Back to now-

A low steady growl and his chest trembled, with a deep inhale and a slow exhale of breath, his eyes focused becoming sharper. His vision clear "who gives a fuck….as long as she pays for what she has done…"

"Don't worry…" Emelia took a breath, spreading her shoulders, "either myself or Stephanie will finish it." She nodded her head with determination, crossing her arms over her breast, gave him a wink. Stephanie laughed.

Cornelius slowly narrowed his black eyes, thinned his mouth, "if you were normal bitchs' … I'd be insulted. But the fact that your nothing but whores who serve their whore queen… I'm just a little bit miffed… And…

"Whore!this!"

Stephanie came out of nowhere hanging in midair, her arm stretched back, the glimmer of the sword behind her. her expression that purgatory could alone produce masked her face. Her eyes, a delicate wash of crimson, the color of the blood moon, savage and wild, her fangs gleaming.

"Too! Slow! He quickly spun. His arm swung around from behind his back coming towards her, a wide bladed knife in his grasp. If he had come from the opposite direction, she could've blocked the attack, but he didn't. It was his experience in battle, training and his enhanced senses all served him well. He waited before he reacted.

His blade ripped open her armor and belly like a zipper, spraying her blood, enough to cut her nearly in half but she refused to acknowledge the pain, refused to acknowledge the damage, bearing her short sword down to attack. If she died killing him then so be it. He brought his opposite arm to block, the blade caught his armor, a heavy gouge tore through, cutting flesh but it deflected and slashed the right side of his face, his head snapped away from the strike. The pain unnoticeable. Her body flew across the hall.

She struck the wall, slumped to the floor. "BASTARD! … Struggling to rise, struggling to…"What the?"

A nauseous feeling something was wrong her eyes shot open wide, "what the…"

Nothing underneath, nothing to support her, nothing, that thought sent waves of shock and fear. Her lower body still attached by the thinnest of skin.

She wouldn't be able to see Cana. Her long reddish hair, tumbling over her gorgeous green eyes, pouting lips when she didn't get what she wanted or the glorious smile when she did or the drowsy expression in her eyes when she woke…she didn't think of her queen. she remembered.


Mikoto had asked her one time, what was her favorite memory. Stephanie answered serving you Mistress Mikoto. she'd blushed, Mikoto flustered, shook her head. Please don't…Mikoto knew of her love for Cana. You should think of her…. she choked on the words as only Mikoto could, beet red as she spoke. Nodding her head nervously, Cana is the one…hmmm..." with a vigorous nod of her head. Stephanie could simply giggle and whispered "if you wish my mistress…"

"Stop calling me Mistress!


A distant sickening thud… The noise of deadweight hitting the ground, slipping across the blood covered floor. Chills quickly wrapped her frame. She swallowed her shock and fear, collected herself, using her arms scrambling towards the sword…

A shadow, the sight of large black boots stood on the edge of the sword. He rose over her staring down and smirked. "Oh look… A bug…" He added, kicking her down the hallway.