Chapter 45: Glassy Eyes
Straining her ears to pick up any signs of life, Estella could tell that the whole Phantomhive Manor was already out like the lights from the way it was so still and quiet. The clock on her bedside table told her there was another five minutes before midnight struck, and she could not help but sighed in envy at the others' ability to be able to fall asleep before the big day.
Estella turned around to lie on her other side, eyebrows furrowing in frustration. It seemed almost impossible to fall asleep. Every time she closed her eyes in attempt to sleep, haunting images of deaths would appear behind her eyelids. The anxiety and uneasiness created by those images only made things worse.
Her eyelids felt heavy with the need to sleep, but her busy, racing mind simply would not stop the train of meaningless thoughts.
She let out a sigh and got out of bed, giving up on sleep. A yawn escaped her as she made her way to the door.
Maybe she should just clear her head out at the balcon-
Pulling open the door, Estella jumped back in surprise to find herself facing an equally stunned-looking Ciel who stood right outside with a raised fist frozen in mid-air, looking like he was about to knock on her door.
"C-Ciel…?" Estella rubbed her tired eyes to check she was seeing correctly.
Ciel blinked, snapping out of his stupor and felt a rush of embarrassment and instant regret.
Estella wasn't the only one who couldn't fall asleep.
He was woken up by a dreadful dream about the big battle once again. Of how she had turned to him with a gleam of remorse and apology in her eyes, the last sign of life in them before they turned deathly cold.
He just could not go back into sleep after that spine-chilling nightmare. He could not stand the stifling feeling and ended up outside her room.
Stiffly, Ciel brought his raised arm back down to his side. "I was…"
If she only knew how long he had been lingering outside her room, she would not let him hear the end of it. He was pacing back and forth for at least what felt like fifteen minutes while trying to summon the courage to wake up her up in the middle of the night to simply look at her so that he could quell the anxiety in him.
He felt his cheeks heating up. There was no way Ciel Phantomhive was not going to admit doing silly things like this. He was going to sound so stupid trying to explain why he had been doing at such an unearthly hour!
His mouth snapped closed, falling into silence for a while.
"You were what?" Estella quirked an eyebrow at him.
Ciel cleared his throat awkwardly. "N-Nevermind, it's just that…" He started to turn away, "you, err, snored too loud." He blurted out hastily and unceremoniously strode away.
"What?" Estella poked her head out of the doorway and eyed his retreating back with an incredulous frown. "Hey wait-"
His door slammed close before she could finish.
Giving the door a thoughtful look, Estella knocked lightly on it and slowly eased the door open. "Ciel…?" She softly called out as she slipped through the door.
Closing the door behind her, she approached the bed quietly and gazed down at the back of the sleeping or seemingly sleeping boy. An amused smirk made its way across her face as she realized he was very much awake from his not-so-calm breathing.
You're not fooling anyone.
The smirk on her face grew wider as she slowly lifted the covers a little and slipped under, carefully shifting her weight so not to alert him. Holding back the urge to laugh, she looped an arm over his waist and buried her face into his back, feeling a sudden jolt from the boy.
"What're you doing in here?"
Estella pulled back her head and looked up to find Ciel peering over his shoulder with an arched eyebrow. She merely shrugged and fired her own questions. "Why the hell are you even pretending to sleep, weirdo? Or even standing outside my room just now?" She raised an eyebrow back at him, releasing him from her hold.
Heat creeping onto his cheeks, Ciel peered at her face, full of words but not sure how to say them. He sighed and turned around to face her. "I was…" Ciel raked a hand through his hair with a scowl on his face as he thought of how to start.
The truth was that he was not feigning sleep but was too deep in thoughts to notice her coming in. He was trying to force himself to sleep and not to take those dreams seriously but he ended up thinking about them and the big day tomorrow.
"What about you?" Another sigh escaped Ciel, "Can't sleep?"
Estella nodded with a nervous laugh. "Yeah…I was thinking about tomorrow. It's happening, huh." Ciel watched her roll onto her back with a light, airy laugh. "And I was thinking about everything that happened. I can still remember the first time we met."
His eyebrows shot up at the random topic.
"My first impression of you was..." He eyed the small furrow between her eyebrows. "You were so…serious for someone of our age. Plus, you looked ready to murder someone." An amused look appeared on her face, "Sometimes you still look like you do, you know?"
Ciel snorted at her words. "No, I didn't look ready to murder someone, I was ready." He paused for a brief moment before adding, "Actually, I am still ready to do that."
"I could say the same about myself, haha!" Her laughter rang out in the silence and quickly died down as a pensive look swept over her face. "But a lot of things has happened even since then, hasn't it?"
Muttering his agreement, Ciel gazed up at the ceiling of his poster bed as thoughts of Alois Trancy, SIGMA and every other thing he had done as the Queen's Watchdog briefly filled his head.
It was amazing how much more eventful his life has become.
His eyes drifted over to the redhead beside him with warmth in his eyes.
Ciel's eyes widened in surprise when he found her staring intently at him and blinked owlishly at the soft musing look on her face, "What?"
"I'm just thinking about us now and back then," Estella had a wry smile on her face, "We were glaring at each other in your study the first time we met, remember?" Amusement danced in her eyes. "But look at us now."
Ciel crossed his arms behind his head, feeling a smirk creeping its way across his face.
"And I found you really annoying." Ciel could not help but chuckled.
"Well, it was fun annoying you," Estella laughed, "News for you mister, I found you annoying too last time." Her lips stretched out into a grin.
Peering at the grin on her face, Ciel feinted a thoughtful face, "Actually now that I think about it, you're still pretty annoying, Blancbaston." He mused.
"I can say the same about you, Phantomhive." Estella stuck out her tongue at him and burst into laughter at the way they had addressed each other. "Aw man, how nostalgic…!" She said between laughter.
Ciel watched her try to stifle her laughter, feeling a gentle feeling of content sweep over him just by the sight and sound of her unladylike and wide-mouth laughter.
A small smile appeared on his face.
He didn't care that her laughter was not light and melodious. He didn't care that this sight and sound were deemed unacceptable in the eyes and ears of society for women.
They made him feel at home.
Then suddenly like she had a bad taste in her mouth, a small grim smile appeared on her face. "Tomorrow is the day I've been waiting for. I don't even know how I should feel about this. It's been crazy and I can't believe that all these are coming to an end so soon."
As soon as those words escaped her mouth, the smile on his face fell, disappearing with the warmth he was feeling.
Ciel stayed silent, mulling over her words. He was already aware of this, but those words made his heart sink and triggered another new wave of foreboding.
Those dark, chilling thoughts along with memories of his latest dream came rushing back at him again.
Ciel closed his eyes in anguish, jaws clenched in frustration.
Why did things have to come to this?
Wearily opening his eyes again, Ciel raised his gaze to find her staring up at him puzzledly. Not a word, he pulled the girl into an embrace, drawing a surprised yelp from her.
Then a wave of silence swept over them.
Sensing his uneasiness from the way his arms had tightened around her, especially from how his fingers were clutching onto the fabric of her nightgown like it was his lifeline, Estella rubbed his back reassuringly. "We're going to be fine."
"I hope so."
That night came too fast for their liking. They shared the same heavy feeling of fear, anxiety and dread as they part from each other, walking in opposite directions to their respective stations. Ciel to the higher-ups as assigned, and Estella following Sebastian and the three servants to the rest of the troops.
The fluttering anxiety in them and unspoken words urging them to look back at each other one more time before the operation kicked off was unbearable but still two held them in and walked on.
Estella resisted looking back at the earl and instead focused on the servants and Sebastian instead, noticing how quiet the usual loud trio were. Sebastian looked like his usual calm self.
"This brings back memories…" Estella heard Bard murmur to himself and turned to see a solemn yet nostalgic look on the chef's face. She turned to Bard with a curious look and was about to ask about his battle experiences when she was interrupted.
"Alright everyone, gather 'round here!"
She swung her gaze to the front to find herself looking at a burly-looking man standing on a crate.
From the platform he stood on, Ciel set his gaze upon the full moon hovering over them. A humourless smile crept its way across his face. His eyes with an unreadable glint in them, watched the wisps of clouds drift meaninglessly in the night sky.
The stage has been set, the spotlight, He noted how the full moon had illuminated the manor, has been fixed on your manor and the curtains are about to rise. The smile on his face widened and a dark look glinted in his eyes. This is how this is going to be, Alois Trancy, your death does not satisfy until I see the end of every piece of you.
He swept his gaze down onto the troop before him and caught sight of Meyrin standing together with the snipers nearest to him, Bard in the centre with Finny and Snake. He cut his gaze over to the front, to Sebastian with a meaningful look when his eyes found him.
His attention swivelled over to the redhead standing with Sebastian and his smile fell.
Keep her safe. Ciel knew it was probably foolish but he was going to depend on the demon inside her to protect her.
"Hey brat," Ciel snapped out of his reverie and glanced over to find Charles Grey with a sly look on his face and Charles Phipps watching with eyes dulled by disinterest. Charles Grey traced his lower lip with his tongue, slow and deliberate. "Any chance that I can play with your little demon host after this?"
Ciel's blood grew cold.
"Double Charles"
In place of the Queen, they were here to oversee the operation and Ciel was sure that, in truth, they were there to watch him. The 'trust' the Queen spoke of stands questionable. Seeing these two made him wonder about their intentions, especially towards Estella.
And he was right.
"Not a chance." Ciel answered bluntly, not holding back a glare.
"Ohhhh," The shorter Charles feigned a surprised look before a sly look took its place on his face once again. "That's too bad. Her Majesty was thinking of inviting Miss Demon Host over there to-"
"Charles," The other Charles cut in with a stern look on his face, "We do not speak of this."
Ciel looked the two Charles with a cold, stoic expression. "Pass this message along to Her Majesty," His jaw clenched as he pierced them with a warning glint in his eyes. "On the behalf of Estella Blancbaston who is under my charge, her invitation is rejected. Blancbaston is unfit to attend."
Turning away from the two, Ciel gazed intently at the said girl with a hard look. It won't happen again.
The atmosphere was tense, a kind of intensity that was tangible enough to make her hair stand and her heart race. Standing on a slightly higher platform behind the soldiers in front, her eyes lingered on the cannons lined up around the Trancy Manor, like a fortress. Shifting her gaze, she stared at the familiar manor with a flutter of uneasiness. It was strangely still and quiet despite being under threat.
Deciding not to think too much about it, Estella glanced to her left where Sebastian stood. He was noticeably in a good mood; from the amusement she could see on his face. Flickering her eyes over her shoulder, she gave the soldiers standing behind the two of them a cursory glance before turning back to the front.
Like instructed, Sebastian and her were positioned in front of the troop. They were briefed, more like bellowed at, that when the cue was given, the tanks before them were to move first to surround the manor and kick start the operation by continuously firing at it. Tearing the manor down was apparently what they were going for, Estella had deduced.
Then what?
Her eyes returned their attention to the manor and narrowed pensively as a rush of wind swept past her. Cutting into her skin like cold blade as dreadful realisation sank in.
Who knows what SIGMA keep in there?
She glanced down at her trembling hands - the representation of her fear and anticipation. Her eyes closed in prayer, silently pleading for a good ending to this battle.
Finny.
Meyrin.
Bard.
Sebastian.
She felt her heart tighten with fear. And...Ciel.
Estella exhaled through her mouth slowly.
Valeria, let's defeat SIGMA once and for all. She reached out to her demon. I haven't say this before but I think you changed my mind about demons. You guys aren't so bad.
She opened her eyes and looked at the manor with determined eyes.
And thanks for agreeing to this by the way.
Oh please. She could almost imagine Valeria rolling her eyes at her. Don't be disgusting, idiot. You think I'm doing this for the sake of you dumb humans? This benefits me, that's all.
Either way, I'm glad you're here.
Ew, don't be.
Estella let out a snort at her reply and gazed down at her feet with an amused smile. I-
"FOR GREAT BRITAIN!"
Startled, she snapped her eyes up in time to see cannonballs rocketing towards the manor.
Already?
She could hear the soldiers behind her roaring away.
Estella felt her heart began to race and her breathing becoming fast and heavy.
At that moment, the image of a certain earl flashed across her mind as adrenaline begin its course in her vessels.
Listening to the nagging urge in her to take one last look of the person in mind, Estella glanced over her shoulder at where she knew he stood on.
Her breath hitched.
He was already looking at her.
His face was stoic and he had an apathetic vibe in the way he held himself, but his eyes held an intense look that she could not read because he broke their eye contact too quickly.
What...?
She turned back to the front with a frown. Nevermind that, focus.
Seeking within herself, Estella closed her eyes and started feeling herself fading from consciousness.
I'll leave it all to you...Valeria.
Ciel could feel himself starting to regret when she suddenly turned around and met his eyes.
Live.
Memorizing her face as much as he can, he tore his eyes away and fixated them on the back of Sebastian's head.
Sebastian, this is the last time. He stared unwaveringly as he placed a hand over his right eye where their contract lies.
"Sebastian, this is an order," Ciel started quietly and the Faustian mark in his eye started to glow.
As if Sebastian could hear him perfectly well, the demon turned around and met his master's eyes.
"Give those who betrayed and defiled a taste of the humiliation and pain that was suffered." Ciel could feel the two Charles watching him with interest but ignored them, "Stop them...Stop SIGMA in their tracks once and for all."
Yes, my lord. Ciel could almost hear Sebastian say as the demon butler bowed at his waist before turning away to face the front.
He too looked forward and was mildly surprise to see a swarm of figures spilling from the manor.
"ONWARDS!"
Ciel heard the commander bellow and caught Sebastian darting off before looking over to the side to see Valeria, obviously not Estella anymore, sprinting ahead in a speed as swift as the wind.
The troop behind followed them with a roar of war cry.
"Oh, looks fun!" Charles Grey unsheathed his sword with a grin and leaped off the platform.
The other Charles looked bewildered by his actions, "Wait Charles, it's Her Majesty's order to-"
But the butler was already dashing off. "See ya, brat!"
Ciel watched Charles Phipps shook his head with a sigh and almost felt bad for him, reminding him of his own experience with a certain idiot.
"I apologize for...that." Charles Phipps did not look apologetic at all, only annoyed.
"It's fine," Ciel raised an eyebrow indifferently, "I don't really care."
Dashing toward the manor, Sebastian glanced to his side and saw 'Estella' feets away in a similar pace. His eyes fell onto the tiny flames at the tips of her fingers before flickering up to her face, only to see Valeria glancing over.
Red eyes met his own. "Remember what I told you, raven demon." Without another word, Valeria sprinted forward and met the swarm of SIGMA henchmen head-on.
Intriguingly, Sebastian watched her leap over their heads and simultaneously light some of them with her flames, knowing she was going after their leader like planned. The screams coming from amongst the henchmen made him smirk.
"Hn, how unnecessary."
Sebastian pushed himself off the ground and flew over their head with a predatory glint in his glowing red eyes, setting his course for a certain spider demon.
.
.
.
Three nights ago.
A lone figure sat on the rooftop of the Phantomhive manor. The merciless cold wind was cutting into her skin but it failed to faze her. Her crimson red eyes were staring pensively into a distance beyond the vegetation around the manor.
It was quiet until a set of footsteps entered the scene.
The faraway look in her eyes disappeared.
"Before you start going all territorial," She rolled her eyes sardonically, "I have no interest in that boy, Sebastian Michealis."
Sensing more than seeing Sebastian stop beside her, Valeria gave a quick glance up at him before returning her gaze to the night sky.
"I'm glad we could establish that quickly."
Silence fell between them.
"Estella calls you 'Valeria'..." Sebastian sat himself down beside the other demon, staring ahead, "A silly act of sentiment from your previous contractee, I suppose?"
Sebastian heard a scoff.
"Don't be ridiculous, it's just a name I had given myself and I hold absolutely no interest in being tied down by stupid things like a contract with those creatures."
Valeria cut an annoyed glare over to him. "I value freedom over anything else. More than ever now."
They fell silent again.
"You are technically an enemy of my enemy, so I'm telling you this." Valeria suddenly spoke, "SIGMA is dangerous. Underestimating them was a terrible blunder of mine."
"It would not be mine." Sebastian mused.
Valeria ignored his reply, "Maybe I'm turning soft but I don't wish to see another end up like me." She then stood and walked over to the edge of the roof. She paused to glance back, meeting his gaze with an unreadable look.
"Heed my warning, raven demon."
That was all before she dropped herself off the rooftop.
"Took you long enough to get here."
Sebastian burst through the window and found himself greeted by Claude who was already waiting in the middle of the empty entrance hall.
Sebastian's eyes fell to the sinister sword in Claude's hand.
"The Lævateinn again…" Sebastian looked up at the other demon with a smirk, "Resorting to using it already? You must be eager to be vanquished by my hands."
Claude's golden eyes glowed red with annoyance.
"Rubbish," He pointed the sword at Sebastian, "I'd failed during the Danse Macabre but this time I'm simply more eager to pierce this into you and watch you beg for mercy as you struggle against a miserable death."
Claude flew towards him. "I'll be the one to sink my teeth into the young master's soul."
A clawed hand struck into his chest and out through his back, resurfacing with a coat of fresh, crimson blood.
Demonic red eyes bore into a pair of fearful gray ones. "M-M-Mercy..."
Wordlessly, Valeria withdrew her hand and watched him fall to his knees with cold eyes.
Valeria stepped past him and strolled away from the litter of bodies behind her, smirking as she headed for the man standing by the entrance of the manor.
"You're next." The smug smirk widened manically.
"I don't think so, my dear." Victor Blair shook his head with an airy laugh and clapped his hands joyfully. "At last, you decided to appear before me! I've waited too long."
"I'm glad we share the same sentiment, Victor Blair." Valeria spat before throwing back her head in laughter. "You have no idea how long I have waited to put you through the worst punishment that even hell can't provide you."
"Waited far too long to sink my claw inside and burn you from there." Her eyes narrowed and Estella's lips stretched as Valeria made a sadistic grin. "How does that sound?"
Victor watched her raise the clawed hand that she just put through his men and grinned nervously as his eyes followed the trails of blood as they trickled down her arm.
And without warning, Valeria vanished from the spot and this roused panic within the SIGMA leader.
His hand came out as a blur from his coat with a revolver in it and he fired a shot into the air. "RELEASE THEM NOW-"
Before he could finish, a hand appeared and curled around his neck. The man gave out a strangled cry as he fell back onto the ground, staring up fearfully at the sneer on Estella Blancbaston's face.
He could feel her fingers digging painfully into his skin and one of her knees digging into his ribcage, but the pain wasn't his concern now; the only thing that had his attention was the other hand that was descending down on him in an incredible speed.
"Brandon...BRANDON! STOP HER!"
The hand paused and a round of shrill laughter came from the demon hovering over him.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
She stopped in mid-laughter when a set of calm, approaching footsteps came sounding from the right.
Hand still clutching firmly onto Victor's neck, Valeria swung her eyes to the sound.
Victor's face relaxed with relief as he too turn to find that it was Brandon, walking toward them with an eerie smile on his face.
His amethyst eyes gleamed dully as he boredly twirled a ring around his finger.
Valeria scoffed at the newcomer and cracked a smug smirk at him. "Why, coming back for part two?"
"Forget that, Brandon, get her off me already!" Victor yelled impatiently.
Brandon stopped in his tracks and eyed the demon kneeling over his master indifferently. "I've brought them out, like you asked." He merely said and gestured his shoulder nonchalantly.
Looking at where he gestured to, shock surfaced on Valeria's face. "Impossible."
A few distance away behind the hybrid, she saw a mass of gangly figures with demonic red eyes charging toward them.
"Very... good, Brandon."
Valeria swung her attention back to the leader beneath her, bemused. "I didn't choose them so your project should have failed..."
Somehow, Valeria's grip loosened slightly in the moment of her disbelief, leaving Victor able to let out a raspy, hearty laugh.
"I can't let materials go to waste, can't I?" A menacing look danced in his dark eyes, "I was disheartened for not being able create copies of you after you left at first. You have no idea how glad I am when I found out my failed products had matching characteristics of mindless, soul-seeking creatures that tear through every human just for the souls they crave for."
The look on his face was madness. "They are just like you lot except they do not possess the ability as you all to devour souls so they will only keep eating away! Perfect!"
Staring at the crazed look on his face in silence, Valeria glanced over to the approaching threat and saw them getting nearer.
"You are one crazy human, aren't you?" Valeria burst into laughter as if she was just told a joke and took out a dagger from the weapon belt around Estella's waist. "You shall be their first meal then!"
In one swift movement, Valeria plunged the dagger into his stomach with a strength powerful enough for the dagger to protrude out of his back and make a hole in the concrete ground.
"URGHHH!" An agonized scream flew out of Victor's mouth.
Valeria climbed up to her feet and stepped away from the struggling man, admiring his suffering as if it was a beautiful piece of artwork.
She glanced over at Brandon and was surprised to find him not doing a thing to stop her. "The loyal little angel, aren't we?" She raised an eyebrow at him.
"BRANDON, DO SOMETHING - urgh- ABOUT THIS!"
"I am." Brandon stared blankly at the dying man and glanced behind his shoulders. "It'll be your turn next, demon." He cut a challenging look over to Valeria before leaping onto the rooftop.
"We'll see~" She answered in a sing-song tone.
Valeria turned back to the man to see him weakly trying to pull out the dagger. A smile crept across her face as she indifferently stamped a foot on the hilt of the dagger, right on Victor's trembling hand, and leaned forward to trace a finger down the side of his face. "All karma need is a little push, and I'm happy to be the one giving that push."
Pulling back, she casted a glance at the incoming threat and smiled even wider when she saw they were closing in on them now.
Valeria took a moment to study the incoming figures, her demonic red eyes calmly meeting their glassy-looking ones and noted that they shared the same eyes as her kind but were void of any signs of living energy.
Foul-smelling shells of human children, not a single soul.
Her eyes narrowed.
Driven by my blood in their veins and...something else.
"Tsk tsk...look at them! Go on, proudly feed yourself to your poor hungry darlings." Valeria gave the dying man underneath her feet a last look and pushed herself off the ground, escaping to the safety of the roof.
Glancing down from the roof, she watched on as they swarmed around the body she left below and listened to the muffled screams of Victor Blair.
"Sharp and deep…" Claude charged toward Sebastian, the demon sword in his hand ready to aim. "I shall pierce through you, you damn raven!"
He jabbed the sword toward Sebastian's head and only ended up piercing air. With a low growl, he tried again but to no avail as Sebastian expertly dodged every one of his jabs.
Dodging another strike, Sebastian flipped himself backwards and simultaneously kicked the sword out of Claude's hand, sending it up to the ceiling.
"You'll have to try harder if you wish to steal my dinner."
Sebastian vanished from where he was and reappeared, feet planted firmly on the ceiling and a hand curled around the hilt of the demon sword.
"Look at this manor. All torn up and you call yourself the household butler?" Sebastian smirked smugly and glanced around thoughtfully, "But since it's already in this pitiful state, why not?
Lifting his hand away from the sword, Sebastian balled it into a fist and slammed it down on the sword, striking it like it was a nail. "Afterall, this place is too small. It's hard to move freely."
He yanked the sword free and landed back on the ground, watching calmly as giant cracks grew across the building and the manor around them begin to tremble violently.
"What?" Claude glanced around, bewildered.
The front portion of the manor split opened and crashed to the ground around them, only the marble floor beneath them was the reminder of the entrance hall that once stood there.
"Ahhh, isn't this better?" Sebastian gazed up at the night sky and down to Claude.
Tearing through flesh for the souls they can't reach. Valeria eyed the lost, confused looks on the wild-eyed humanoid monsters below. Good job, Victor, you'd created something far more revolting than anything else I have seen in this world. She thought bitterly.
She noted the blood that was dripping from their mouths and looked down at where the SIGMA leader laid only to see that what remains on the ground below was bloody, torn and unrecognizable. Even I think that he had gotten worse than what he had deserved.
"You pitiful beings scampering around for something so unattainable." Valeria curled her lips in disgust and extended a hand out, exactly above where they crowded around. "I'll end your misery."
And right at where they are, a ring of fire circled around them but before it could complete the circle, some begin to charging across the compound, toward the gates.
Shit! Valeria gritted her teeth in frustration. This body...I can't control my powers well - too slow!
Balling the extended hand into a fist, Valeria willed her fire to engulf the ones that had not moved from the circle and watched the flames burn in concentration.
"I wouldn't bother if I were you."
Valeria snapped her head over to the voice.
Arms folded loosely against his chest, Brandon was watching the fire on the ground below with his head tilted and eyebrows raised in amusement.
Oh I forgot about him.
"A moment of silence from you would be marvellous." Valeria brushed him off with a roll of her eyes and turned back to her work.
This should do. She released her hand and watched the flames disappear into thin air in anticipation.
A silent sigh escaped her. If they were failed copies of me, without a vessel, they can't do a thing. She eyed the ashes that remained.
Alerted to the sound of something cutting through the wind, Valeria leaped back, in time to get away from the two white feathers flying toward her.
Valeria landed steadily in a crouch. "So impatient," She smirked, "Wasn't that display of my power entertaining enough for you?"
"Don't be selfish," Brandon chuckled. "It's my turn now."
Sebastian lunged the Lævateinn at Claude but found the path of the sword blocked by a pair of gold fork and knife. Not going to let that stop him, Sebastian leapt into air, flipping over to the exposed back of Claude.
Sebastian swung the demon sword down but only to grit his teeth in annoyance when Claude dodged the second time.
He eyed the nick he made on the back of Claude's coat and sprang forward. I won't miss this time-
Sebastian paused in his tracks and turned his head in the direction of where he came from, his red eyes widened in astonishment. What was that?
Pushing his glasses up his nose, Claude looked irritated. "Turning your eyes away in the midst of a battle." He scoffed, casting strings of webs to the Lævateinn.
This terrible scent...
Sebastian's eyes narrowed in thoughts and a focused look on his face appeared on his face, unaware of the webs that Claude had attached to the weapon in his hand.
...but awfully familiar-
Sebastian snapped his attention back to the front when he felt the sword roughly tugged away from him to see Claude withdrawing the stringy webs back to himself and catching the sword in another hand.
"The consequence of being distracted." Claude's eyes gleamed dangerously at him.
"Hm," Sebastian returned the look with a nonchalant one, "There is no need to-" He snapped his head back to the direction he was staring at with wide eyes.
The young master…!
"I'll get back to you later." Sebastian vaguely stated before leaping off in that direction.
Claude glowered at the spot Sebastian previously occupied, and kicked off the ground, heading after the raven demon with fury in his glowing narrowed eyes.
"Stop testing me, Sebastian Michealis."
Valeria jerked back and to the side. The blow meant for her face whizzed by in a blur of knuckles. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Brandon's other arm begin swinging over to her. She did a backflip in the air this time, and felt her ponytail ruffle with the force of it.
She landed firmly back on the cobble roof and charged forward, with a clawed hand ready to sink into the angel hybrid, and flames wrapped around the other like a glove.
However, Brandon stood uncaring, watching her approach with a mysterious smile.
He snapped his fingers.
And Valeria found herself pushed back onto her back, completely subdued by...feathers.
"You underestimate me, demon."
Valeria glanced away from the feathers and up to find Brandon standing over her. "At least be creative, will you? Setting a trap with these chicken feathers of yours is so lame." She drawled coolly.
Brandon's eyes spelled his incredulity. Chicken feathers? He scoffed irritably.
Valeria eyed the white feathers surrounding her; they continued to hold her down like chains.
"How infuriating, talking big when you can't even move."
Valeria snapped her attention up to see the feather in Brandon's hand glow white and began to grow in length. The glow died down to reveal a long, silver rapier in place of the feather.
Looking down at her with an evil grin, Brandon casually dragged its blade down from her neck, with a pressure strong enough to leave a trail of blood following his ministration. "This will…"
As he began its course past her collarbone and between her breasts, her skin was not the only one broken. "…teach you not to mock me."
"I didn't think you were such a pervert," Valeria gazed down at the fair skin of her host peeking out from the tear in her white blouse, indifferently watching blood spill out from the broken skin the blade made. "Wouldn't this be too sinful for you?" Her eyes danced in amusement as she peered up at the man with a smirk.
"Shut up!" Brandon plunged the rapier down into her stomach and a bloodcurdling scream escaped from Valeria.
The angel hybrid broke into chuckles as he watched the pained expression Valeria made with Estella's features.
"Your screams are far less annoying." There was a spark of dark amusement in his eyes. He leaned over till his mouth was right next to her ear and whispered, "Go back to hell."
Grinning from ear to ear, Brandon pulled the rapier out and stepped back, flicking the blood on it away as though it had some kind of contagious virus. Cleaning the blade with a cloth, he sighed contently as he watched Valeria let out a raspy moan in the midst of her struggle against the pain, failing to notice something forming at his feet.
"You son of a bitch…!" Her back arched as another moan spilled from her mouth. "Damn you, I-I…"
"Hmm, what is it?" Brandon tilted his head innocently.
Valeria suddenly stopped her squirming and looked over, freezing him with a bored look. "Does my performance live up to your sick fantasies?" Brandon's eyes sprang wide. "Well, I'm done playing here." She eyed Brandon's shocked face with a pout and without a minute's pause, willed the fully formed circle of flames at his feet to come alive.
Flames larger and more intense than the one she previously summoned burst out from the circle and engulfed him. You may be able to easily heal yourself from the touch of ordinary flames, but you are at the mercy of mine now.
Valeria shrugged free of the feathers that had lost their power over her and climbed to her feet. "Another that needs a vessel to function. Without one, you're as good as nothing." His screams fell past her.
Your body is still made of human flesh afterall. So easy to tear down…
Red eyes staring coldly at the wall of flames, Valeria turned away, releasing her hand and began walking to the edge of the roof. And all that was left behind was ashes.
Rivulets of sweat rolled down the side of Bard's face as he kept on firing away with the pair of revolvers in his hands. His eyes were wide with fear and teeth was gritted in concentration. His fearful eyes bored into the lifeless, red eyes that were as flat and dead as a piece of glass that held a contradictory hunger in them.
He'd seen the way these creatures tore into the soldiers and the SIGMA henchmen.
At first, it was just them and the SIGMA men going head-to-head. Then out from the Trancy estate itself, these…red-eyed monsters appeared out of sudden and came lunging at them, doing a bizarre thing that chilled him to the bones.
They had bodies like children's but the way they had sank their long, sharp teeth into his comrades and his enemies alike, and savagely ripping their flesh off was nothing like human.
And this was how he had ended up doing this…
This was why he was incessantly firing at them. This was why his heart felt like it was beating a thousand mile a minute. And why every nerve in his body was screaming for him to keep fighting.
He simply cannot let himself end up like the shredded bodies around him.
His chest was rising and falling with adrenaline. It'd been ten minutes already; he was getting tired.
Aim.
Fire.
Aim.
Fire.
The same thing for what felt like the longest ten minutes of his life. But everytime they get shot down, they would rise up the next minute.
Are they demons like Sebastian? Bard swung his arm to the right and shot one that was leaping toward him. No, they're different. With a grimace, he watched it drop back down to the ground.
His eyes darted side to side, fell onto the revolvers he held ready in his hands.
How long… Bard swung one of them to the left when he had caught movement from the side of his eyes and fired another shot. …do I have left before I end up like these guys? He could feel the glassy, haunted eyes of the fallen watching his desperate attempt to survive as if they were anticipating his turn.
How's Finny and Meyrin? And the young master? He closed his eyes in anguish. I'm sorry.
"Bard, look out!"
Is that…Finny?
His eyes flew open and turned to find himself greeted by a pair of hungry, red eyes inches away from his face. Bard gasped, feeling shock knock the breath out of him.
So it's my time, huh...
The shocked look on Bard's face was quickly replaced with surprise. Huh?
As if the world was suddenly set in slow motion, he saw a pair of foot appear on its head and watched the pair of foot sink down to the ground along with the creature below it.
What the…
Bard blinked at the split head beneath the feet owlishly and finally snapped his eyes up to his saviour when he realized he was saved.
"Did you intended to let this thing tarnish the name of the Phantomhive servants by losing to it, Bard?" Tears of relief and gratitude welled up in Bard's eyes when he discovered his saviour was none other than his all-too-familiar Phantomhive demon butler. "Closing your eyes in the midst of a battle isn't very wise."
"S-Sebastian!" Bard cried out in joy, "Thank you!" His knees that has been holding him up till now gave out under him and the chef crumbled to the ground, trembling from the trauma.
Sebastian eyed the kneeling man disapprovingly, "Bard, this is not the time. Get a hold of yourself and up to your feet now." The demon butler kicked away one coming at Bard from the side and turned back to Bard who stood once again.
"Sorry Sebastian, it won't happen again." Bard straightened, a gleam of determination shone in his eyes
"Good," Sebastian looked satisfied at his answer and eyed the revolvers in Bard's hands. "I assume you don't have many bullets left…? No other weapons?"
Bard lifted his weapons, checking and glanced up again. "About three to four left, I think." He watched the butler fling a fork at another that started rising from the ground again, "And these two are all I have left."
"Okay, I want you to get over to the young master and guard him," Sebastian glanced over his shoulder at Bard, "There should be some weapons left there; use them. I'll take care of these."
"Yessir!" Bard saluted him and instantly took off, through an opening the butler has made for him.
Meyrin stood firm and tense in her spot with two rifles in each hand, her keen, hazel eyes never leaving the front. Thanks to her extreme far-sightedness, she could see everything that was going on even from this distance. The glint in her eyes sharp and dangerous as she continued to watch hell unleash before her.
The rest of the snipers had left to engage whatever that was ahead and she did not like how Charles Phipps had also left to assess the situation in front, leaving her master vulnerable. She couldn't do the same, no, she didn't want to leave this spot.
Every muscle in her body was tightened, her blood was pumping with adrenaline.
She could not tell what those things were but they were definitely dangerous. She, however, was ready to demonstrate the power and skills she has over firearms to whoever or whatever dares to get close to her master.
Finny, Bard…do not give up. Meyrin thought, her jaws clenched in concentration.
She felt her heart skip a beat when she caught the sound of rustling grass. Like something was moving through this field really quickly. In one swift movement, the maid flew into a stance, with her feet firmly shoulder-width apart to the ground, and the rifles in her hands pointed out in the direction of the sound.
And she waited.
She could feel her heart pounding fast and hard against her ribcage. The sound was getting louder, indicating its closing distance between them.
Her breathing turned shallow and fast.
Calm down, Meyrin, calm down. She sucked in a deep breath. It may not be human but it's still something that can be shot down. A wave of calmness swept over her own reassuring thoughts. Just do not miss.
"Fucking hell, stop following me!"
Her eyes sprang wide in surprise. That sounds like…
"Meyrin, it's Bard!" Meyrin snapped her eyes up to the platform she had her back against to see her master pointing out. "And he's being chased…!"
Meyrin turned back to the front to see that it was indeed Bard she heard and behind him, she noticed five pair of hungry, glassy-looking red eyes. "Shit." Eyes narrowing hostilely at them, she hooked her fingers around the triggers and fired.
The rifles responded to her in kind and sent their bullets sailing through the air.
One.
Two.
Seeing two crumble to the ground, she skidded across the grass to the right, arms crossed over each other and took aim.
Three.
Four.
"Bard, get behind me." Focusing her eyes on the last one right behind, Meyrin darted forward while Bard brushed past her shoulders. Her eyes were staring unwaveringly into red ones as she brought the rifles together before her, their muzzles pointing its head which was inching closer and closer.
Five.
It dropped to the ground.
Ciel watched the maid danced across the field, firing away at the incoming threats with a dangerous sort of grace. Swift and deadly.
A small smirk crept across his face, feeling an inevitable sense of pride for her. He hired her because of this remarkable set of skills but witnessing them himself made him all the more glad to have her part of his private army.
He watched Meyrin finish off the last one and glanced over to the five laying on the ground, remembering their demon-like red eyes. Are these the ones you have sensed back then, Sebastian? The demon essence emitting from their headquarters-
"YOUNG MASTER, BEHIND YOU!"
An icy hand closed around his heart. …When?
Peering over his shoulder, Ciel watched a red-eyed humanoid creature like the ones Meyrin took down reached its clawed hand over to him, feeling surprise than fear as one thought passed through his head. They are children…
"YOUNG MASTER, RUN!"
The scream snapped Ciel out of his reverie. Why out of all times… Horror sept into his eyes when he realized his life was seconds away from being snuffed out. Staring into its dead, hungry eyes, Ciel staggered back in hurry and felt his back hit the railing of the platform below him.
His mouth went dry as the monster closed in on him, his eyes lingering on the dried blood on all over its body and the trickle of saliva hanging off its mouth.
His senses were running on overdrive now; everything seemed to be amplified now.
"Meyrin, pass me one of your rifles now!"
He could feel his heart leaping wildly in his chest. He could hear someone load their gun. He could sense more than see his servants panicking.
"Humans are so helpless…"
Ciel blinked once, twice. What-
Before Ciel could turn his head to locate the voice, the creature before him suddenly burst into flames. Staring in shock at the burning fire, Ciel glanced over when he heard something hit the platform and felt it shift under a new weight.
Eying the new arrival in surprise, he watched her rose to her feet from a crouch, staring at her demonic red eyes which gaze was on the fire.
Below, Meyrin and Bard let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank god, you're here Estella!" Meyrin relaxed, lowering the weapon in her hands.
"Good timing, Estella!" Bard let a short burst of laughter, supporting himself with the rifle Meyrin lent him.
"Idiot humans." Valeria threw her eyes heavenwards exasperatedly, "Isn't it obvious that I'm not that girl?" She growled in annoyance.
Before turning back to the demon, Ciel noticed that the creatures Meyrin had shot were also engulfed in flames.
"Why…" Ciel glanced over to Valeria, "did you help us?"
"Huh?" Valeria returned his questioning gaze with a raised eyebrow, as if she saw nothing but absurdity in his question. "Don't make me sound…" Her lips twisted into a grimace, "…so ridiculous. I'm only doing this for myself and that is to destroy every single trace of this revolting organization."
Flickering his eyes over to the flames, Ciel watched the fire begin to grow smaller and saw that where the creature once stood remained only ashes. A fire demon like Estella had mentioned…
"So you are Valeria?" Ciel spoke again, glancing up.
"And you that Phantomhive brat." A lazy look appeared on the familiar face of Estella Blancbaston. Her once neatly tied hair which now hang loosely in a low, messy ponytail behind her swayed to the gentle breeze as Valeria strolled over to the earl.
While Ciel was watching the demon approach with distrustful eyes, something about her appearance caught his attention – curious dark red stains on her white blouse.
Where was the wound?
His eyes drifted further down and saw–
Ciel hastily averted his eyes away, feeling a blush creeping up his neck. "C-C-Cover up."
"Hm?" Valeria paused in her tracks, tilting her head questioningly at the earl's reaction and gazed down at herself. Realization dawned upon her features she saw the swells of her host's breasts peeking out from the tear on her blouse.
So this was what got this brat so flustered?
A smirk slyly crept across her face.
"Oh please, don't act all shy. It's not like you two haven't done anything. All that kissing…urgh." Valeria rolled her eyes, "You guys have no idea how torturous it was for me everytime you suck each other's face." The smirk on her face grew as she watched the Phantomhive earl who was still stubbornly refusing to look at her grow redder.
"J-Just do it already!" Ciel stuttered in embarrassment.
A hum of amusement went through Valeria. "No thanks, I like it this way." She crossed her arms behind her head indifferently.
Huffing in annoyance, the earl unbuttoned his coat and slipped it off, extending it to her. "Here, cover up with this."
"No." Valeria stuck her tongue out.
With an exasperated sigh, Ciel stalked over to her with an irritated look on his face and threw the coat over her. His eyes were fixated on the spot above her head, refusing to glance down as he began to button it up.
Valeria gazed with the boy, very amused. "You can touch them if you want to, you know? She doesn't know." Her red eyes danced with amusement as she reached under the coat to cup her host's bosoms. "Oh wow, they're soooo soft and ample! You sure you don't wanna give it a try?" Valeria said in a sing-song voice, taking pleasure in teasing the poor boy. "I promise I won't tell her how much a pervert you are."
Feeling himself grow warm from her teasing, Ciel closed his eyes with an annoyed look on his face, teeth gritted. "Shut up." He fidgeted, trying to finish his task. "I-I'm not a pervert."
Ciel blushed even harder when he thought he heard his servants snickering.
Valeria pealed with laughter at his reaction.
Quickly stepping away from her, Ciel hesitantly allowed himself to look at her once more and cleared his throat. "We don't have time for this," A look of full seriousness fell over his features though the blush still evident on his face. "Those monsters…what are they?"
The amusement on Estella's face fell as Valeria grew serious as well. "They crave souls but they lack the ability to obtain them like us demons." Ciel flickered his gaze back to the remains of the creature that attacked him earlier with a thoughtful look on his face. "But that inability doesn't stop them. They will eat away, tearing through almost anything for the souls they sought."
"Pitiful." Ciel uttered.
Valeria too glanced down at its remains and glanced back to Ciel who looked back up at her. "Yes indeed, and a plague to both humans and demons." A grimace appeared on Estella's features. "Their bodies have to be completely destroyed. Without a vessel, they can do nothing."
Valeria sighed and turned to face the chaos ahead, "I've wasted enough time with you, Phantomhive." She climbed onto the railing with ease, her legs bent slightly in preparation to take off again but not before cutting a side glance over to him. "If any more of them come over, remember, destroying them entirely would do."
"Hold on-"
But the demoness already disappeared from the railing, heading toward the battle up ahead.
"Hah, we won the bet!" Meyrin turned to Bard with a smug face after Valeria left. "I knew there was something going on between those two! Remember to pay Finny as well later~" She snickered, putting out her hand expectantly.
Bard groaned and fished out five pounds from his pocket. "Fine, you win!" He dropped the note in her hand grudgingly. "But what about Lady Elizabeth…?" Bard frowned solemnly.
"Yea…" Meyrin had a thoughtful face, "but I think Young Master has always loved Lady Elizabeth as simply a cousin."
"Huh?" Bard looked at her incredulously. "How can you tell?"
"I don't know. Maybe woman's intuition?" Meyrin shrugged when Bard rose an eyebrow at her, "Anyway as long as the Young Master is happy, I'm happy."
"Bard, Meyrin!" Both turned and widened their eyes in surprise to find their master riding toward them on one of the spare horses and watched him stopped beside them. "The only way to stop those monsters completely is to destroy their bodies in whatever ways you can."
"Hold on," Bard stepped forward, "I'll come with you."
Ciel gazed down at the chef disapprovingly. "No-"
"Please, young master," Bard pointed to the belt of dynamites around his waist, "allow me to blast them into pieces with these I've found."
The ground shook as Finny sailed back down and slammed a boulder down onto the three red-eyed creatures, crushing them underneath its heavy weight. Atop the boulder, Finny looked at the crushed bodies of those flesh-thirsty creatures he had spent what felt like the longest and most tiring time of his life trying to defend himself and the two surviving soldiers he had tried to protect.
"We should be safe now!" Finny grinned at the two panting soldiers and turned his gaze out to check out the situations aside from his.
He could see Sebastian fighting off the creatures with no difficulty and turning to his left, he spotted the two Charles holding up not too bad as well with mastery of their swords. There were not many survivors, he noted bitterly as he spotted six soldiers grouped together against those creatures in a distance.
"Finny!"
The said gardener spun around at the sound of Bard's voice and widened his eyes in surprise to see him riding on a horse toward him. "Bard? And the Young Master…?" He blinked in surprise at the person behind Bard.
"Finny, thank goodness you're alright!" Bard slowed the horse beside the boulder Finny stood on, his eyes briefly flickering over to the two soldiers who seemed relieved to be joined by them before.
"What's going on now, Finny?" Ciel interjected, "Where's Sebastian?"
Finny straightened attentively, "We've been attacked by these creatures that-"
"I already know that," Ciel cut in with a sigh, "Nevermind, where's Sebastian?"
Finny glanced out once more and focused his gaze on the area he had spotted the said butler. "Sebastian is right there…" His eyebrows shot up in surprise, "…together with Estella, I mean, Valeria. And they are-"
Sebastian eyed the bodies of the zombie-like creatures on the ground around him with a level look but his eyebrows were drawn together in frustration. He was growing sick of his repetitive attempts in trying to put them down permanently.
He scoffed incredulously when he saw some start to rise from the ground again. Did he really need to…?
To think that creatures as lowly as these could push him to consider resorting to transforming into his true form…What a hassle.
A soft thud on the ground behind sounded just as his eyes began to glow red.
"Valeria." Sebastian acknowledged the demoness who had landed closely behind him. "Since you're here, Victor Blair and that hybrid have been taken care of, I assume?"
"Hn, of course." Valeria tossed her hair haughtily, "That Victor Blair…He was an idiot who thought that his loyal," Her voice dripped sarcasm, "angel stood a chance against me."
Sebastian's eyebrows were raised at her tone as he wondered what the tone in her words meant, but he brushed it aside quickly. "Then hopefully from that man, you have managed to retrieve information about dealing with all these pests?" Sebastian gestured around him.
"Easy," Valeria turned away, in time to face one charging up to her. Calmly, she extended a hand up, palm facing it. "Just take away their bodies completely." The creature burst into flames.
Sebastian watched her flames eat away at it intriguingly and looked up at her in surprise when the fire let up to reveal ashes.
"Let's get this over with, shall we? I have a plan." Valeria set another alight, "Without existing fire, you can't summon fire but I can. So you gather them together and I'll finish them off with my flames."
A spark of annoyance shot through Sebastian, not liking how he had been given an order from her and how she had pointed out his inability. It was true though; fire demons were the only type of his race that could generate their own flames at will. He could only manipulate them.
Sebastian's eyes narrowed his eyes in distrust. "How do I know you won't try to pull anything funny on me?"
Valeria snorted. "Look, I just saved your food from these things just now and left him without trying to taste him, though I did tease him a little." She shrugged. "It was fun." Valeria muttered almost sheepishly before crossing her arms impatiently. "So are you in or not? Do I need to trouble myself with so much work because you refused to cooperate?" She rolled her eyes.
"Fine."
Earlier, Sebastian had returned to him momentarily with the "Double Charles" and the rest of the surviving soldiers, mentioning to him about a plan before heading back to where those creatures crowded.
Ciel was brimming with curiosity over what kind of plan Sebastian had drafted up, but he was aware, much to his surprise, that Sebastian was going to work together with the demoness.
"Give it back, Grey." Ciel turned to the shorter Charles with a look of annoyance and snatched the binoculars he had borrowed from the soldiers out of his hands. Peering through the lens, Ciel scowled when he saw Sebastian was back to where he was before. In the middle, surrounded by glowing red eyes.
Meanwhile, he could spot the familiar figure of Estella outside the crowd.
What are you going to do, Sebastian?
It was strange to him that Sebastian bothered to bring the surviving remainder of the army to a safe distance away from those creatures. He knew that the demon couldn't care less whether they lived or died. So why? What was the purpose of that? What was their plan?
Pushing his gears to work harder, Valeria's words came surfacing up to him. "They will eat away, tearing through almost anything for the souls they sought."
Ciel's eyes flickered between the distant scene and the people who had joined them as a forming thought ran through his head.
It took him a while before understanding dawned upon him.
"Tch." Claude clucked his tongue in utmost annoyance as he pierced the demon sword through another of the red-eyed creatures that surrounded him, incessantly getting in his way toward the raven demon up ahead. They chased him wherever he went, buzzing around him like irritating flies.
Even though he had struck a deal with SIGMA and allowed them to hide in his former master's home, he never took interest these things they kept in the basement. Something about them kept him away; something about them irked him constantly, like a nagging discomfort that he didn't even want to look at.
His golden eyes glinted darkly at the mindlessly crowd around him that seemed to keep coming at him.
It annoyed him that the Lævateinn, a deadly ancient sword that could put an end to demons, had no effect on these persistent creatures. For this demon sword, he had even finished off Hannah and her three followers so that he could be the permanent owner of this sword. He has been piercing through them, kicking them away for already – he looked at his pocketwatch – coming to twenty minutes.
Returning the watch back into his coat, Claude pushed his glasses up his nose and in a blur, he pierced all the creatures that gathered around him with the sword and settled back to his original spot, his eyes glazing over their bodies with a cold look.
Claude turned his gaze to where he had last seen Sebastian.
Now if only he could get over to Sebastian and finish him off once and–
Perfect.
He licked his lower lips with a sly glint in his eyes.
Just as I thought.
Earlier on with Victor, she had observed how all those growling, drooling zombie-like creatures had swarmed around his body and figured as long as there was a living being nearby, they would not go anywhere until they realize they could not attain the soul they were ravaging for.
Their plan was going accordingly.
Valeria circled around the swarm, the palm of a hand extended toward them.
Eyebrows knitted together in concentration, she willed the flames she summoned to go around the big crowd. Faster! She watched with teeth gritted in frustration. While her control over her powers using her host's body had drastically improved from before, the bigger flames she intended to summon still proved slower to form.
She could see Sebastian simply kicking those creatures away whenever they charge up to him, secretly envying how relaxed he looked.
Faster!
She glared at the line of fire surrounding the swarm. It had already covered about ninety percent but she was growing very impatient. Maybe I should get that demon to assist-
Sensing more than seeing a presence approaching them at a high speed, Valeria snapped her eyes to its location to find Claude sailing through air with the Lævateinn toward Sebastian, ready to strike the raven demon while he was strategically immobile in his spot.
If Sebastian moved, her effort trying to form the flames around the swarm would have gone to waste because they would start to scatter from the circle if he did!
A flash of irritation shot through Valeria at that. Oh no, you don't!
With a furious look on her face, Valeria sprung toward the demon while keeping her extended hand facing out toward the swarm.
"How dare you try to ruin the plan," She growled fiercely, swinging a leg back to deliver a swift kick to the spider demon, "You imbecile!"
"No, you don't get in my way." With a dangerous glint in his golden eyes, Claude, in a blur, angled the sword meant for Sebastian toward her.
Valeria saw what was going to happen, but she was too slow. Shit, not again…
With calculated patience, Sebastian watched the forming circle of fire went around them. He flickered a glance over at the redhead outside and narrowed his eyes at her frustrated expression on her face. What was taking her so long?
But just like what Valeria had deduced, these things were attracted to anything that breathes and only to the ones nearest to them. They had the area cleared out by guiding the survivors away from here, far enough for the creatures to lose interest in them. But there was one thing that puzzled him.
Why did they not crowd around the demoness as well?
It was strange.
The gears in his head continued to turn for a reason as he continued to kicking the hungry creatures that tried to get their hands on him.
"How dare you try to ruin the plan…You imbecile!"
Sebastian raised his head sharply. The scene that greeted him got him staring in shock.
The familiar cold, sharp blade of the Lævateinn plunging into her host's body elicited a soft gasp from Valeria, the leg swinging toward Claude froze mid-air.
She stared back at the smug glint in his golden eyes with shock and pain.
She could feel herself starting to weaken. The nostalgic feeling of fading beginning to take place.
No, SIGMA is still… Her eyes slid over to the swarm of growling creatures lunging themselves at Sebastian. I still have to…
No…Valeria slewed her eyes back to Claude, feeling a surge of rage shooting through her. NOT UNTIL I'M DONE!
Eyes glowing brightly in anger and teeth gritted together in fury, she urged her leg to move again and aimed it to the smirking demon's side. "FUCK OFF, spider!" She spat, pushing herself away from Claude who had to release the sword to avoid her kick.
Leaping away, Valeria yanked the sword out of her host's body with a cry of pain and turned to where Sebastian was in mid-air.
Their eyes met.
She could feel herself growing faint. On the verge of losing herself. No, not yet…
"Sebastian!" Valeria heard her voice crack in desperation and pain, "Catch this!" Drawing the Lævateinn back, Valeria threw it across to Sebastian with the strength she could barely muster.
It was as if she was watching the demon sword sail through the air in slow motion. Over the heads of those creatures. In the direction of the arm Sebastian had reached out.
Her host's heart was beating hard and fast, in harmony to her high emotions. The breath escaping her began to quicken when she saw the other demon racing over in attempt to intercept the sword.
Landing in a sloppy crouch, she found herself gripped by her emotions as she watched the whole scene play out in suspense.
The senses she was experiencing was a contradiction. She could feel her strength waning but her emotions – panic, fear, pain, rage– and the blood running through her were screaming with life.
But a wave of relief quickly swept over all other emotions when she saw that Sebastian had managed to catch the sword.
Their eyes met once again. This time, a meaningful nod before they tore their gazes away.
"…Alright," Valeria's red eyes were glazed with frailty but her gaze on the circle of fire was strong, "This is it for them." And for me, I guess. She let out a weak laugh as she watched Sebastian escape from the area with the Lævateinn in hand.
Summoning all she could, she slammed her palms together and willed the flames to ignite with the last burst of her energy. The circle of fire responded instantly to her silent command and shot up, roaring over the swarm and engulfing in its burning embrace.
Black spots dotted her vision as she turned her gaze to Sebastian who was already engaged in combat with Claude.
I'll leave it all to you…
Eyelids sliding shut, Valeria fell back onto the grassy ground and laid completely still.