Alright! Here's chapter 9 of Crimson Butterfly! I'm so happy at the success this story's been having! I've worked really hard on it, so I'm glad it's appreciated! Please, enjoy this next chapter, for it's dedicated to you all!
Chapter 9- Crimson Butterfly- Too Late...
"Wow…" Al whispered. The room was awe-inspiring. Intricate carvings decorated the walls; tapestries of inscriptions spread out on the roof and floor. The room itself was solid gray. A large opening was sliced into the wall, blackness pouring from it like a liquid.
A tiny oval-shaped pillow covered in a quilt of black and red sat in the center of the room. All around the futon were candles of striking gold and silver.
The suit of armor and the blonde waltzed forward. Alphonse, upon approaching the small pillow, noticed a shimmer of turquoise, almost like heat was wafting from the futon… but it was so cold, there was no way. It had to be…
He silently lifted the Camera Obscura and click! In the silent room, the noise might as well have been a gunshot.
Once again, the picture instantly shot from the open slot and zoomed to the floor. Hiro turned his head, startled. "What the…?" he began.
"A feeling… that's all." He mumbled, bending over to grab the photo.
The image was disturbing, to say the least. Two identical girls sat on their shins on the futon. The one on the left sat patiently, her hands crossed in her lap. He piercing green eyes, though, were wide and full of fear, pain, and tears. He muscles were rigid and tensed. He lips were pulled into a tight, frightened line. Hair of inky black hung over her pale face. The other girl had her hands cupping the child's chin, fingers resting gently on the girl's throat and pressure points. Alphonse couldn't see her face. She was looking downward, her curly black hair hanging in the way of her face; her shoulders were hitched in sobs.
They wore simple white kimonos, the arms hanging low off of their slim appendages. A red rope that seemed to glow maliciously was knotted carefully around their waists, connecting them.
Hiro whistled. "It took Sae and Yae quite a while to untie that… then they had to make it look like it was still attached. Ha! That was a riot in itself."
"I'll bet… they tied that so no one could escape, right? Like Sae and Yae did?"
Hiro nodded. "Now, come on. The actual chamber is in the next room." The suit of armor clambered forward, Alphonse following closely.
Suddenly, a feeling of dread hollowed in the pit of his stomach. It washed over him. What if… he wondered. What if they've already done that part of the ritual? With the futon? What if… they've already killed Brother? How would we know?
Lightheaded and scared, Al fell to his knees, moaning. The camera plopped down next to him. Al heard a quiet tick. He looked down, noting a small, clear wire, broken in half. "Wha…?" he mumbled. A trip wire…?
"You oka-" he stared, but was cut off by a strong, and equally loud, gust of wind.
Alphonse's head shot up, and he put his arms protectively in front of him. Hiro shuddered violently then collapsed, the hollow clanging echoing loudly. His blue eyes were black like the shadows in the corner.
"Hiro!" he called, scurrying forward and moving his bangs from his eyes. Fog crept over the floor, rolling toward Al.
Silver orbs swept upward. There stood the Kusabi; he was the last guardian on the way to the chamber. He hovered menacingly over Alphonse, spirits dancing around him. He must have disembodied Hiro. he pondered, standing and backing away. He ungracefully tripped over his feet, though his eyes remained locked on the messenger of Hell.
The ash-skinned predicate followed, lashing out at him one arm at a time.
If he's so intent on guarding the chamber… Al thought as he shimmied backwards, avoiding the Kusabi's attacks. Then the ritual must not have been completed yet… and if it hasn't been finished… then…
"Brother's alive." He murmured excitedly, his eyes brightening.
Before he even realized it, the camera was in front of his eye, focused, and the picture had been shot.
The spirit hurled back, howling with rage. Alphonse smirked with new resolve. Brother's alive…! he repeated, taking another shot and walking forward to push back the ghost.
He continued to shoot, and the Kusabi continued to reel back- attack- reel back- attack.
But, alas, each fight must come to an end.
The Kusabi lunged forward, intent on taking Alphonse's life for himself.
Al lifted the camera for the final time…
Click.
The Kusabi screeched terribly, lashing out toward Alphonse. The creature's rotted and disgusting fingers grassed Al's slight arm, sending a deadly chill through him before he evaporated, leaving the spirits to finally be free.
Al convulsed violently, eyes dancing and stomach twirling to the song's deadly beat. His heart beat erratically with an unsteady tempo.
Visions flashed before him.
Two girls sprint from a mob of enraged people… one slips…"Sister!" she cried in vain. The other continues…
She is caught while the other makes it out of the village.
She is crying.
"I'm sorry…" she sobs. "I… can't go back…"
The girl who was captured is crying too, then, she laughs, louder, then louder. Bodies fall into place. They lay upon one another like stacks of logs, blood crashing like waves from the collective cuts and slices in them, staining the skin, hair, clothes, and eyes of the victims. Knifes dangle from her petite hands.
"Yae… " she whispers venomously. "You said that… we'd always be… together… that we'd be… one… but everyone… died…"
Now, Edward stands before Alphonse, but he simply take Sae's- was it Sae? - position, laughing madly amidst the mountain of corpses.
Ed sobs now as the vision changes, his head buried in Al's old metal body's shoulder. "My fault…" he mumbles, still moaning and sobbing. His breaths come in short, labored gasps.
Sae whispers, "Come now… we have a ritual to finish…"
Ed and Sae are now standing hand-in-hand by a deep, black pit. Sae is wearing a delicate, oriental white kimono, and eerie almost glowing scarlet rope tied around her belly. Her skin is perfect and flawless.
Ed, on the other hand, looks exactly the same as when Al last saw him: cuts on his cheeks, tattered clothes, and what's better, no red rope around his waist.
Ed nods to Sae.
Sae is smiling. She nods.
"Ready?"
"Steady…"
"Jump!"
The two fall into the pit…
Al's body thrashed wildly against his binds. He still convulsed and gagged; his eyes still were rolling in this head and his brow was drenched with sweat.
Suddenly, all became calm, then he sat up, panting and yelling, "No!"
Hiro held him fast. "It's about time you calmed down." he announced, nodding.
Alphonse shook his head, trying to clear the fuzz from his brain.
He recalled the visions.
Brother…
"Brother!!" he yelled, trying desperately to escape from Hiro's grip. "Brother!- I've got to save him! He's going to- he's going to do that-"
Hiro didn't relinquish his grip. He shook his head and furiously snarled, "There isn't time!"
What was that? CLIFF HANGER!!! Isn't time? For what? To save Ed? Oh, no!
Please, continue reading to find out! I'll have the next chapter up ASAP!
---Talim---