Chapter 8

Jokers and Killers

The setting sun light broke through the dim windows of the lord's dining room. Blanketing me and the other inhabitants in a strange but warm maroon light.

The dining room was decorated with interesting plates and dishes that the rich and luxurious would obviously use, such things were extravagant. Or maybe it was all the years of living on the run that made me forget real living.

Though no one was speaking, there was my voice breaking through the room. My laughing voice and my fist slamming into the table from the absurdness. "Come on, man!" I shouted as I downed a swig of brandy "What are you wearing…"

The lord was dressed into an extravagant dress...no, robe. His clown like appearance perfectly matches his makeup. His strange purple hair also paired with his…

"My normal clothinnng…" He dragged out the sentence

The alcohol broke free from my mouth as I reeled back, my head cocked to the sky as I tried my best to restrain myself. But I just couldn't. "Damon...he is one of the strongest mages in the country!" she warned but her complaints fell on deaf ears

"God...what a laugh! Didn't know they had clowns and jesters here too!"

The two maids were obviously angry. Especially the pink one who was winding her fist back and forth. "Lord Roswell..if you wish so. I can throw this dog out into the cold and the mud if you so very well desire."

I jokingly picked up the fork and aimed it at the maid. Like a knight with his scabbard challenging another to a duel. "I'd like to see you try...maid!"

The alcohol clouding my mind and making me feel rosy, I knew that I was for sure...drunk. My head began to sway side by side as they began to replicate from my distorted vision.

The man even began to softly snicker. "Well listen here...Damon, was it?" I nodded towards him. "It was a very good thing that you did for Emilia...from the brief synopsis of what you did, that makes you entitled for an award in my opinion!" he spoke proudly

He outstretched his hands out in a grand display. The moment the word "reward" was spoken my eyes picked up as I began to focus.

"Well, if I am going to get a reward...what is the limit?" I asked

He gave me a look of pure shock, kind of wondering how much I would ask for. "Nothing too crazy, something within my bounds...don't ask for me to supply your own kingdom for example."

My thumb went to my chin as I traced along my face like an artist trying to seize an idea for their next painting.

That was how I ended up with a bottle of brandy in one hand and now a permanent resident of the mansion. I do not really know how late it was, but I was in the middle of celebrating my new place of residency.

After eating the remaining dinner and getting washed up in the nearest bathhouse I began to walk through the snake like hallways of the estate, taking in the priceless gothic painting and neat and ordained corridors.

Also...the aged wine was a bonus. From Roswell's private stash, damn. I forgot what living like this actually was. Maybe it was around thirty minutes before I passed a certain room, and I heard something coming from it.

Ma always told me it was wrong to peek into other rooms uninvited, but the door was open a very tiny bit and the alcohol messed up my head a little. So, I approached the strange door, crafted from dark oak wood giving off a dark complexion as I advanced.

"...need help?"

A faint sound came from the corner of the room as I saw a blast of pink hair come into vision. "Hey...Ram, need anyth…"

The door was about to slam into my face, but I wedged my boot between it. "Damn, that fucking hurt!"

"Wait I can use you." She said as she reopened the door.

My head tilted to the side as a grimace expression took over my face. "Use me?" I repeated without realization

She motioned for me to come in as I obliged. It was a small room, packed with two dressers containing thick wooden crates with a thin iron lock bolting them shut. A singular gas lit lantern was placed into the ceiling giving off a small light.

In her fragile and slender fingers, she was holding a blank white letter, smudged with thin pen lines and handprints. Obviously meaning that someone had already gone through it.

A shit eating grin formed across her face. "For an imbecile like yourself your height may be useful to me. Pick up the crate from the shelf."

The hell did she call me? Whatever just pick up the crate. My fingers graced the crate as I looped my fingers through the chains that made decent handrails. I laid it down softly on the carpeted floor.

She unlocked it and she began to slide the mail into it. There was a ton of mail placed in here, different colors and different addresses, damn. My hand went to my face, another trait that I picked up from the war. Being able to analyze information quickly, never was good in school, but being forced to learn stuff like that and memorize information during battle had its uses.

Even used it when I was a highwayman. I wasn't smart, but being able to memorize carriage or train schedules played a strategic role when you had to plan for a raid.

Damn...enough with the past!

I wiped my face as I saw a pair of pink eyes glued to me. "Are you...okay?" she asked, a faint bit of sincerity sprinkled within her voice

"I'm fine." I pointed my finger into the crate. "Who writes you all these..they seem to come from a similar address?"

She shook her head. "Know anything about privacy, Damon?"

"I'm sorry, if you don't want to talk about it it's fine."

She groaned as she saw my defeated expression. "There all from the past maid that worked here...Frederica." She caved

My gaze hovered over her head as I saw her place the envelope into the chest. "What was she, another sister." I stifled a laugh. "Hate to see another Rem, or Ram running around the world."

"If there was another one of us, the world would be in danger from how adorable we are." She began to pick through the envelopes as she pulled out one. "There is a strange metia that is able to freeze moments in time, like a memento."

She undid the letter and slid me a slice of paper. "Like a photo…"

"A what?" She asked

I ignored her as she handed me the photo.

The girl...Frederica. She had thick golden hair that reached down to her back, with thick yellow eyebrows. Sharp emerald eyes that beautifully shone and drew me even closer into staring.

A beautiful face with zero blemishes that gave off this natural beauty. Even the picture made me want to stare at it more. Looking at this beautiful girl that began to capture and intertwine my heart.

She wore a maid outfit that resembled the ones Rem and Ram wore, but it seemed bigger, to make room for her...

I felt my cheeks get red as my gaze followed over the rest of the picture. "Damn, what a woman...with curves like that she could drive me crazy." I mumbled out without thinking

The picture was quickly snatched from my grasp as Ram stared into me. "Creep, now I regret showing you that."

She was looking at me. Like how someone would look if they were staring at a disgusting heap of trash.

"What did you expect?" I asked

She facepalmed as her eyes made me feel like a piece of disgusting filthy trash. "Not to act weird…"

She left the room, but I quickly followed with a mess of questions. "She seemed older than me…"

Ram scoffed as her pink eye was now hidden by her hair. I did not know if she did that intentionally. "She would be about twenty…"

"I'm eighteen so that means that I have a chance." My hands went around my head as I followed. "And she doesn't look short."

"She isn't...wait why are you…" She talked back and from her eyes I could tell that she was going to hate my answer

"Kissing short girls suck. Back problems from bending down too much."

Ram's pink eyes flared up in anger or maybe...annoyance. "For dragons' sake...is this Damon, or the alcohol talking."

Maybe it was the alcohol doing it to me. But my head felt strange...and I also felt like I was on cloud nine. "...and that body, goddamn!" I shouted as I clapped my hands together for dramatic effect

"Are you even listening?" She asked

I quickly ran in front of her. Like a child stopping their mother so they could buy a treat."Hey ,Ram."

"Yes, Damon…" She softly spoke. Easily showing how worn out she was by this conversation.

"If Frederica comes back here, would you…"

"No." she simply said as she began to walk away

"Come on, Ram!" I shouted as I raced right back to her side

She groaned as she heard my rapid footsteps. "I will help you...only. If you agree to leave me alone for the rest of the day. Not, like she will ever come back."

"Hey, but you never know…" I spoke as the brandy tickled my lips. Confident and happy from the buzz that tickled my face.

My thoughts now occupied...by a golden-haired girl.

I went to bed after that. Laying down on the cold sheets, tucking my head and trying to rearrange them into correct order. It was very comfortable, but I just...my head was whirling around, and I could not sleep.

A part of me hoped that the alcohol that I drinked would help put me at ease. Helping me just drift off into a dreamless sleep, my eyes were glued to the unchanging ceiling. "Damn…" I slowly mumbled as I opened my door

I grabbed my jacket off the bed frame before I left as I made my way through the hallway. It was twisted and contorted, and kind of confusing but I wasn't focusing on that. Only paying attention to the clear abyss, and the faint moonlight.

My fingers went to my mop of hair as I ran my fingers through it. "I should have brought my smokes…"

The air felt...colder. My breathing stilled as I instantly reached for my holster. But a quick pat made me realize that nothing was there anymore. Damn, left the pistol tucked into the bag.

But why am I so worried it was just a faint...chill. All the hairs on my body shot up as I threw myself to the side, I slammed into the wall as a brisk of cold air came towards my side.

I ripped the knife from my belt as I twirled it around in my fingers. As I readied my stance and aimed into the darkness.

My gaze followed the rattling of chains as they began to slither past my feet like a slimy little snake. "Reveal yourself…!"

I tried to remain calm, but it was getting harder for me to. Was it the assassin from before? No, I killed her in that fire, and that weapon…

It was a flail. So, it wasn't the assassin, but a completely different combatant. That was when I saw it, a singular blue eye pierce through the darkness as she approached me.

"Rem…" I softly spoke. It was her, the maid, but how...why? I get it that she probably didn't like me but to just...assassinate me like this?

But was it her just trying to kill me...or was it Roswell, or maybe Emilia. Damn, I should've known better, trusting filthy nobles...damn this situation!

My fingers tightened against the blade as I aimed it at her. "What is this Rem…"

She stared at me blankly. "...as a maid it is my duty to defend Roswell and the other inhabitants in this mansion, so prepare yourself...witch cultist."

It was the way she looked. The assassin from before...there was something wrong with her, obviously. Though there was something else, she had emotions during certain situations.

This is the crazy thing that creeped me out the most, the thing that made me back away from Rem. She didn't have any emotion...she looked at me like I was nothing, as she held that flail towards me as she slowly advanced.

No, this isn't the time to panic...find an opening and take it. "So, does Roswell know?" I asked. The plan was that if I was going to reset, to gather the information so I could succeed next time, but no...I won't die.

Never...again!

She stopped for a second, her footsteps ceasing their echo as she stopped her assault. "I hope to have this finished before Roswell, and my sister will realize…"

She began walking again but now I know something...if Roswell, or Emlia had no clue about this that means that if I play my cards right, I can use it next loop.

I felt my lips curl into a smile. "So, you're like a mad dog that is choosing to disobey your master, can't say I don't find shit like that interesting, but piss off…"

I shot forth with my right foot as the twirling of the ball of flail came at me. I sidestepped to the right, but it wasn't enough time as I threw myself towards Rem.

My knife slid through her maid outfit, gracing her left slide as I dodged a punch and sidestepped to the left. I was bouncing lightly on my feet as I began to examine her body.

The cut wasn't enough to do any real damage but there was something else that bothered me. Rem was hurt as she clutched her side, and normally I would have parried and went for the killing blow.

Though something stopped me…

Instinct...cowardice? Something told me to dodge, Rem's punch. I do not know why, but something just…

Mid Thought the flail was thrown at me breaking my focus. I threw my body to the left, but my right arm was slit due to the flail. "Crap!" I screamed as I clutched my arm

I grimaced from the pain and the bleeding wound, but it could have been much worse. Rem was now running towards me, swinging the flail like a maniac as she tried to compose herself.

Though I was lucky...it grazed my arm but with the power she threw it I got lucky and was able to survive. I could still move it, but now she was…

Puck's words echoed in my mind, but I knew that I had no choice. I braced myself as I took a deep breath.

"SHAMMAC!"

Those words echoed from my lungs as a thick black smoke protruded from my body. It blinded both me and Rem, and the pressure of it even snapped numerous windows in the hallway.

But I still knew where to go...and she did not. I began running back towards my room but…

My breathing hurt, no...it was my lungs. My right hand grasped onto my left shoulder as I collapsed to the floor, vomit protruding from my mouth as I continued down the path.

Damn, at least I didn't pass out befo…

A horrific pain spread throughout my left arm...but it was not there anymore. I gazed down it, seeing the blood splatter all over my clothes like a destroyed water hose.

My body crumpled like a doll as I fell onto the floor. The moon blanketing me in its luminous gaze. I could see my blood trickling out of me as my throat and tongue rendered me mute.

"Die…"

Her words came out cold and soft, but I could hear them. My teeth gritted together as I tried to fight against it, her hands reaching out for my throat as I felt my life squeeze from me.

I began to thrash around, but the darkness began to consume me in it's warm gaze. Until the last words came from my mouth.

"I...hate...you...Rem…"

Author Note

Hi!

Sorry it took me a while to update but I was really busy. Next chapter should be up next week and schedule shall resume. First loop of arc 2 and quite a bit happened in chapter 8. Rem killing Dismas, and main love interest being revealed. As in arc 1 in the way Dismas and gang dealt with Elsa the way Dismas deals with Rem is going to be different. There is not going to be any mabeast invasion but I have an idea for something pretty interesting and different.

If you have any questions leave them in a review and I will try and answer them. Also thanks for all the kind words and just reading the story. Still can't believe that over sixty people have followed the story!

Thank you all and have a wonderful day!

Reviews

TheAncestor: Yes, he does! (And unknown to Dismas his family has left the estate due to some unseen and dark forces.) Thanks for reading and keeping up with the story. Also I have not posted this story on the subreddit. I do not have reddit but if you wish to post the story then you can. Honestly I would greatly appreciate it, and after you do could you post a link so I could see? Thanks once again for reading!

Guest: Could be envy...or it could be pride?

Naufalrakha: Well here is the next chapter and hopefully you enjoyed it. Dismas gets wrecked in this one due to lack of planning and has to rely on instinct and knife skills but he couldn't last even five minutes against Rem. Maybe in the next couple of chapters he will be able to contend with Rem? Thanks for reading and have an awesome day!