This has taken forever. I went all for the Supernatural fandom and got distracted and lost my writing will for a bit and then I tried to come back to this and my own writing deterred me and got distracted again and..yeah. I think my writing improved though! So there's a plus. XD But rereading the manga after the latest chapter update [WHICH IS SO UNBELIEVABLE!] has given me rekindled love for PH. So here I be. Trying to update and such. Sorry for the immense wait. I've included a summary for practical reasons. XD
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Previously: Back in Here There Be Monsters, a near-death experience caused Gilbert and Raven to merge-ish. A falling out between Oz and Gilbert lead to new revelations, and following an attempt on Duke Barma's life, there was a battle at Nightray Manor in which Vincent beheaded Lottie Baskerville. Vincent's own life was saved by Lucero, a mysterious necromancer and potentially the legitimate heir to the Rainsworth duchy. On the advice of the 'Bellman', suspected of being a Chain, Oz saved Gilbert by offering himself up to the Abyss. The act restored Gilbert but caused Oz' soul to be cast into the Abyss and Alice's soul to vanish.
So Far: Thus far in Chains of Brotherhood, Oz was freed from the Abyss by forming a contract with Gilbert as his chain. However, the event caused Oz to temporarily lose his humanity, an event circumvented by Gilbert and their bond. Raven is currently out and about in human form, there's an amok 'Mad Dog' of Sablier Gregory on the loose, Alice-despite that she's not supposed to have a soul: is apparently missing hers. Sharon and Ada have been kidnapped for an unknown purpose by the Baskervilles, and Barma has declared Reim dead.
We all caught up now? Good. Cause I had lots of re-reading to do. And I was distracted by classic black-and-white movie glory.. Sabrina! I digress…let's see what I can finish before…ZzzZzzZZzzZz XD
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Oz was worried. No, scratch that, he was extremely worried. Despite the numerous attempts on his life, there had never been an attempt on Ada directly. She'd been safe somehow, above all of the chaos of his life. His big-little sister, someone he had never considered in the same terms as 'being in danger', had been taken and the Baskervilles were the likeliest of candidates. Vincent's behavior had been strange, and there was the clip to consider…but Oz had gotten the sense that Vincent was distressed about the situation, uncharacteristically from what he knew of the other, and therefore not suspect.
"Oz?" Gilbert's soft, concerned voice broke through his thoughts and he shot the other a faint smile.
"I'm alright, Gil. Just thinking things over." Oz murmured, but he could tell that Gilbert wasn't really satisfied with the answer. "It had to be the Baskervilles…but why now? Why go after Ada?" he mused aloud.
Gilbert's brow was creased as he frowned and considered the question. "…To get to you?"
"But that still doesn't explain 'why now'? And Sharon too…and Alice…" Alice whose supposedly non-existent soul was apparently missing, just another oddity in the situation.
Gilbert didn't have an answer to that as he let his gaze fall out the carriage window a moment. Oz was right, their sudden action didn't make sense really, especially since there were other ways and other chances to get to Oz. And Ada would be enough without Sharon, or Alice if she were indeed connected. It was still uncertain how Alice had ended up as she had in the first place, how her interference had altered her.
And it offered no explanation as to how they were supposed to get her back…
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
"Ah, Reim... Oh, yes...he's dead."
Despite his anxiety over the kidnapping of his young mistress, those words had burnt themselves into Break's skull and had gotten firmly lodged in his brain. There wasn't a reason for Barma to lie about something that could, theoretically, be so easily disproved. And if Reim were in a position where Break couldn't easily verify if he lived, well, what would be the point in that? Barma wouldn't gain anything from it…would he?
But as truly maddening as it was: he couldn't focus on that right now.
Because, the fact was, while he was uncertain about Reim's present condition, he knew that Sharon had been kidnapped, and that Barma had likely not lied about her intended presence at the midnight festivities of the Baskervilles. Break had to deal with the immediate problem that he was certain of before he could take the time to clarify a half-cut problem. Still…
Reim flushed in the moonlight as Break bestowed a birthday kiss on him, and Break headed off merrily-heedless of any response Reim might have fumbled over. Reim hadn't pushed him away, or called him out on it and so that was enough…Reim was, if nothing else, Break's very dear friend.
Reim was his first true friend as Xerxes Break, and not Kevin Regnard. Sharon and Sheryl didn't count in the same category. Reim, annoyingly earnest and easily flustered and unbelievably soft-hearted runt that he was, had taken Break's attitude in stride and taken it upon himself to remain close to him. Even when others would have had him cast out in the streets, Reim hadn't minded. He'd defended him, for no personal gain whatsoever, and though Break would never admit it aloud: it meant something.
Break was going to retrieve his mistress, and if anyone had truly dared harm Reim…
Well, Hell hath no fury like Xerxes Break.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Vincent's irritation at Echo was short-lived as he stormed through the empty halls of the Nightray manor. Death accounted for some of the emptiness, fear for another, and simply that what remained of the staff at present had seen fit to stay out of sight. He hadn't seen Elliot or Leo since his initial return, and then there had been Ada…and he knew who was responsible, who else? Those damned Baskervilles. The trouble was, he was fairly certain his execution of Lottie was common knowledge and therefore he couldn't weasel his way into the inner circle and ascertain just why in all Hell they had taken her.
Not that he cared or anything, it was simply…an affront. That they had dared issue an attack on his grounds and then kidnap a person whom he found…convenient in the aftermath.
"Vincent Nightray…you look…distressed."
Vincent jerked at the voice behind him and his eyes narrowed. He didn't recognize the man, but he recognized the robes of Baskerville, so he was perhaps another of the latest collected 'apostles'. Vincent smiled thinly. "Distressed? Why would I be? After all, it was only that my home was attacked and that I was nearly killed by my allies." he drawled in a friendly tone.
"And yet, it was you that took Lottie's head. That wasn't much like an ally, was it?"
"Me? Take Lottie's head? Now where would you get such an idea?" Vincent tilted his head in faintly wide-eyed innocence, but his eyes were mocking and a vague smile twitched the corner of his lips. It was a game of pleasantries.
"Your sword at her neck might have been a clue." The Baskerville replied and Vincent shrugged slightly.
"She threatened me first."
"Either way, she died, and she's not terribly happy about that."
Vincent's thin smile widened. "Being that she is dead, I don't think she cares much now."
"I said she died. I didn't say that she was still dead." As Vincent's smile slipped, the Baskerville produced a hair-clip identical to the one Ada had worn earlier, the other part of the set. "And as it happens, she's very eager to meet the only woman who has ever caught Vincent Nightray's eye."
Vincent felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach, and he regarded the other as casually as he could despite his sudden urge to snip the prick's head off. "I'm sure that I don't know what you mean."
The Baskerville tossed the clip in Vincent's direction, and he caught it with one hand. "Ada Vessalius has until midnight. She'll be in Sablier, near the garden." Vincent would well know what that meant. "Lottie hopes you won't be late." And before Vincent could reply, the Baskerville gave a low bow and then moved back out of view, and was gone.
Vincent cursed under his breath as he regarded the clip and the information that he'd been given. Lottie couldn't be alive, he'd beheaded her for crying out loud…and yet…
Damned Baskervilles.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
"Well now, what have we here?" Gregory settled himself in from his perch atop a building as he watched a few uniformed Baskervilles below scuttle along in preparation of their task. From what he'd garnered from Kieras before his…long overdue demise, there was a very special ceremony to take place, and there was still a guest due to arrive.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
No matter how many times he dealt with the dead: it never grew easier.
The listless sounds, the aches, the sorrows, and the consistently terrifying behavior of the dead was more than a person should ever see, let alone bear.
Ah well. Lucero had work to do.
"Enough, I said enough." he hissed as he shoved a blast of necromantic power at the spirit that had attempted to grab him. He'd made his way back to the battle site after a bit of snooping around, and he needed to keep himself well-hidden now that he was on Nightray territory. If he'd had his way, he'd be doing some serious damage to the property, but unfortunately, he had other duties.
"Baskervilles…Baskervilles…coulda sworn there was one with her head cut off…" Lucero muttered. As in, the crazy pink-haired psycho that the obnoxious blondy had beheaded. He had intended to speak to her for information but the only souls he saw were party-goers and Nightray servants leftover from the crossfire"Your life…I need your life…" A voice moaned from behind Lucero and with a curse, he moved his hand to banish the apparition. But there were more beside it and he found himself surrounded by a small horde. With all the power that he'd used to open and maintain the gate, not to mention his burnt hands and effort to restore Vincent, he was rather burnt out period.
"Fat chance." Lucero muttered as he tried to blast them off, but there were too many at once and he was far weaker than he cared to admit at the moment. One started to tug him down and he cursed before he shuddered as a wave of black energy flowed over him and sent a tingle down his spine. A hand gripped his own and pulled him forward, and he found himself facing a familiar face.
The Chain-gone…human-esque, Raven.
"Thanks for the save, pal." Lucero muttered before he regarded the other and tensed on instinct. He knew little of Raven, other than that he had been the Baskerville's Chain, and no better, the Nightray's Chain. So while he was grateful for 'the save', he wasn't ready to let his guard down just yet. Besides which, he knew nothing of the other's motives. "You don't mind me asking, what brings you out here?"
"It seemed the most prudent to accompany you. But if you're looking for Lottie Baskerville, she's gone."
Lucero frowned but he had no reason not to accept the other's answer, and he wasn't going to dwell on the other's good instinct where his research was concerned. "So where is she?"
"It seemed the most prudent to accompany you. But if you're looking for Lottie Baskerville, she's gone."
Lucero frowned but he had no reason not to accept the other's answer. "So where is she?"
"Taken back by the Baskervilles, without a doubt. Which means that it is little likely you'll find any information here."
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that."
For the second time that night, Lucero whirled around in defensive surprise, and he found himself face to face with a woman in a dark black hood, covered but for her faint smile. "Who are you?" he demanded, and at his side, Raven was casually alert.
The woman chuckled slightly. "That really doesn't matter…I'm only here to tell you where Alice is."
"And why would you do that exactly, Miss No-Name?" Her robes may have been black, but that didn't mean that she wasn't a Baskerville in disguise and Lucero was ready for anything.
The woman's smile widened. "If it will upset the Baskervilles, I am only too willing to help…and if it will help dear Alice, then so much the better."
"But-"
"She's in Sablier. Along with a daughter of each house. Sacrifices to a lost cause."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucero's brow furrowed.
"At midnight, Alice will be dead. Ada Vessalius and Sharon Rainsworth are among those meant to join her. You have until then to save them all."
Lucero's eyes widened. "But that's…how do you-"
"Go on and run along, little rabbit." The woman chuckled again. "You're running out of time."
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
I had intended more for this, actual action and dialogue and bwah…but I wanted to post it tonight and I got side-tracked writing my sister's essay for her…-_-…girl can't give me the time of day but sucker-me, I still end up writing for her. And then she says she's gotta 'dumb' it down cause I used too many big words she didn't understand. Since when is 'myriad' a big word, for example? Ah well. I digress! I gave in-depth into the charries in this chap, so you'd all see where their heads are at. XD Hope I haven't lost ye all. Lots of stuffs going on. AND WAS ANYONE ELSE'S MIND BLOWN BY THE LATEST CHAPTER? Poor Oz. If Gil abandons Oz…I will be so seriously pissed. I digress again, and adore thee all! -Witchy!~