A/N: Hikari: *Sigh* Took my sweet time again... Anyhow, saving my blabbling to the end. Enjoy~!
Betaed by dawntodusk (aka Schauspielerinnen)
Chapter 9: The Corpseductor
Just less than an hour before sunrise, a wind crossed a forest, shaking the branches violently. Following that wind you could spot two figures making their way through that forest, as fast as they possibly could. Or, well, that wasn't entirely true. The smaller one of the two distractingly similar-looking females could have reached their destination long ago, but as she had to get the other one there as well, she couldn't do that.
Not that the other noticed, or even thought about this, and setting her sight forwards, where she knew sooner or later a castle would appear in front of them, she walked up the narrow forest path. She just hoped they wouldn't be too late.
/FBW\
"Tell me, why is Herr Märchen in danger?" Elisabeth's voice trembled ever so slightly as she questioned the girl before her. What had happened? What did she mean by her "changing" him? Was she… was she responsible of bringing danger upon the man? Elise hesitated for a short moment before opening her mouth again.
"I won't tell you much, since most of it is none of your business", she said coldly, before looking away for a moment. When she then spoke, Elisabeth could swear her voice cracked slightly. Not that she would ever mention it.
"Mär... Before you came, he wouldn't question anything", Elise started, slightly hesitant, "We were happy like that, doing what we did without doubt. But now... Now it isn't enough for him! He had to know the reason, he had to go and ask! And now... Now he's..."
As Elisabeth saw the girl's hands clench into small fists, while clearly trying to hold herself together, she knew it was serious. Even though she still didn't know what exactly was the danger, if there was a way for her to help, she would do it.
/FBW\
Thus the pair had left the castle, though she was still unsure how they had done it. When she had affirmed that she would help, Elise had suddenly took her hand, and a second later they had been standing outside the castle gate. For a short moment she had marveled at this curious, and fast, way of traveling, before following the girl, who had already walked ahead, going with amazing speed despite her petite figure, while grumbling about something about "not being able to move as far with someone like her".
As the two came to the castle, Elisabeth froze in horror. The garden, earlier filled with the wild roses she had loved so much, was now barren and dried up, with not even a single rose remaining alive. The castle itself was slowly crumbling into pieces, and even the sky above their heads seemed to darken beyond recognition. What was going on?
"Over there…" The less-than-a-whisper call of Elise brought her attention to the center of the once-garden. There, just beside the well, she saw a familiar figure standing with his back turned to them. Her determination withered away as she saw him, but nevertheless she approached the man, followed by the doll-like girl. With every step she felt worse and worse. This wasn't right. Something was off about the man.
"Herr… Märchen..?" At the call of his name, Märchen slowly turned around, his dusk-tainted hair waving in a wind she couldn't feel. His eyes glowed with eerie gold, but they were empty, with no recognition or feeling for the woman in front of him. Instead he looked at the girl beside her.
"Elise… So you came back", he said with a voice that wasn't his own. Elisabeth could hardly believe anything even remotely human could sound like that. She could hear Märchen's own voice on the background, but the tone dominating was like that of thunder. No, not thunder. Thunder would not sound so… scary, so beyond this world and the next, so full of malice.
The girl in question stared at her beloved Märchen with wide eyes as she slowly, unwillingly nodded. Something of a smirk appeared on the man's features, and as Elisabeth watched, frightened, disbelieving what she saw, he raised his baton, slowly, almost gently, and flicked it.
Suddenly they found themselves in a realm of pure darkness, one too familiar for Elisabeth. Yes, this place was… the same one. The one from her dreams. The one she feared the most in this world. As Märchen, or whoever this was, because she could not believe this to be the same boyish and cocky, yet gentle and kind man she knew, opened his lips once more, he kept the baton held up, as if ready for something.
"I've been looking for you, my dear", he said, caressing every word as he did, "for I have the feeling that you were in need of… a revenge, am I not right?" The way the man said "revenge" made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Even though she didn't know the meaning behind this, the feeling that word gave out was terrifying. And as she glanced at the girl the man was talking to, she saw that Elise was at least as terrified as she was, probably even more so, as when she opened her mouth her voice was nothing but a stuttering whisper.
"R-Revenge? T-That may be t-true but that doesn't mean… I-I can wait", she said wide-eyed with fear. Her answer made "Märchen" chuckle darkly.
"Oh, but you do not have to. Nor am I willing to", with that he swung the baton towards Elisabeth.
"Especially when the source of your rage is right here with us." As the words echoed throughout the darkness, the woman in question took a step back. Revenge... Rage..? What was the man talking about? Of course she knew Elise hated her, the girl had told her so herself for God's sake! But the way "Märchen" said it made it feel much, much worse than that. Did she really hate her that much?
/FBW\
No, she didn't. Or, yes, she did, but currently that woman (for Elise would never call her by her name) played an important part in getting Mär back. Her Mär. Elise's Mär. The man standing before them, wearing that malicious expression that disturbed his handsome face, he was not her Mär. That was not Mär. It was hard for her to keep telling herself that, especially when those familiar features were right in front of her eyes.
But she had to stay strong, for his sake. Even if she had thought that seeing that woman and hearing her voice would have been enough to snap him out from it. Even if he was about to hurt that same woman. Even if he was about to conduct Elise's revenge tragedy, like all those people before her. The seventh tragedy. What was it with sevens anyway? Ido had always been keen on finding sevens, like the seven dwarves that found that what-was-her-name princess sleeping in their cottage, and then there was that seven sins thing that was always around. Yes, she had noticed it over time, like the sevens appearing in the castle (true, even an idiot could notice it over time).
Maybe there was something to it though. Sins were something that came from impulses, and Ido was the source of impulses as far as she knew. Suddenly she had the feeling that the seven sins were the key. But to what? What did that key unlock? For some reason she didn't wish to know.
Realizing that her thoughts had been wandering, Elise stared at the scene before her. What could she do about it? She had no power she could use to stop the tragedy from unfolding. All her power came from Ido, and she would not be allowed to use it against its source. But what other way was there? Without that power she was just a doll containing the soul of a vengeance-yearning woman. All she really had were her memories…
/FBW\
"Now then, why won't we begin…" Suddenly the man trailed off while he took in Elisabeth's face. An eerie spark of recognition could be caught in his eyes and he tilted his head in a similar manner to the real owner of the body. This motion however didn't contain the boyish playfulness Elisabeth had grown accustomed to, being replaced with calculative thoughtfulness with the likeness to a serial killer. Then the previous malicious knowledge returned to his stolen features. He was in complete control of the situation, that she was sure of.
"What a pleasant surprise", he said in a mocking tone, his voice thundering around them, "We have already met, haven't we?" This comment made Elisabeth confused. The man obviously didn't mean her along with Märchen, but the one possessing him. And while the swirling darkness around them and the coldness creeping over her skin was more than familiar, the being itself she couldn't recognize from anywhere before.
As she stayed quiet, he continued.
"Ah, I see you do not remember me. Quite understandable", the man said twirling the baton in his fingers, "It has been so many years since we last met after all. I myself almost couldn't recognize you myself, had it not been the tiny bit of my power left within you." A tiny bit of..? Elisabeth couldn't believe what she was hearing. How on earth could a bit of that thing's power be inside of her? A dark chuckle made her wonder whether he could read her thoughts.
"Oh, I remember it like it was yesterday now. You were nothing but a baby, dead already, not breathing anymore as I recall. Had it not been for that woman's contract with me, you would have stayed that way too", he mused while looking at the woman with what seemed like utmost fascination. Then he sighed almost theatrically, bringing his hand over his face, fingertips touching his forehead, to add to the effect.
"It is almost a pity that you have to be the target of this final tragedy." And with that he raised the baton once again, the malevolent smirk reappearing on his features. "Almost."
But then, just as he was about to bring down the baton like the conductor he was, a trembling yet strong voice from her side shouted a name Elisabeth knew all too well.
"März von Ludowing!"
A/N: Hikari: Okay, 1½ months is a lot, I know, but the network's been dead for quite a while and it was just fixed today. I HAVE AN EXCUSE! *cough*
I'm honoured, 5 reviews for the last chapter! that's the most so far~! And while I was looking at some stats, I see that this story is on alert for 9 people and favorited by 5. Is this really that good? Wow. But, to response to the reviews!
Silver Flare of Spirit: I hope you found something to cluch onto, especially since I left another cliffie here~Great, I got it right! *happydance*
pika318: It just kinda came out that way. Suddenly it just made all the sense in the world that Ido would take over ^^" (Oh, a newbie cosplayer? Hope you love it as much as I do ^^)
dawntodusk: Now, before responding, THANK YOU AGAIN! You're my saviour by keeping on betaing! Yup, stirring up action, continuing it here~ And Elise, I've come to think of her more protective (and possessive) over Märchen than completely evil-living-doll-of-revenge (though yes, she is that too). So, I thought it would fit the picture if she did that ^^
WitchJuliana: Humm... I agree, you can't kill him, since... well, I don't think you can kill a force that lives deep within every single human mind. Though I sincerely wish you could XD
The Song Of Lost Age: Hey, glad you're liking it! I myself loved the Beauty and the Beast setting, so...
Okay, about the chapter itself: I'm loving and hating it around the same amount at the moment. I had so much trouble in writing it, since I was busy hating myself for doing this to Märchen. But on the other hand I loved writing Ido's reactions. And then I hated myself for loving it. And when I think about what's coming next, I'm getting depressed.
Yes, I know what's coming up, I have the whole plot from now on clearly in my mind. There are two more chapters left, and if I figure something out, or if I'm flooded with requests, an epilogue. So, the prologue, 11 chapters and an epilogue, that adds up as... 13. Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?
Well, anyhow, 'till the next chapter~!