I stare out at the television screen, my fingers wrapped tightly around the remote. A tiny frown settles against my face, as my gaze lingers to the director's face for a bit longer. It'd take a while, before the incident vanishes completely, but then of course, I could be wrong. And even after that, people were still liable to bring up the incident, should the hospital ever reopen. By then, Sector Security would probably have taken over.

Almost every reporter in Neo Domino came to that hospital, with the same, horrified expressions as the normals. After a few moments of silence, they started demanding answers as to what exactly had happened, with the director's shameful face evoking even more suspicions. The rabid look in the public's eyes enticed the security guards to keep backing away, their once powerful dispositions slowly crumbling beneath the weight of the interrogations. Angered families and friends kept pressing against the yellow tape, trying to catch a glimpse of their loved ones' bodies, all the while screaming, shouting, calling their names. There were a few bystanders in the crowds, most of which kept whispering to each other about the mall hijackers from the other day. And yet, despite that, their thoughts were brushed aside, in favor of a weary, rash excuse that this was all just some tragic accident. Apparently, the fuse box had broken, and since there was a gas leak in the hospital, that was probably when it'd happened. The director had already apologized for the deaths, and has agreed to a settlement of more than 4 billion to the grieving families, as well as to the public. Another 50 million to ensure that something like this never happens again.

I gaze out at them for the longest time, then I turn my attention to the charred hospital, knowing full well how ludicrous this "tragic accident" seemed. Half of the building was destroyed in the blast. Police were swarming the scene, with white body bags in hand, as they examined the remains of whatever was left there, from bodies, to lab coats, to even the smallest traces of gasoline still lingering near the vicinity, though that, of course, amounted to nothing. If I squinted, I could make out the silver gleam of the needles left behind, along with a bit of the drugs still soaked there, drenched in black and red. I couldn't see any of the monsters; I did crush them to death after all, and even if someone did notice them, they'd more than likely just brush the monsters off as other victims they missed.

The news wasn't all that exciting. In fact, if anything, a bit boring, considering the fact no new suspects had shown up. Just as I was about to shut off the screen, one of the reporters shoved the camera around a bit, and I found myself looking at Sayer.

As of this point, he wasn't saying anything. Whenever someone tried pressing him for details, they were only forced back by Sector Security, most of whom were acting without Trudge's authorization. The man was careful to hide his face, though in the end, I could still see through his oversized trench coat, the hospital gown miserably clinging to him like oversized rags. The fear was still in his eyes, and it was then I had to laugh. How the hell is he still alive?

My eyes flicker towards the bright, morning light diffusing through the white curtains. Warm floorboards reflected back upon her bedroom, sharply contrasting to the disappearing shadows. There was a simple, auburn desk towards the side of the room, and just near it, a white bed, one that was already sullied by the young woman lying upon it. Dried bloodstains covered the sheets, with small traces of dirt falling away from the blankets. A torn, Victorian coat sat beside her, and along with it, a ruined corset, dyed with a bright scarlet that kept getting darker and darker by the minute.

Slowly, I straighten, and come to the bed, cautiously taking in Akiza's unmoving body. The dress she wore was drenched in blood, and tiny teeth marks covered her arms and legs. Her gloves were torn by the flames, and when I leaned over, I could see the ugly bruises enveloped around it. A broken leg or so, along with an infection that was too stubborn to leave, but she was already healing.

Seems I didn't need to take her to a hospital after all.

I sat at the edge of the bed, regarding the empty space in front of me with calm, stoic eyes. My hands painfully clenched the open air. Weariness kept bombarding my body with their annoying sights, the quiet easily claiming me without hesitation. It was then I sighed.

It hadn't even been a few hours, and already I could details I should've forgotten so many years ago. Some finite, others vague, some beautiful, others a mess I'd only wished I'd made up. I'd find myself balking at the idea of the horror, trying to force myself into believing that it was just nightmare that'd go away. Needless to say, my brain didn't heed my words, and as a result, I'm left here, if only to see the moments I never knew had existed.

And yet, I couldn't react. I could only just watch, the annoyance upon my expression, before shocking realization comes forth, shattering the illusion completely. One after the other, those memories came flowing in, mocking me, taunting me by blurring the lines between past and present. Unnecessary, irritating, a nuisance just waiting to be put down.

I gaze at the television screen once again. Well, whatever; it didn't matter what anyone else had to say about the hospital. I'd already deleted the footage and burned all the files. I fed the two Violets to those monsters waiting in the hallways, so even on the off chance that they were still alive, at least now there'd be no way they could tell anyone else about me. Everyone from the medical staff has been killed, meaning there'd be no witnesses.

And as for Sayer, I don't think I can just leave him alone, after the stunt he pulled. Showing his face around me, flaunting his psychic powers, even calling me by that damn name; there were a lot of reckless mistakes he's made. Since the public knows about what he did, it'd be hard for him to go out without causing a commotion, so he was going to have to lay low for a while. Still, to that after he'd gotten out, he'd try to outright kill me…it didn't seem like the smartest thing to do. He was at the same hospital I was in, and based on that fact alone, there's a chance he might have something to do with all of this. If he got a chance to talk with Akiza, then-

I heard a subtle ring, off in the distance. I drag myself out from my thoughts, and turn back toward Akiza. I stand, walk over, and take the phone from her pocket. My fingers hover near the collar ID, as I narrow my eyes. The twins.

I turn the phone off, and throw it at the edge of the bed. Carefully, I shrug off my jacket, and carry it in my arms, as I walk out of her room. It'd be bad if I walked around like this, covered in bloodstains and organ parts.

Fallen was an organization that destroyed anything and everything around it. True to their name, they loved playing with the occult, both real and imagined, enjoyed toying with the creatures hiding in the darkness. Sometimes, they'd try making lamias, other times fairies, and even still, other obscure creatures I'd forgotten all the names to. But the one creature that they always focused on, an obsession they kept trying to create time and time again, was a demon. An immortal. A human that'd fallen from grace.

I wasn't involved with the research aspect of it, but from what I heard, they experimented with a lot of children. Most of the time, the experiments failed, and as a result, bodies were dumped in nearby villages. We let the witch hunters take care of them, form their own suspicions, allow other innocents to die, without any care of the world. But for the few times that Fallen did succeed, those children lost their humanity. There was nothing else that could be done to save them, aside from letting them feed off the other scraps and trash. I once oversaw the feeding grounds, and fed them limbs and other body parts I found. After that, I was left to wonder if they were even human to begin with.

As sickening as it was, I was fine with it. After all, I, along with my siblings, led that organization. No, we didn't establish it; rather, we were born into that world. Unlike the other children, from the moment we were taken out of the womb, we were experimented on. They didn't expect us to survive, but somehow, we did, and as a result, we became the first demons.

There was Meredith, or rather, Mree, the eldest of us, who had established herself as the Commander. Raven hair, with warm, brown eyes, she was the Commander for Fallen, an expert mass murderer, who specialized in poisons and bombs. She was a kind woman, who didn't enjoy what she was doing, and whenever she did, she always had a fake smile plastered on her face. Unlike any of us, she was compassionate, her own soul never meant to lead the life it was leading. It was what caused her to go insane, to be shut down. It was painful, to see her lying in that bed, muttering gibberish with drool running down her mouth. It seemed that the asylum walls were closing in around her, trapping her, throwing her to the midst of her own, mental depravity. And yet, life kept moving, because when she left, the second oldest, Belletrix, took over.

Belletrix was crueler, more merciless than anyone I'd ever known. She was smart, cunning, and because of that, never once did she tolerate anyone who disobeyed her. She wasn't unstable, and she seemed to always be in control of anything and everything around her. It was one of the reasons why I followed her. Under her leadership, Fallen expanded, growing without the slightest reservation that something would happen. More and more demons were produced, and as a result, Fallen had gained the upper hand when it came to negotiations. I remembered her once even tricking Tepes into killing every "sinner" in Bucharest, scaring them into submission so that he'd supply us with more bodies to feed our demons.

Jaden, my younger brother, was involved in research and development. Unlike me or Belletrix, he wasn't particularly interested in the battlefield, and instead, became consumed with the process of immortality. The monsters we created kept degrading; some died in only a few days, others a couple of hours. But one commonality they all shared was the fact that they'd lost their sanities. Perhaps he was trying to find a way to keep their minds intact, or maybe he was just focused on making more demons. Who knows what he was doing, after all this time? But even then, we both loved Meredith, and we got along well together. He was always socially awkward, had absolutely no clue about what to do when it came to normal society. I usually had to step in and help, though eventually, he managed to learn from me and copy my examples. We were close.

I served as second-in-command to Belletrix. Not only was I involved in wars, but I also acted as her representative. She wasn't a people person, so I had to step in and make sure everything went smoothly. It gave me a lot of authority to carry out special experiments, fund intriguing projects, and, at times, carry out assassinations. Everything I did, however, Belletrix knew. So in order to prevent me from "accidentally" abusing my power, she'd usually assign me targets to seduce and kill. Young lords in castles far away, to magnificent duchesses within a realm of insanity, to even kings and queens, all of whom operated beneath the public eye; their deaths, in the end, all served a purpose to Fallen. I didn't ask why, since I was a subordinate.

The Black Rose witch was a product of Fallen. She was one of the first true demons, a witch that'd risen from her shallow hell. For years on end, she slaughtered each and every experiment Fallen possessed. She's killed hundreds, thousands, without any hesitation, and annihilated every branch she visited. I don't know when it was that Belletrix decided to hunt her down, but when she did I'd never forget those moments. Terrifying and frightened, determined yet craven, but all the same, I wasn't really interested. It was Belletrix's problem, this witch, so let her deal with it.

My obsession began when Belletrix told me the witch killed Jaden. While I disregarded the pain my sister felt, I wasn't one to forgive and forget. I spent years trying to track her down, endeavoring to find her, despite the misgivings and warnings. But as I did, Belletrix started to slip. She became increasingly distraught, as she tried managing Fallen, while dealing with the aspect of our dead brother.

I did manage to find the witch a couple of times. No matter how often I went after her, or how hard I fought, in the end she always overpowered me. She kept telling me how interesting I was, and how badly she wanted to see me again. I, of course, ignored her, and stubbornly went after her again and again. Over time, the insults kept building up, until finally, I slowly began letting go of my hate, and instead, concentrated only on my damaged pride. I was fixated on her, and only her; she was my kill, and I wasn't going to let anyone else get to her. Not Fallen, and especially not Belletrix.

It was wrong, I'm sure. By then, I was probably only using Jaden's death as an excuse to go after her. Revenge was no longer my goal; perhaps the only thing I cared about, at that time, was showing the witch that I could do anything, that I wasn't just some plaything she could toss around on a whim.

That all changed when I met my brother, just outside Krakow. And, months later, when that witch gave me my first order.

We were at the asylum that Mree was staying at. I didn't know why the witch was there, or what she wanted from my sister. But when I saw her, that night, her tear-streaked cheeks frozen along the edges of her face, I stopped. I saw her fists clenched, with a tight smile grazing her lips.

She took a deep breath, and told me to turn away. So I closed my eyes, and did just that.

I'll never forget the smile on Mree's face when she died.

After that incident, Belletrix found out. She tried executing me, and that was when the witch saved me. She gave me the name Yusei, and we ran off, if only to destroy the only world I'd ever known.

It was always just the four of us, she, Jaden, Alexis and I. Alexis was the first member; she was one of the few experiments to had escaped from Fallen. Akiza took her in, and years later, Jaden came, if only to search for Alexis, his own creation. Finally, there was me, and it's been that way ever since. We sometimes lived in grand manors, other times lonely castles, and even still, mere cottages we've taken from other covens. There were always witches coming up to Akiza and paying their fees, witches that kept challenging her for the title of the Black Rose, witches that always complained about her not showing up to any of the sabbath days. I could honestly say that she didn't care about a single one of them.

It was fun, while it lasted. She took me to conferences she barely went to, and flaunted me as her one and only Queen, however risky that might've been. All the animosity I carried for her vanished over the years, to the point I couldn't even remember what it felt like, not to serve under her. I admired her, respected her, and though she was always getting herself into trouble one way or another, in the end, she managed to pull me out of her own problems. She gave me a home, a family, and for a while, I was content. The insanity I'd experienced before had never presumed to touch me.

She once told me about how everything was just like Russian roulette to her, that life wasn't worth living unless you're within the realms of excitement, of unpredictability. Though she must've gotten used to that lifestyle, to me, she never showed it. She never had any traces of weariness, nothing at all that pertained to the silence of a premature grave. She was always lively, and made sure to drag me down every step of the way.

Her laugh, her smiles, jokes she's told, stories she's shared; I loved all of it. I loved the world she showed me, however tainted it was in the end. I loved the cool, barren traces of whatever light was left by the time evening came, the innocence that faded from me the moment I came away from the crimson. I loved watching the dark, star filled nights, without the cold, ghastly moonlight showing me the way. I loved stumbling around in the dark, groping my way around the cold, only for her to grab my hand, and lead me back. It was a reality I was addicted to, and it was through that, I couldn't let go. I loved everything about that world.

And I loved her.

I really did.

Even after all this time, I'm still mourning for her.

For Akiza.

The Black Rose coven carried a powerful, global influence that extended from politics, to economics, to laws and the like. We blackmailed politicians into doing what we wanted rather than just upfront wars. Though it was relatively obscure in the past, under strategic management, the coven managed to grow. We kept incorporating more and more minor covens, until finally, it became the organization it is now. Though there were other rivals within the different covens, in the end no one can dispute our power.

All the same, it followed the same rules as all the other covens did. Like all the others, it was led by one, tyrannical leader, one that could determine whether someone lives or dies, whether peace or war would reign, whether someone would be stripped of their titles or not. The coven leader, or King, was always at the top. Following that chain of command, there was the Queen, then the Rook, then the Bishop, then the Knight, then the Pawn. But it didn't matter what rank they were; to me, they were all the same.

After Akiza, I took the title of the Black Rose, which of course, made me the King. I made Jaden and Alexis my Queens, and gave other positions to everyone else. Since everyone was happy that they'd gotten a title, no one bothered me. It was an effective administrative strategy, at the very least; I put Jaden in charge of research, and Alexis, military. I didn't need an assistant, since I knew how to manipulate the other aristocrats, nor did I need funds, since I secured it from the fees the other covens had to pay.

There were challengers every now and then. Some called me "The Gardener", a title given to the Queen, while other times, "the witch", who had to be burned at the stakes. And even still, there were more titles, whether that be the Black Rose itself, or just some random insult the lesser nobles came up with. I had to show up to every single one of those challenges, as did Jaden and Alexis, though they weren't particularly excited; they knew who would win. Still, I had to make them go, otherwise they'd be called cowards for it. And people already knew who they were, so them not showing up was just another excuse to try and claim the title. It was savage, brutal, and dull.

But then again, perhaps it wasn't. Perhaps it was just a way of coping with our loss. I'd lost track of time after Akiza had died; days kept blending with nights, hours with decades. Alexis would have to remind me every now and then that there was some event coming up. Jaden kept track of the fights that happened, as well as the arguments the aristocracy got themselves into, dealings I'd have to sort out.

How many years did I have to deal with that? How long, since her death, so many years ago? How long have I slept walked through this lifetime, waiting for the time when I could finally join her? Did those two notice? Probably, considering how I, when I always turn around, something gets resolved. They were good, those two, like precious moments from a nostalgic time.

Now that I think about it, Alexis was the one who told me. I remembered her running excitedly up to me one day, with a big smile on her face, saying that Akiza was alive. That she was somewhere, in Domino City, waiting for us to come find her. Alexis kept telling me about how both she and Jaden finally came up with something to bring her back, how everything would go back to how they used to be. She was bouncing off the walls, even as Jaden walked in, with the same, cautious smile on his face. But in my mind, I'd already dismissed their requests, and had gone back to my work. I was the one who ended her; I'd know if she was dead or not. I couldn't look at them the next day.

But all the same, they kept coming back up to me. They were going on and on about her, about how she looked just like Akiza, how she acted like her too. After I ignored that, Jaden, of all people, told me that both he and Alexis talked with her. He sat there, for hours on end, relaying back to me the stories the girl told, the whimsical way she told them, with Alexis laughing as she used to. I ordered the two not to go back, and left it at that.

They, of course, didn't take listen. Instead, they kept visiting the girl, sometimes carrying presents, oftentimes with a citation that they needed help burning. Though I never entertained the thought of visiting her, I could see the change in those two; it'd been a while, since I saw them smile like that. After a few more weeks of bickering, I decided to let them do as they wished.

Meanwhile, there was a disagreement between the major covens. Apparently, the Black Rose was beginning to steal other members away from the other covens, and they wanted to enact a policy to try and stop them from leaving, a benefit from some alliance I'd never heard of. Of course, I had nothing to do with it, though they pretended that it was my fault. They began imposing sanctions on my trade routes, and started bribing major political figures into doing whatever they had to to stamp out my influence. Sometimes, it took the shape of massacres, other times, discrimination and prejudice. There was one time when they attacked the borders in Helsinki, Finland, trying to force us back. That, of course, didn't prove effective, since Alexis slaughtered them all.

The incident gave me a good excuse to squash the other covens completely. I remembered seeing their shocked faces, at how one, simple person could destroy an entire army of witches and monsters. I told them that should they try ganging up again, I won't hesitate to annihilate them, no matter how many innocents got caught up, or how many nations I had to destroy. I'd hunt them down, and kill them.

Fortunately, that didn't deter them in the slightest. One by one, territories began rising up against the Black Rose. There were a few in Chicago, some in Cairo, though most were centered in Romania and Belarus. The rebellions were scattered, and though neither Jaden nor Alexis could handle them both, they didn't have to. After all, this coven wasn't like the others; we didn't impose any laws on our territories, as the other covens had, and aside from the small fees, no one seemed to mind us. We allowed the other minor covens to keep their autonomy, and in exchange, they recognized me as their leader. I've stricken deals with many of them, and aided the when the other covens were attacking; I've sponsored them, supported them, and had even, at one point, offered them their freedoms. In other words, I've turned them into submissive pawns, if only for my sake.

So, when the rival territories began attacking, those minor covens were the ones who put them down.

After the idiotic confrontation, whatever rivals I had left were thoroughly stamped out, leaving the Black Rose to rule. Our revenue, resources, and land grew exponentially. No one dared make a move against us, and any secret alliances made to destroy the coven vanished at an instant. The losers were treated with the utmost contempt, not from me, of course, but from our territories. They were shunned, detested, mocked, and if they should try pulling another stunt like that, more than likely the territories would rise up once again. Of course, there were people who were sympathetic to their cause, so because of that, I kept watch over them. I didn't dare repress them, knowing that would've been the perfect excuse to, once again, garner their enthusiasm. So I simply allowed them to live, pay the fees, and left them alone. Jaden and Alexis continued their visits towards the mysterious girl, and I busied myself with other matters.

A few years later, I decided to play a game. I told everyone, both noble and pawn alike, that they could come after me, and try to kill me. For anyone who succeeded, they would get the title of the Black Rose, as well as the right to rule the entire coven. For anyone who managed to succeed, they'd be treated as a hero, and rule in my stead, as King. But should they fail, they'd be stripped of their ranks and titles; I'd make it so that even death would seem like a kinder punishment, though that was a bit late now, considering what'd happened with Jean and the Violets.

The game was about more than just killing, however. Because of that war, I decided to implement a legal way to determine who was still loyal to me, and who I should brand as traitors. It allowed me to weed out all the weaklings, and build up ranks that were made up of intelligent, powerful soldiers, ones I didn't need to watch over. After all, whoever was stupid and reckless enough to sign up for a game such as this, wasn't deserving to be a member of the coven. I operated on that principle, and it was through that did I manage to begin destroying every single weakling that came up to challenge me.

It was fun.

Cruel, but fun all the same.

Alexis once came up to me and asked if she could help. Neither she nor Jaden approved of the idea, but since killing was involved, she hoped to join. I said no, but even then, I think she managed to interfere with the game a bit. Why else would she come back every night, with blood all over her clothes?

As I came back into the room, the cool air rushing toward me, I couldn't help but find myself still staring at her still body. It wasn't long before I walked over, the same, icy wariness in my eyes, and scrutinized her.

I watched the punctures wounds close, the scars quickly disappearing before me. I watched her bones snap back into place, the charred remains of her skin merging back into her flesh without any difficulty. I watched the burn marks clear, as the vessels replaced themselves, her tissues carefully stitching themselves back together as to avoid anymore complications. Bruises faded within the calm, and during that moment, I could see the brief flicker of her own eyes, quietly taking in the silence. It wasn't long before she sank back in her coma once again.

I stare at her for a while, before pulling the heavy blankets toward her body, and tucking her in. My fingers lingered on the covers, before I pried myself away. Funny, how similar they both were.

The Violets said something about Amrbosine. A woman, from what I could recall. A woman, who, after Jaden, would've been next in line to take over as Fallen's new leader. After Jaden and I defected, and Belletrix disappeared, most likely she'd be the one to lead the organization now.

Yes, that's right. She was Belletrix's private secretary, a killer who would've done anything, anything at all, if only to keep her safe. She was a cautious person who didn't like taking risks, and the only time she did was when it was absolutely necessary. The only person she's ever seen was Belletrix, and since sister dearest probably never mentioned us to her, there's a possibility the woman might not even know we exist.

Still, the very fact that Fallen was still here, still very much a force in this society, was more than strange. Akiza should've destroyed the last branch; there was no way they could regroup, what with the devastation she caused. And even if they did, it'd be difficult to make any move at all, not without me knowing it. Perhaps it had something to do with the so-called "Mark of the Crimson Dragon"? Is that what Jean was talking about before?

I cursed then.

They were using Jaden's damn test subject.

The memory loss, the fact that we was here, living out some stupid illusion, with all our hero pals. The world at peace, and every idiotic thing residing there,…

Bull fucking shit.

And what about this one? This girl? She looked so much like Akiza, too much. And yet, all the same, I knew I killed her that day.

What was she anyways? An experiment? The newest addition to their lineup of demons? Was this another witch that was hellbent on destroying them? Was she something more, or was she just some look-a-like, one that was made to act like her? An odd, ironic coincidence, that would be.

I leaned over, and tucked her bangs behind her ear. My eyes softened at the familiarity of her features, as I straightened, my arms falling emptily to my side.

I came here, to Domino City, because my Queens heard that Akiza, my Akiza, was alive. Jack Atlas meant nothing to me; how could he, when I myself, barely knew him? Crow Hogan, Kalin Kessler, and even Martha; I don't remember any of them in my life, now that the lies were finally dying away. I never resided in an orphanage, nor did I ever live in a place called the Satellite. It was never my home, and if I could, I'd wipe it off the face of the earth, knowing full well it was just a breeding ground for Fallen to work on.

There was no Crimson Dragon. The Dark Signers was all just some test Fallen had probably made up, if only to play around with the Black Rose a bit more. Goodwin was just a pawn in their game, someone who had nothing to do with the end of times, a failed reject who decided to take part, only because he believed it was real.

Meaning that, somehow, someone trapped us, all of us, here, in this illusion.

All the while, my game was still going on.

Just then, I heard a quiet moan behind me. I turned back, and saw Akiza there, snuggling beneath the covers. Once again, her bangs were messily splayed across her face, a light frown touching against her lips. I glare at her, before turning around, and walking away.

If Akiza wakes up now and sees me, it'd make things more complicated than they already are.