~ Back in the Human World ~
As soon as Setsuna enters Yuki's room through the balcony, he scans around the dark room while furling his wings in.
"Where did she go?" Setsuna frowns as he turns to leave through the balcony, but he stops when he hears Yuki's name called.
"Auriel..."
Setsuna stops where he is at with wide eyes and turns around, searching for the person who called him. He turns back again when he sees no one in the room except himself. However, when he tries to take a step toward the balcony, he could not lift up a foot. He looks down at his feet.
SLAM!
Setsuna's attention is moved away from his feet to the balcony doors which are right in front of him.
"Auriel..."
"Show yourself!" Setsuna commands as he looks around the room again. Why are they calling Yuki's name?
Then, at that moment, the shadows in the room begin to slowly crawl toward the seraph.
"Auriel... Mine..."
Alarmed, Setsuna's crimson eyes widens as he watches the shadows crawl up on him. He holds out his right arm and summons his Death Scythe and slashes at it.
The shadows quickly drew back away from the seraph.
Before allowing Death Scythe to disappear from his hand, Setsuna waits for everything to return to its original state. He lifts up a foot from the ground and took a step toward the balcony door. He opens the doors and the evening air greets him as he unfurls his wings. He looks back at Yuki's room before taking flight.
Is there someone after Yuki...? Setsuna notes as he dives down and lands on the ground, in front of the Sakamaki Manor. He furls his wings again as he looks at the building. Vampires don't have the ability to manipulate the shadows, so that rules out the Sakamaki brothers... But, for someone to be able to manipulate the shadows so freely... It could only be the work of a Fallen.
"Another Fallen in the Human World?" Setsuna's eyes widens, but he closes his eyes and shakes his head. No... Yuki should be the only one who is a Fallen... He then takes out a small book and flips through the pages, passing through the ones that have been judged. His eyes widens when he reaches the last Fallen recorded in his book. Auriel's name is not here!? How can this be? I have not passed Judgement yet...
Setsuna begins to flip through the book again and puts it away when he confirms that Yuki's name is not in the book. He runs a hand through his platinum blonde hair.
"Was Yuki never a Fallen in the first place...?"
Creak!
Setsuna lifts his head up as he catches a glimpse of long, platinum blonde hair disappearing behind the entrance to the manor.
"Yuki?" Setsuna says as he takes a step toward the manor, but stops when he hears a voice calling him from behind.
"SETSUN!"
The seraph turns as he glares at the white-haired vampire.
"Stop calling me that. We are not kids anymore." Setsuna snaps as he crosses his arms in front of his chest. "Well? What is it? It's rare for the two of seek me out―"
"Have you seen Yuki?" Shiki interrupts.
"Yuki?" Setsuna repeats as he narrows his eyes at the two. "She just entered the Sakamaki Manor. What of it?"
"Yuki went inside?" Ren asks as he turns to Shiki.
"She should be safe inside..." Shiki assures.
"'Safe'?" Setsuna repeats. "Safe from what?"
"An archangel named Hadriel..." Shiki answers as he looks at the seraph. "We managed to trace him here, but we still haven't seen him."
"Hadriel?" Setsuna says as he looks at the two in disbelief. "A vampire and a hybrid are accusing an archangel of treachery?"
"You have to believe us, Setsun." Ren adds. "He's after Yuki."
Setsuna nods his head. "I've been suspecting him for quite some time... Alright, I'll believe you two. Come, we must find Hadriel before he finds Yuki."
~ A Few Minutes Before ~
Yuki opens her eyes as she awakes from her stupor.
Where...? Yuki wonders as she blinks the blurriness away from her eyes. She turns her head slowly to see a familiar manor. Huh...? Isn't this... the Sakamaki Manor? How did I―
Yuki's rose pink eyes widens when she stares into a pair of blood red ones.
"Subaru...?" Yuki calls quietly as the said vampire suddenly reaches for the angel's arm, pulling her up on her feet.
"You came back." Subaru says as he drags her toward the entrance door of the manor.
"W-Wait...! Subaru!?" Yuki shouts as she tries to free herself from his grasp.
Subaru ignores Yuki's words as he effortlessly pulls her inside the entrance hall of the manor, but looks back when he feels an uninvited presence lingering behind them until it vanishes. He watches the doors close before leading Yuki into the lounge.
* In the Lounge. *
As soon as Subaru and Yuki enters the lounge, Kanato appears behind Laito and walks closer to stand next to his older brother.
"My little song bird..." Cordelia sings when her sharp green eyes lands onto Kanato. "Please do entertain Mommy with your beautiful singing voice like you used to."
"Mother, but how?" Kanato asks, confused.
"Oh, be quiet." Subaru growls as he glances at Yuki before throwing her onto a chair. "Neither of you belong here. Get lost."
Yuki flinches from Subaru's harsh words and the white haired vampire moves away from her.
"You put on a good show, Subaru... despite your inability to protect your own mother." Ricther provokes with a grin.
"Shut up." Subaru snarls as he leaps toward the rails of the second floor and throws a fist at his uncle, who catches it and twists his nephew's arm. He quickly swings a kick at Richter after failing to punch him, but the older vampire takes a step back to avoid the kick. Subaru pushes himself off the rails and lands back on the floor, kneeling behind Kanato and Laito.
"None of you can hope to rival me." Ricther remarks with confidence.
Reiji, who had been standing quietly behind Richter, finally turns and makes his way down to the first floor.
Richter's dark red eyes moves to the left when he hears someone chuckling.
"Are you sure about that?" Shu asks as he appears on the couch, next to Yuki's chair.
"What?"
"You're the one who's putting on a show."
"Shu, what are you trying to say?"
Shu sits up on the couch with a groan before standing up and turning to his uncle.
"To Karl Heinz, the head of the family, you don't even register as a rival."
Richter clicks his tongue in annoyance before Cordelia approaches him.
"Is this the best entertainment you can provide? You people are as dull as ever." Cordelia complains as she turns to look straight at Yuki. "Ah, that's right. There is one more performer that has yet to act."
Cordelia moves away from Richter and rests her arms on the rail, leaning on it as she smiles at the angel.
"I heard you went to another vampire's home to become their food. How was it? Did you like their fangs than the ones here?" Cordelia asks.
"Don't make it sound as if I voluntarily left, Cordelia." Yuki responds as she stands up from her chair. "This all started because of you..."
"Me?" Cordelia repeats, slightly tilting her head to one side. "Now what have I done to make you blame me?"
Yuki parts her lips to speak, but closes them when she could not remember what she was going to say. She turns away from Cordelia and looks down at the floor in front of her, confused.
I... don't remember... What did Cordelia do?
"Not even the girl could entertain," Cordelia sighs as her smile disappears. Yuki looks up and watches her pull out Subaru's knife. "The worst thing about this is that you all prevent me from being my vibrant self. Dispose of them. Immediately!"
"Why, this is Subaru's silver knife." Richter remarks as he takes the knife in his hands. "I believe that one stab through the heart with this is all it would take."
"That's right. They would disintegrate instantly, without pain." Cordelia grins. "That shows how much I love them. Now dispose of them, and I will make you the next head of the family."
"Do you swear to make me the next head of the family if I kill them?" Richter asks.
"Yes."
"That's strange. Wasn't that already one of the terms of our agreement when I saved you as you lay dying?" Richter asks as Cordelia turns to him. "You swore that if I saved your life, you would put me on the throne."
"Richter," Cordelia calls as she wraps her arms around Richter's arm. "I will do anything you desire. Now hurry up and dispose of them. Do it for me."
"You are a fool." Cordelia immediately looks up at Richter. "You are useless to me in your less-than pristine condition. All I need is your heart. As long as I awaken the girl who has your heart, and make her mine, I can become the next head of the family without your assistance."
"Did you plan this from the moment I entrusted you with my heart?" Cordelia asks as she takes a few steps away from Richter.
"Did you only just realize that?" Richter asks as he turns to face her. "It is not you who are using me. It is I who am using you."
Suddenly, Richter grabs Cordelia's wrist and pulls her to him. He swiftly tilts her head back, exposing her untouched neck, and prepares to sink his fangs into her throat.
"Hey." Ayato speaks and Richter closes his mouth. "Would the both of you just shut the hell up?"
Richter stands up, continuing his hold on Cordelia, and uses his other hand to pull a sword out of the display.
"Do not interfere!" Richter snarls as he swings at Ayato, who barely evades the attack.
"Why, you..." Ayato begins, but Laito stops him by tossing his brother a sword.
Ayato swiftly catches the sword with his left hand and watches Richter carefully.
"I won't let you continue with your way. I'll make you regret coming here!" Ayato snarls.
"And what do you think you can do about it?" Richter grins as he lunges at Ayato.
Ayato blocks Richter's attacks, but is forced to move back until his back touches the wall. Ayato clicks his tongue as Richter, without any hesitance, pierces his sword through his nephew's left shoulder, rendering Ayato's dominant arm useless.
"Damn..." Ayato curses as he glares at his uncle, who smirks and pulls the sword out.
Ayato's blood spills onto the floor and he drops the sword as he uses his right hand to hold his left shoulder. He then kneels down on one knee as Richter raises his sword up once more.
"Now, stay still." Richter says as Ayato continues to glare at him.
"Ayato...?" Yui calls as her sherbet pink eyes meet his wide green ones. "I..."
Yui trails off as she tilts her head up to look at Richter's face. She quickly pushes his arm away and grabs Subaru's silver knife before descending the first flight of stairs.
"Yui!" Yuki calls as she moves closer to the staircase, but stops when she realizes what Yui is doing.
Yui's eyes softens when she sees Yuki and mouths 'I'm sorry' to her before bringing Subaru's knife up, directly above her chest.
"Now no one will get hurt." Yui smiles as she plunges the knife into her chest and closes her eyes, falling backwards.
Reiji immediately appears next to Yui and catches her in his arms.
"The heart is mine!" Richter yells as he begins to move toward where Yui and Reiji are.
Annoyed, Ayato picks up his sword with his right hand and stabs his uncle in the side. Ayato then pulls the sword out and Richter collapses to the ground.
Reiji, who was watching, turns his attention back onto Yui. He stays silent until Cordelia opens her eyes and smirks when she sees Reiji.
"Only a foolish girl would stab herself... What a joke... Her death... and awakening are only... a matter of time... And then... both her body... and soul... will be... all mine..." Cordelia remarks before closing her eyes once more.
Yuki covers her mouth when she sees Yui's body go limp in Reiji's arms. Her legs gave out from beneath her and she collapses onto the ground.
"Yui..." Yuki calls very quietly as she shakes her head in denial. "No... no..."
Behind Yuki, Kanato quietly hugs Teddy tightly in his arms. Laito, on the other hand, tilts his fedora slightly down. However, he notices a white feather slowly swaying down and he kneels down to pick it up.
A feather...? Where could it have― Laito's green eyes widens when he tilts his fedora back up, staring at Yuki's back. "An... angel?"
Yuki, who fainted from shock, laid on the ground with her both her wings unfurled behind her. Then, the wings began to slowly furl and disappear.
"How unexpected..." Laito remarks as he releases the white feather. "Who knew Snow was actually her..."
And with that said, Laito disappeared from the room.
"What a pain..." Subaru mumbles as he moves toward Yuki, but stops when he sees her lifted up from the ground. "Shu... You..."
Shu glances at his youngest brother and he walks out of the lounge with Yuki in his arms.
Reiji watches Shu leave and closes his eyes briefly as he stands up with Yui in his arms. He walks over to the couch and carefully places her on it before leaving the room as well.
From the second floor, Ayato tightens his grip on his left shoulder and grits his teeth in annoyance. He clicks his tongue as he curses at the eldest Sakamaki brother.