whereabouts. They had enough jewels to last them until they found another core brain anyhow.
She quickly grew accustomed to the German lifestyle over the next few years and even supported Seifert prosper in his art collecting and trades. He dealt with all different types of art forms from vases to paintings to statues from various countries. But the one he was most drawn to, in particular, was the French Art Nouveau. Through its influence he even gave her a French name, Florella, since she refused to use her former name for various reasons. When they finally wedded, she began contributing by creating her own jewels to sell as well.
Florella Harvenheit. She made a pretty good name for herself in their aristocratic upper class society and even managed to birth two beautiful daughters, who both were specifically named after her: Florette and Satella. Seifert managed to bring out the best in her, and most of all, feelings that she would have never imagined a demon as herself could ever feel.
Her wonderful new life as a human and now… it was all crumbling down before her.
Germany. 1914. Early September.
Florella couldn't bear to look at him. The whole situation only made Aion laugh more. It was all too ridiculous to the sinner. Nothing good ever came with having a special something or someone. Thrown into an emotional turmoil and all for what? He's seen it before already. Demons and humans just weren't meant to live in the same world. "The cat is out. Your little game is over. Let's go. You've no other choice now." He spoke his mind apathetically as he raised a hand for her to take. Selfishly, she gave it a thought. How everything was now done for. Her dark past shattering all hope she had of living this ideal world forever. She would indeed have no other place to go besides with Aion and his crew. She was prepared to comply when Seifert ran in and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Refuse, Florella! No matter what you say, I will never believe that you were playing me this whole time! Not after all we've been through together! I don't care whether you're a demon, an angel, or human! You'll always be the woman I fell in love with so don't go!" He desperately exclaimed to her, confessing his love all over again.
Left in pure shock, her fingers tingled and lips quivered to hear those words. Placing a hand onto his, she closed her eyes and leaned her head in towards him as a tear ran down her cheek. How foolish she was to even consider what the sinner had to say. She was done with her past doings and vowed to herself that she would no longer harm another to atone for what she had done. She had a loving family; A home right here. She slowly re-opened her eyes and Aion knew that something had changed. She seemed more confident unlike just a second ago. He had a bad feeling about this.
"I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Aion. I will no longer have anything to do with you or the society. This is where I belong with my family." She spoke with a small smile as her husband embraced her more in relief and protectively stared the demon down before them.
Clenching his teeth in fury, Aion heaved a low disappointed sigh as he quickly transformed into his demon form. "I would have preferred to avoid this, but it seems you left me with no other choice now... If that's your answer then-" The two quickly stood to back away when the sinner began to lunge forward without hesitation. "Ahhh!" Florella shrieked in fear reflexively hiding her face behind her husband's back. Arm drawn back with blades at his fingertips, Aion aimed to grab her when Seifert knocks over one of the golden andirons of the fireplace to block his way and picks up an antique blade from the wall. As pieces of the wood flew his way, Aion violently slashed his claws through the andiron, chucking part of the metal into the fire. The flames roaring uncontrollably, part of the log rolled out onto the Tabriz carpet catching it on fire. "Tch." The sinner quickly blocked off their escape route and squarely faced the couple. "And here I thought you would put up some sort of fight, Florella. What ever happened to the powers I had heard of?" He mocked her with a gesture of this hand.
Florella quivered and tightly grasped her husband's shirt as she tried to compose herself. She knew she had to be the one to do something about this. There was no chance of Seifert winning against a demon like Aion, let alone a man who has never wielded a sword in his life or harmed another soul for that matter. But how brave her husband stood before him, determined to protect his wife and family. She had to gather her strength and revisit her past self one last time to put an end to this once and for all. They already had made plans to flee the country and besides with Aion present, she was certain they were-! Her thought process immediately ceased as she noticed something missing from him. Taking a better look, her eyes widened to see that Aion was indeed missing a prominent feature of a demon - his horns. She studied the plates on his head and wondered just how he was capable of transforming. "How are you-" She began to question when he laughs to the irony. The look on her face was priceless. It was only something he and Chrno were capable of after all. He owed one to his genes. It came as no surprise that she would be this shocked. Only he knew of the truth.
"What does it matter?" Aion finally replied with a light shrug. "Think of it as a handicap. Be sure to entertain me now!" He dove in again swiftly dodging Seifert's clumsy swing of the old sword and grabbing it by the blade. A sharp smirk at his lips, he shattered it with one hand as the man backed away with the remaining part of the sword. Seifert heavily panted, giving a cough to the toxic smoke now filling the confined area from the fire that had begun to spread to half of the room. Taking the sharp piece into his hand, he threw it back at the husband piercing him right in the heart, causing him to buckle at his knees. Blood spurting from his mouth, Florella immediately went to catch his fall backward as she cries out his name. "Seifert! Noo! Please… you can't leave us.. you can't leave me…" His weary eyes glancing up at his distraught wife crying hysterically, he managed to raise a hand to caress her wet face as he forced his last words out. "R-un… Flo..rella… take… the girls... and run." With his last breath, he mouthed the words "I love you" before his lifeless limb slowly slipped away from her and fell to the ground with a loud thud.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"
Anger brewing inside, Florella's whole body shook as she held her husband for one last time before managing to stand up. Her eyes glowing yellow as her black long hair flowed to her energy seeping out and undoing her bun, she slid a hand into her pocket to retrieve a piece of jewel. Holding it between her middle and index finger, she began to chant. "Laden…" As soon as those words left her lips, her aristocratic dress slowly changed form to that of a demon's; a lavender and white body suit that conformed to her shape perfectly and a single diamond opening left by her navel to show where the last contractor was embedded. Feeling the immense energy coming from her, Aion softly commented and prepared himself. "That's more like it." He let out a loud battle cry, gathering his own energy before charging in. His blade clashing with her sword that formed itself from the particles of the jewel within her grasp a second later, she held strong against his attack as they came face to face. "I'll never forgive you, Aion! You will pay for this with your life!" She forced him away and fully swung the crystal blade at him. A shallow cut to his forearm, it quickly began to reform itself after drawing a little bit of blood. "It's about time." He encouraged with a snicker. He carefully observed the jewel summoner's powers and grew more excited to the thought. This would surely be an asset; he thought but how to bring it back with him was still the issue.
That was when opportunity knocked on his door. Hearing a loud gasp by the door, the two demons both simultaneously spotted the young girl dressed in her white frilled night gown. "Mo..ther?" Florette softly questioned with a terrified look in her eyes. Catching a glimpse of her fallen father on the ground, she covered her mouth as she grew weak in the knees; the gruesome scene almost making her purge. "Florette!" The mother exclaimed and tried to bypass Aion, but he gracefully cut off her path. A devious grin painting his face as he slyly glanced back at the girl in dismay, it finally hit him that there was another person who was fully capable of performing the same task. As Florette managed to return his glance, she froze in place recalling having seen that face before. He was the nice gentleman who she had held a lovely conversation with earlier that day. A distant relative, he said and someone she was pleased to hear about and wished to know more of. She rarely heard of her mother's side of the family and had always meant to ask her one of these days; about her parents and relatives that she may or may not have. The smooth black wings grown out of his back and her mother's new appearance quickly made her draw one conclusion. It was no wonder she never spoke of them before. She slumped down onto the floor as she was conflicted with how to feel about this sudden revelation. Her father a human and her mother a demon. She too then had to be partially demon, she thought. A devil's child. Were they the ones who killed father? Florette sat there confused as she strongly embraced herself and dropped her head. What was she to think of all this?
Catching onto what Aion was thinking, Florella raged and screamed at him as she desperately tried to get to her daughter with another swing of her sword. "Don't you dare touch her! Ahhh!" Underestimating her speed, she clipped him in the neck before he quickly took her back, getting her in a choke hold. Her blade disappearing into thin air, she took a hold of his forearm with both hands to try and pry him off. "Ai…on!" Holding her close, the sinner tried to crush her windpipe and cut off her air. Florella gasped and violently struggled against him with no luck. He was far too strong for her. It had been a while since she had fought anyone and even then she was only meant to seduce and capture humans. She recalled hearing once in the past that Aion and Chrno were both gifted demons with a promising future. The elderly superiors especially cared for them dearly ever since they were little. Why someone like that would ever flee their homeland was beyond her.
Peering through her hair, Florette watched the demon torture her mother in fright. Even if she were a demon, she was still her mother, wasn't she? Lifting up her head, Florette reached out with an arm as she begged. "N…o… No…. please! Please stop! You're hurting her!" Gradually getting to her feet, the girl rushed to her mother's side as she screamed. "Mother!" She kicked and smacked him with all her might as the movement in her mother's struggle began to fade. "Ru..n….Fl…o…..r…..e …." Florella breathed through what air she had left in her lungs. A dark glance down at the girl, he knocked her to the ground with one hand as the other still kept a tight hold around the woman's neck. He deeply sighed with a shrug and gestured towards the little girl. "How about it then? Your mother's life for yours? All you have to do is simply come with me." Aion bargained.
Florette stared at him with astound eyes as she inquired further. "Go… where?" His lips slightly parting, he softly and deeply spoke his words with pride. "Beyond." The mother, taking the little interaction as an opportunity, elbowed him right below the sternum and freed herself from his clutches. "No…. Florette…. We must… run!" An angry growl conjured from deep within his throat, in an instant Aion went to pierce her when Florella quickly turned around to grab at his blade with both crystallized hands. She pushed off and in haste formulated her sword again to battle Aion and keep him at bay. Her loud grunts resonating throughout the crumbling mansion, she valiantly fought back to allow her daughter some time to run. "G-Go…Florette!" The more she used her energy the weaker her contracted jewel became, causing a crack to appear in it. Ah, how she would have loved to use her last remaining years of this life source to see her children grow older and hold a family of their own…
"This is it. Time to end this." Aion warned as he readied his final attack. Panting rapidly as she narrowed her weary eyes, the last swing of her sword heavily collided with his as it dissipated and she fell right into his arms. Reflexively catching her, Aion took note of her precious jewel that dropped from her hand and whispered beside her ear. "Last chance… make the jewels and I'll let all this pass." Florella cracked a sly smile in her exhausted, weakened state and sternly answered even so. "Go to hell…" Without a single change of his stone cold expression, Aion finished her off with one stab to her abdomen, shattering the last contractor she had implanted in her skin as well as pierce right through her. As she changed back to her reserved form and her life source returning to the astral line in emerald spiraled waves, he searched her red-stained dress for the other jewels before dropping her lifeless body to the floor beside her husband's, giving a light sigh in disappointment. Fool. Such a waste of talent.
"NOOO!" Florette screamed and covered her face with her hands. Beginning to crawl towards her mother, Aion quickly grabbed her by the wrist and forcefully lifted her up in the air. "Noooo! Let me go! Let me gooo, you monster! Ahhh!" She hysterically flailed and wailed as tears ran down her cheeks. "How could you! How could you kill her!" She slammed her fist into his chest as he gravely stared at her; his own heart feeling no remorse for what he had done. There was nothing to it. It was a battle to meet their separate goals. It just meant his ambitions were far greater than hers, he easily reasoned. Aion gave one hard strike to her stomach as she spat blood and grew unconscious. Lowering her body as she contorted with her head hanging down, the sinner began to look about the emblazed room. Spotting the final jewel that had rolled away, he eventually located it and stared down at the precious collection; the jewels of various colors of green, red and blue. It was then when his crimson eyes caught sight of an even younger girl staring at him from the door. Red hair, red-eyed beauty like her father, she was dressed up in her Empire dress with a high neck and long poof out sleeves as if she were ready to go out somewhere unlike her older sister.
Satella having heard all the commotion down the hall, slipped away from the butlers and maids as they too were getting ready to make their escape. No matter how many times she would ask where her sister was or where her parents had gone, they all brushed her off as they continuously told her not to be worried and to get dressed to leave. Even to the nine year old Satella, she understood well enough that something wasn't right. She quickly made her way towards the fire to see what was going on when she heard the last loud shriek of terror. Coughing to the black smoke entering her lungs, she finally made it to the living room and saw the horror scene before her. Speechless to her finding, it wasn't long before she saw her parents and rushed off to their side, calling for them in a shaky tone. Supporting her mother's head in her small frail arms, she profusely wept and began to call out for her sister as well. "Siiiister! Sister Florette!" Seeing no threat, Aion simply went about his business of cradling Florette's motionless body into his arms and securing the jewels in his hand.
Florette's tearful eyes absentmindedly stared towards Satella's direction. Slowly, she mouthed her little sister's name as the demon soon took off with her, disappearing into the night and leaving the little girl alone in the fire. A small devious smirk appeared as Aion walked towards his comrades, silently claiming the remaining member of the family as his final back up to his plan if anything.
San Francisco, California. 1924.
"Master Aion?" Fiore pulling the sinner out of his daze, Aion glanced up towards his maid with a long face. "Hm? What is it, Fi?" He softly asked while sitting up and finally placing the mug down onto the desk. "I know it's not my place to question, Master, but are you certain you're feeling all right?" The doll managed a worried look. He solemnly stared at her square in the face as he noticed it. Her emotions were surfacing more than he had suspected. He slowly raised his hand to caress her cheek as a small grin grew at his lips. "Yeah, everything is fine. Go check on Joshua." She immediately complied with a small curtsy and a slight bow of her head, walking off to do just as she was told. The pale long-haired demon slipped his glasses on and turned the chair to watch her leave with the same grin still on his face.
Indeed. He truly did pick up something very useful that night. It was only a matter of time before the red-head would soon find the answer she had longed to hear for ten grueling years; her dear sister serving and fighting for the sake of the same hornless demon, who was responsible for it all.
