Welcome back everybody to the start of chapter 9 of the story...and that's it. I don't have anything to say this time.

Anyway, let's start it!

DISCLAIMER: All the Nasuverse characters belong to Nasu and are property of Type-Moon, with the exception of the PC's that belong to me, the author.


Xenoblade Chronicles OST - Main Theme

A little girl cried alone in the middle of the forest. No surrounding sounds to make her company. She was all alone in the night, thinking back to the marvelous idea that was venturing alone in such late hours of the evening.

"Jeanne! Jeanne where are you!?" Voices came from the trees behind, getting closer and closer. They sounded distressed.

The girl instead of responding back, run torwards their sound. Eventualy, her eyes spotted two grown adults. She hugged the male one as hard as possible, relieved for not being lonely anymore and finding her family.

"Jeanne what did I told you? It's dangerous to wander here alone at night." Her father scolded, putting an hand on her back.

"I know...but sniff it's just I found some pretty flowers and-"

"Still that's no excuse! You scared us to death Jeanne!" Her mother crouched down to be at Jeanne's height. "You could have easily get lost or worse!"

Jeanne's eyes got more teary. She didn't meant to worry her parents. Seeing them distressed made her feel guilty and bad. "I-I'm sorry sniff I-I-sniff" Jeanne suddenly hugged her mother, crying deeply. "I was scared mom! I was so scared!"

Jeanne's mother gently patted her hair. "Shhh, it's alright Jeanne. You're safe now. Mom and Dad are here. You don't have to be scared anymore." She put her arms around her daughter. Jeanne's cries diminished.

"Mom's right Jeanne. No monster will harm you as long as we're here." The father smiled to Jeanne. "Just please, don't do that again, promise?"

Jeanne nodded. "Y-yes."

"You said you came here to pick some flowers right?" Her mother asked to Jeanne. "Who were they for?"

Jeanne slowly took her right hand out of her back, showing a pair of blue flowers. They were beautiful and shined brightly with the moon's light. "For you mom..." Jeanne said shyly. "You've been working so hard for all of us, always making sure our lives are as good as possible. So, even if you never asked for something in return, I thought that you deserved a gift."

Jeanne's mother was admired by the flowers natural radiance. "Oh Jeanne they're so pretty! But you didn't need to." She grabbed the flowers from Jeanne's hand. "Having you, your siblings and dad is already enough of a gift to me." She kissed her daughter in the forhead. "Eitherway, thanks Jeanne."

The little girl got visibly happier, her tears dissapearing fully. "I'm glad you liked it mom."

"Those are some really nice flowers. They'll look amazing in the vase of our bedroom." Jeanne's father told her.

"Hm, really?" Jeanne asked a bit enthusiastic, resulting in a laugh of her father.

"Of course dear. It's the most beautiful flowers that I've ever seen, whorty of being put next to your mother. But now, how about we return back home?" He told to Jeanne who in return grabbed both of her parents hand.

"Sure!" She smiled happily. Such a bright and pure one. It was a trademark of hers and everyone in the village knew of it. It could better anyone's day by just seeing it. Jeanne's reputation according to her hometown was that of a saintly and holy girl. A personal offerend of God to them. Helping everyone, going to church and playing with other kids. Jeanne D'arc life was that of a simple and joyful girl, with a bright and promising future ahead. And so, she and her parents walked torwards their house, leaving the forest behind with smiles on their faces, hoping that their small and normal lives would always stay the same.


"And that's the story. I'll never forget that night." Jeanne stared at the bright starry night, the full moon shining above her. "Ironically, I guess the sky was identical to this one too." The now fully fledged saint spoked to Marie. "Funny that even in a bright night I still feared the dark. Guess it's an almost common fear among majority of the kids."

"That was a wonderful memory Jeanne! Did the flowers ended up being put on the vase?" Marie asked with intrigue.

Jeanne laughed slightly. "Hehehe of course. It was put above the bedside table."

"Oh magnifique! Your house must be very nice! I hope to visit it some day." Marie didn't knew that there was a problem with that however. Jeanne smile dissapeard once she remembered of her house's fate.

"It was a nice one..." She said with clear sorrow in her voice.

"Hm! I'm sorry Jeanne, I didn't knew it!" Marie tried to apologize awkwardly. She should have suspected that the saint's house was long gone after the birth of the Dragon Witch.

"No problem Marie. You didn't had a way to know it." Jeanne got up from the trunk the two were sitting. "My life as a soldier got me used to lose a lot of things."

"But in the end you still went forward despite the odds. Many would've succumbed if they were in the same situation." Marie also got up from the trunk and walked to her friend. "You're an inspiration for many of us."

Jeanne didn't looked back at Marie, instead reflecting about her dark counterpart and the voice she has been hearing lately. "Perhaps...I've already succumbed." She murmured.

"Did you said something?" Marie asked, not being able to understand what Jeanne had just said.

"Hum, it was nothing Marie. Just thinking about what comes next with our battle against the Dragon Witch." Jeanne lied. She probably told more lies on this day than her entire life before. She had the urge to keep the voice and self doubt all to herself.

"It will be hard, that's for sure. But I think we have a chance of winning, even if small." Marie gazed at the rest of the group that was sitting around the bonfire. Marie trusted them to be capable. All casualy talking and interacting with each other.

"...and the entire theater stood up to give a thunderous applause." Mozart told one of his life stories to the group. "My greatest performance in my opinion."

"People really gathered up to see someone play a piano? Royalty and stuff?" Peko was impressed. He never tought that people with very important jobs and duty would dedicate hours of their lifes to see someone play an instrument.

"Of course little man. After all, a world without music would be boring don't you think?" Mozart grabbed one of his violin, showing it to the boy. "It's said that the music is an instrumental manifestation of the soul. The notes and even lyrics transmits so many emotions and feelings someone might have while listening. The concept and existence has been inlaid for almost as long as humanity's existence. A sound that everyone can appreciate, being low commoners or gods."

"That's quite the true words you're speaking Mozart." Mash told while holding Fou in her lap. "A world without music is something I can't even be able to imagine it."

"Can you also play modern instruments?" Ritsuka asked with curiousity to the muscician.

"I admit I never got the chance to play it before, but would gladely accept it. I've heard they sound totally different from the ones of my time." Mozar put a finger under his chin, imagining how a modern and eletric piano sounded.

"Sweet! I might add you aa my first band member!" Ritsuka smiled all cheerfully.

"Huh?! What? Senpai, you never told us you were part of a band before." Mash couldn't ever imagine that her master had some musical background before joining Chaldea.

"Oh, no no, I never was in a band. It was more of a solo thing." Ritsuka's cheek got red from embarassment. "And it was mainly on my room...only me and my guitar...no album released."

"Well at least I know what will be the first thing I'll do when returning to Chaldea after this." Peko said with a smile. "But how did you started to play guitar?"

Ritsuka stood silent for a bit. "It just happened you know? I already had the guitar at home that was-"

"Do you also need a singer?" Elizabeth was with a huge smile on her face. Being a member of a band wouldn't be a bad way to start her career.

Ritsuka tried to refuse without hurting her feelings. "Sorry but hum, I was also the one singing the songs. One vocalist is good enough thank you."

Elizabeth let out a frustrated sound. "Understood." Her eyes then proceeded to look ambutious. "I'll still become a pop idol thou! Just you wait!"

Mash patted Fou for a bit. "I too would like to hear one of your songs Senpai. I'm sure you put a lot of hard work and passion in them.

Kiyohime got closer to Ritsuka. "I would love too hear them too Anchin-sama." She blushed.

"R-really? I mean they aren't that amazing or extraordinary." Ritsuka wasn't expecting for everyone to be interested in his musical skills. And it had past quite some time since he last played the guitar.

"Please Mr. Fujimaru. Your music may not be at the same level as mine but it's probably not bad either." Mozart encouraged the teen.

"W-well for start, I don't have my guitar here to play any song now." Ritsuka told them, wich was indeed true.

"No problem young man. Here, take one of my violins and play it." Mozart offered Ritsuka his instrument.

"But I never played a violin before..." Ritsuka looked at the wooden object in his hands. Whoever made this was a great carpenter. It was polished and well cleaned.

"Then I'll teach you." Mozart volunteered to help the youngster.

"It will sound awful..." Ritsuka frowned.

"I don't mind Anchin-sama..." Kiyohime hugged his left arm.

"C'mon Senpai, nobody masters it at the first time. It takes a lot of training." Mash touched his shoulder. "No one will mock you for not delivering great at the first time."

Ritsuka smirked a bit. "Well,if you say so." As Ritsuka was about to give it a try, Jeanne and Marie approached the group, interesting in hearing Ritsuka's performance too.

"Oh mon dieu! Mr. Fujimaru knows how to play violin?! We definatly have to see it!" Marie took a sit next to Mozart. Jeanne seated next to her. The growth of the small public made Ritsuka a bit more nervous.

"Calm Ritsuka. Just empty your mind and relax your body." Jeanne adviced him. An advice she wish she could apply to herself.

"Hm, thank you all." Ritsuka put the violin over his shoulder and next to his neck. The last master of humanity then with the other hand grabbed the stick and pressed bow's hair against the strings. He was visibly nervous.

"Hey, no sweat." Peko speaked to Ritsuka, giving a smile that transmited the message of being fine with however the performance would go.

Ritsuka took a deep breath. "Alright then. Let's do-" His mouth went wide open and an audible yawn got out from his vocal cords. It was really getting late in the night. "I admit that I feel a little bit tired today."

"Oh please Ritsuka! I wanted to-" As Peko was protesting, the boy couldn't help but let out a yawn too. "Wow. It's true about them bein contagious." He commented.

"Well it's already too late and you two aren't servants, so I think it's best for both of you to rest for now." Mash told them, sparing Ritsuka from playing the violin,for the dissapointment of the rest.

"Phew! Saved by the yawn." Ritsuka thanked the yawn's timing.

"Awww, I was really looking forward to it." Kiyohime whined.

"I was too, but we have to respect Mr. Fujimaru's sleep. It's important that he rests now." Mozart told to the Berserker, grabbing his violin back from Ritsuka.

"Your right. Go sleep Ritsuka. You too Peko." Jeanne demanded to the two. "We'll be on vigilance so you may sleep peacefuly."

"N-no I don't feel sleepy now! I'm still with full energy to spend." Peko didn't feel like going to sleep. "L-let me help you watch over the area."

Mash looked at him. "Today has passed and you need to rest. And by resting today you will surely be able to help us tomorrow Peko." Mash smiled.

Peko stood silent for a bit. "Ok. If that means to better our chances of defeating the Dragon Witch and saving Nala then I'll rest." He stretched his arms. "I'll make sure to be helpful." Fou went next to him, rubbing his body against the boy's legs.

"Fou,fou." The animal made it's noise again.

"Do you also want to sleep Fou?" Peko grabbed the animal.

"Fou." Fou simply answered.

"I don't know what he just said but I would go with a 'yes' perhaps." Ritsuka patted the creature's fur.

"I'd say it's more that he's trying to make sure neither of you exit the tent." Mash giggled.

Ritsuka and Peko stared briefly at each other. "W-we never did that. Why do you think we would do it Mash?" Ritsuka said gazing accusatorily at Mash.

Peko supported Ritsuka "Y-yeah Mash. I'm sorry to say but that's simply a dumb take to make." Peko tried to sound like he was giving disdain to the shielder. Both of them couldn't let Mash know of the conversation they had on yesterday's night. It was only a thing kept beetween the two boys.

"Hum,okay?" Mash didn't understand the two sudden change of behaviour, but just decided to brushed it to the side. "Either way, good night to you, Peko, Senpai."

"Good night Mash." Ritsuka turned around to the rest of the servant group. "And to all of you as well. If something bad happens wake us up." With that said, Ritsuka alongside Peko and Fou started to walk torwards the nearby tent.

"Can I sing a lullaby for you?" Elizabeth asked with a shine in her eyes.

"NO!" Ritsuka and Peko shouted in terror.


"Hm! That soup was good! Thank you for it." Nala appreciated the meal offered by Martha. "Did you make it?" She asked. If the soup was made by Martha then she was a very good cook.

"No need to thank me girl." Martha cleaned Nala's lips with a napkin. "Also as for the soup I...borrowed from someone."

"Oh ok. You can tell that person that the soup was fantastic. I appreciate it." For someone like Nala who hadn't eat yesterday, that soup was a gift to her stomach.

"If I find them again I'll make sure to tell them." Martha stood up. "Anyways, I have to go here. My duty here is done. How are your wounds?" She asked to the girl.

"Feeling better, thank you. You're a nice person, unlike the other ones I've seen here so far." Nala thought back at Jeanne Alter, her creepy friend and that woman she met when she woke up for the first time here. Jeanne Alter was evil but not that scary. It was the other two that gave her the chills down her spine.

"Thanks sweetie. You're a good girl." As Martha was about to exit the cell, she stoped, remembering about something that she forgot to ask. "Also,sorry for the question but, I heard you talking when arriving here. Where you talking to someone?" The woman asked seriously.

Nala felt her body go cold. "Crap! Did she heard the talk beetween me and Dr.Romani?! N-no it can't be. She probably only heard some voices but not well enough to understand what was about. Also she only said she heard me talking. No one else. Damnit, I have to think of something!" Nala tried to hide her face as best as she could, pretending to be embarassed.

"So? Where you talking or not?" Martha asked and altough gently, some deadly seriousness could also be spoted in her question.

"Hum...well...I..I..." Nala tried to not make contact with Martha. "I-I was talking alone!" Nala almost shouted. "Yep! I was talking all alone. I do a lot of that when alone you know?" The girl smiled sheepishly. "Sometimes I even talk with some friends of mine. Y-you would probably like to know them." "Damnit what am I saying?! She now will think I'm a looney. B-but if it means she doesn't discover about the conversation I had with Dr. Romani then I have to continue pretending it!"

Martha looked with a seriousness at Nala, and without saying a thing, she walked torwards her. "D-did she knew I was lying?" Nala was a bit afraid what Martha could do to her. She also looked like the rough type of woman.

Martha instead put her hand on the girl's head, confusing Nala. "I know this place is boring and bad, but way better than being dead. Just stay strong." Martha smiled motherly to Nala. "Poor girl. The isolation must have been taking it's tool on her. I hope she doesn't stay here for much longer."

"Eh? W-well, I'll try to." Nala couldn't believe she had managed to trick the woman.

"Good. See you later. Take care little girl." Martha waved goodbye at her and exited the room.

Nala sighed in relief and leaned her back against the wall. "That was close. She's a good person however." Nala wouldn't bother if she would be the only person to check her from now on. "Shame that she works for that witch thou..."


"Was that all Gilles?" Jeanne Alter asked her friend as she pierced her sword on the dying soldier's chest.

"Unfortunately some were able to escape Jeanne. They're too out of each to chase them either." The pale man told to his friend. Altough the caster was rather clean, with no drop of blood in his body, in contrast to Jeanne who was painted red with the blood of her enemies, his tentacles on the back were devouring the soldier's corpses alongside the wyverns.

It took some time to defeat the invaders but they've done it almost effortlessly. Jeanne Alter wasn't expecting that they would give her and her servants much fight however. As some corpses were being devored, others were being sucked dry.

"Hmmmm so good." The Assassin-Berserker was pleased as she had just biten a dead soldier in his neck. "Not on the level of a young maiden's blood but it' still good." She licked her lips, cleaning the blood of her mouth.

"I hate to do this but my urges now force me to do it. And I hate it even more to be enjoying this. Such act that affiliates me with a thing that was used to smear my name is truly tragic and horrible." A tall man with long blond hair that ended in a light blue color, grabbed the bleeding hand of another dead soldier and poured it into a wine glass. His appearence would be of a well kept and refined lord if he wasn't dirty with blood. His eyes and goatee were equally blond as the majority of his hair. He was known as the Berserker-Lancer of the servants summoned by the Dragon Witch.

"Oh please. Don't come with those excuses." The woman near him licked her fingers. "Just admit it 'uncle'. You enjoy being one." She giggled at the man.

"Hmm. Perhaps I do..." The man took a sip of the blood in his wine glass. "However I make sure to keep those desires in check." The man smiled as he looked at the blood in his cup. "Truly, my whole existence may be cursed."

"Hey! Vampire pair!" Jeanne Alter shouted at the two as she approached them. "Forgot to ask you this, but what about that servant I ordered you to deal with yesterday hm?" She corssed her arms, waiting for an answer.

The two servants knelt before her. "That servant is as good as dead Master." Said the man.

"We made sure of that." The woman replied.

Jeanne Alter simply smirked. "Good. That's one loose end." Jeanne Alter's hands started to burn up and the blood on them quickly crumbled.

"Master." The man with short white hair who had previously noticed her about the attack, walked torwards her. "The attackers left a message for you in one of the walls."

Gilles eyes narrowed. "Hmmm. We should see what it is Jeanne." The two followed the man to q wall nearby. In it was a message wrriten in blood, probably by one of the soldiers. It was written《Mort à la Socière Dragon》.

"M..Mor...Mort...à..." Jeanne Alter was trying to read the message. "..à...l..la.." She slowly pronounced the words.

"Mort à la Socière Dragon. It means they want you dead master." The white haired man told her, not being able to endure the slowness in Jeanne Alter's reading.

Jeanne Alter went a bit red of embarassment for looking dumb in front of her servants. "I already knew it dumbass! It's just whoever was the idiot that wrote this had a bad calligraphy! But I think if someones bleeding to death, they wont give a crap on how it's written as long as the people get the message."

"I'm sorry for interrupting you so abruptly then, master." The man bowed to her, apologizing.

"Hphm! Very well. I'll overlook that. Consider yourself lucky." Jeanne Alter made a movement with her hand, ordering the servant to leave her and Gilles. And so he did. The man stoped in his tracks however.

"Before anything else, do you have any job for me to do, master?" He asked to the Dragon Witch.

"Hmmm. Go check that archer woman. See if she is prepared to finally obey me." Jeanne commanded. The white haired man simply nodded and finay left Jeanne Alter and Gilles.

"Grgh! That damn saint!" Jeanne Alter's face was noticeable of anger and frustration. "Did she never had time to learn how to read or write or shit like that?"

"Please calm down Jeanne." Gilles put an hand on her shoulder. "What you lack in that area you make it up for it with your wild nature and cruel combat. That inferior version of you could never be able to replicate those things." Gilles voice was getting higher. "The fact that you were capable of pronouncing a few words show's already that your intellect is already leagues above her!" The vile man almost shouted with all the emotion coming out of his voice.

"Thanks Gilles. I'm happy you've choosen the side of the REAL Jeanne D'arc. Unlike some other..." Jeanne Alter gave almost a friendly smile to Gilles. Perhaps the most friendliest thing she was able to show. And it had to be for her best friend.

"Also, did that awful and troublesome girl got her punishment?" Gilles asked, almost intrigued.

"Yeah. I beat her hard enough to make sure she learned who's the boss around here. Had to call Rider too to heal her. But apart from some bleeding she'll be fine. I don't want her to die just yet hehe." Jeanne smiled evily at her friend.

"Oh?! You made the girl bleed?" The assassin woman upon hearing the mention of Nala went close to hear the conversation. "You could have brought some of the young maiden's blood,master. That is the best one for me." The assassin woman smirked sadistically.

"How many times do I have to tell you Assassin?" Jeanne Alter looked annoyed at the other woman. "You won't lay a finger on her as long as she's of value and potential to my plans." She said coldly.

"True. I'm sorry for my brief lack of restraint again master." The woman apologized, trying to sound regrettful of her previous words.

"Always with lack of restraint, eh? Looks like I do that part better than you if I may say so." The blond man near her smiled a bit proudly as he took another sip of his glass.

The woman in return gave him a mean stare wich he simply choosed to ignore it. "Anyway, I hope the girl can turn into a valuable piece among our group master."

"Same Lancer." Jeanne Alter replied.

"However, that saint version of you plus those newcomers and servants won't be easy to crush. They gave us an hard fight back there." The blond man brought back the trade, one of Jeanne Alter's plans, that had gone wrong. "They are surely a stone in your shoe master."

"I wouldn't consider them all that Lancer." Jeanne Alter let out a small laugh. "I'd say they are more a conjunct of mere pebbles. And I...have the right person to deal with those problems." Jeanne Alter smiled sinisterly.

Gilles and the two servants got curious. "And who that might be Jeanne?" He asked.


Martha waked through the halls of the castle. She had just finished discarding the dish away in some trashed location of the place. The castle was already in shambles so an empty dish of soup in the middle of the ruins wouldn't spark anyone's attention.

Walking some more, the purple haired woman spotted Jeanne Alter right in front of her. She was probably looking for her. "You've come to seek me master?" She asked politely.

"Yep." Jeanne Alter approached her. "How's the brat?"

"I've just healed her so she'll get a speedy recovery without any lasting damages." Martha informed the Dragon Witch. "However, I'm sorry to inform you but I believe she's not getting well...mentally."

Jeanne Alter's eyebrow rised out of intrest. "What do you mean by that? Explain me Rider." Jeanne Alter crossed her arms, curious to hear what her servant had to say.

"Well, when I was reaching to her cell, I heard her voice talking. I couldn't sense any other voice or presence in the room. Just her, wich she herself admited later to be talking alone and liking it. So...I'd say the isolation is slowly getting to her." Martha couldn't help but to sound sad.

Jeanne Alter was smilling of pure satisfaction. "Good. That's great even! I knew sooner or later some cracks would start to appear. I'll take advantage of those small openings to expand the wound." She let out a cruel laugh. Martha didn't show happiness or disgust. She just didn't react at all at her master's laugh.

"I'm definetly paying a visit to that brat tomorrow. Can't wait to see the state she will be in. But that aside..." Jeanne Alter composed herself after the laughter and stared dead serious at Martha. "I have a job for you to do."


A new dawn aroused in the french lands. Fortunately for our heroes, the night was calm and peaceful. The servants could feel a bit relaxed even when in surveillance. But right in the morning, the servants were busy making food for Ritsuka and Peko who still had to wake up.

"No! It's not that you idiot!" Kiyohime and Elizabeth were arguing again. "Can't you see Anchin-sama doesn't like strawberries?"

"And how you know it? You didn't even asked him about that!"

"I know because love tells you everything!"

"What a lot of crap! What about Peko?"

"Meh. I don't care. You can put the strawberries in his plate if you want to."

"Girls please, can you two not spend a single day without fighting?" Marie sighed at the look of the squabble beetween them.

"I know even you and me would have some disagreements about mundane things, but god forbid it to be this annoying." Mozart said to the french queen.

"Yeah. Remember that time we argued over what was the most beautiful flower?" Marie asked happily to Mozart.

"Hahaha. Of course I remember. We were both kids at the time. And you know what I said at the end of the argument?"

"Yes! How could I ever forget that line?" Marie giggled.

Meanwhile Jeanne and Mash were checking any trees that could have some possible fruits. "There's one!" Mash grabbed an apple and put it on a basket near her.

"Keep up the good work Mash!" Jeanne herself was also trying to spot some apples. She wandered a bit. "There it is." Jeanne saw a tree with quite an amount of apples. "Guess this was a jackpot."

Jeanne stretched an arm to grab the lowest apple of the tree. "Done." Jeanne managed to separate the fruit from the tree and put it in the basket. But there was something strange in doing it. The branches of the tree made no noise when Jeanne pull the aple out of it.

Initialy she paid no mind, but then, it got a lot more scary and sinister when she realized something.

The whole forest wasn't making a sound. Dead silent.

No sound of animals, winds, trees. Nothing. It's as if Jeanne had become deaf. Not even her own steps she could hear. She also couldn't see Mash anymore. "W-what's happening?"

Getting nervous at the situation, Jeanne frozed when her eyes spotted what they assumed to be a distorted silhouette passing by almost without notice in the line of trees nearby. Jeanne turned her head to the left and saw the figure.

It just stood there, peeking behind a tree. All shadowed. It's form resembling that of a human. It watched Jeanne as if expecting the saint to notice it. Without hesitation, she took out her sword. She didn't feel like making questions, having a feeling that the shadow also wouldn't answer them. She just took some small steps, poiting the sword at the figure, hoping it would go away.

Unfortunately, it seemed Jeanne's watcher wouldn't retreat. Jeanne took some more steps. The figure still wouldn't move. As the saint would get closer, a sense of dread and doom would imerge. "W-what's this...thing?"

Reaching to the conclusion that the shadow creature wouldn't get threatned by her sword, Jeanne decided to take another action. Attack.

"Aaaaaah!" Filling herself up with courage, Jeanne charged against the shadow and jumped torwards it, with the intention of slicing it.

"Welcome. To the Void."

Mysteriis De Sanguine by Metatron Omega

"Hurgh!?" In a mere fraction of small time, the shadow wasn't anymore in front of Jeanne. Instead, the saint was now in a empty place where the only thing to be seen was literal darkness.

"W-where am I?" Jeanne tried to keep herself calm.

"I'm delighted that you have arrived. My honoured and blissful guest."

Jeanne gasped. "This voice is-" Jeanne immediatly turned her body around, about to drawn out her sword again. Only to be stopped by a finger.

A finger so dark that it was almost as if it was covered by black paint. It also had a bit of a meager aspect. Jeanne's body came to a halt. She couldn't move a single muscle even if she tried her best to. The finger touching smoothly and lightly on Jeanne's chest.

"Thou can rest for now O' saint. I do not pose as a threat to you. A strife is needless at this moment."

Altough calm and reserved, the voice also sounded menacing and distorted, echoing in this dark place. It sended chills down Jeanne's spine. A drop of sweat falling from her chin. "This voice... It's the same voice I've been hearing lately!"

"Ah!" Jeanne's body moved again, no longer feeling restricted. The finger that was touching her also disappeard. "What was that? Where am I?" Jeanne's breath was unsure and shaky. She was in the middle of nowhere. In the presence of nothingness.

A small light shined behind her back. Looking to see what was the source of it, Jeanne saw that it came from a small ball of light. It's brightness was comparable of that of a lamp However, the ball looked a bit dirty. Minor stains of darkness could be spoted a bit all over the ball of light.

"The soul is really an interesting concept. Is it not?"

A shadowy and lean hand hovered under the ball of light, it's shine capable to expose the hand grotesque and almost skeletal physic. The arm could not be seen thanks to an equally dark and bit torn out cloth. It was being weared by a figure, who apart from the hand, was all covered in the cloth. The mysterious figure seemed to be sitting on what appeard to be a church bench that was also able to be seen by the light of the bright ball.

The figure who was with the attention focused torwards the light ball, shifted it to Jeanne.

"Come. Sit." The figure said. No harmful intent behind those words. Jeanne could sense however, that they carried a lot of weight and authority. Not saying anything, Jeanne took a deep breath and seated on the bench, but a bit afar from the clothed figure.

"What do you want from me?" Jeanne asked, not facing the figure at her side. The energy around it felt too obscure and omnisious.

"A form of salvation. From yourself."

Jeanne got confused. "What do you mean by that. Sorry but, who even are you?" She gathered courage enough to look at the figure. In return, the figure slowly turned it's head to stare at Jeanne. It's face totally dark, like if Jeanne was staring at an abyss. No facial featured could be seen of the figure. Only a dark shadow. It stared creepily and silently at the saint for a few seconds.

"I was...called many things during my lifetime. That question is of no importance." It's head turning back to the ball of light in front of it.

Knowing that it would be no use insisting in that question, Jeanne made another one. "What is that ball that you're looking at if I may be allowed to ask." Jeanne wanted to know why the figure was so mesmerized by it.

"A soul. Thy soul to be exact." The figure answered, still looking at the ball of light that was now revealed to be Jeanne's soul.

"Hm?! R-really? That's my soul?" Jeanne got shocked by the reveal. Since when did her soul left her body? Jeanne knew that magic was a thing in her reality, but never expected that it would come a day were she would see the literal physical appearence of a soul.

"Indeed. Every living being as one. It's a nature of life. However, it's concept can be more complex in rational beings." The figure moved it's hands, Jeanne's soul following it. It stopped right next to Jeanne. "Give it a closer look O' saint." The figure proposed gently.

Jeanne accepted, nodding her head reluctantly. She grabbed it and give it a more analyzed stare.

"What do you see?" The figure asked.

"I see...hatred, anger and other things." Jeanne connected the dots but didn't want to admit it. This was her soul after all, and seeing it in such state could only mean one thing. "This darkness, it represents the negative emotions, right?"

The figure nodded. "Yes. And you can probably guess what it means."

"I'm...my soul is filled with hatred and anger. Is that the true?" Jeanne asked sorrowfuly, realizing that even she was subject to such feelings.

"That is true. Cruel I know. But a soul is essentialy that. An imperfect balance beetween what's right and wrong. The benevolence and maliciousness of a person." The figure spoked. "But yours is becoming irregular."

"Irregular?" Jeanne was confused.

"When a soul starts to get too much grimy with evil or darkness, you may choose what to call it to your liking, it means a person is having dark intentions based on the negative emotions that goes against the moral rules all the rational beings live by. Their light and notion of good get's slowly erased, only leaving a soul pure of evil thoughts and actions."

"So that means I'm becoming a vile person?" Jeanne asked a bit scared. She always treated others with respect and benevolence so she could never imagine this possibility. However, she remembered the clash she had with her counterpart. How that sparked some rage and hatred in Jeanne, who was focused at the time in killing her Alter. "Is that how my soul got stained?"

The figure looked at Jeanne for a brief moment, only to stare back at the empty darkness ahead. "Your other half. The Dragon Witch. She was born from your denial of those emotions. Now she's a copy who only knows death and destruction, uncapable of good."

"So she really is me..." Jeanne put an hand in her chest. "A version of something I feared to become."

The figure silently heared Jeanne's words and started back to talking. "Indeed she is. An amalgamation of the things you refused to accept, specially in the last seconds of life. Hate,anger,revenge,vitriol. The Dragon Witch is all those things. She's a small but powerfull piece of darkness that managed to manifest apart from your soul. And it's own existence sets your soul and mind into conflict."

The figure got up from the bench. "However, there's a chance to end it. If you kill her, all the doubts and hatred that have surrounded you will dissapear." The figure closed put it's hand in front of it's view and closed it into a fist. "Then my dear saint, you'll finally obtain peace of mind again and your soul will go back to normal."

"So if I kill my counterpart, all of this bad feelings will disappear?" Jeanne wanted to known, slightly leaning her body forward with the lower part still seating in the bench.

The figure gave the answer, not facing Jeanne. "No. Those feelings might deminuish, but will never truly dissapear." The figure said it dead serious.

"Hm! But why?" Jeanne demanded.

The figure simply looked over the shoulder at Jeanne and said. "Because, a soul is never pure."

"What do you mean by that?" Jeanne was trying to understand the figure. "Who is this person. Does it want to help me or not? This power and aura,could it be...!"

Jeanne quickly stood up from the church bench and pointed her sword to the figure's back. "Tell me. You possibly couldn't be a-"

Jeanne's whole body felt entire chills. The place altough dark and empty, seemed to be getting more dangerous and macabre. As if many eyes were gazing at her. The aura was becoming more tense.

"Oh, just a last thing that I was about to forget." The clothed figure still didn't bothered to turn around and look at Jeanne, still facing away from her."When in your journey to kill the Dragon Witch..." The figure turned it's head to look at Jeanne and at that moment, the saint was able to see a dark and vile smile forming in it's face. A smile that could send literal fear on most warriors. "...be sure to not let the darkness and evilness consume your entire soul. Or else, the consequences will be tragic."

Jeanne took some steps back, the aura around her getting menacing, as if something was about to come out of this vast empty dark space to attack her. "Grgh! What even are y-"

"Jeanne!"

A recognizable voice echoed in the void. A voice that Jeanne was familiar with by now. "Marie..."

The figure just stood quiet, looking at the opposite direction of the saint. "Her again..." The voice was of someone who looked bothered.

"Marie I'm here!" Jeanne stretched her arm out, shouting for her friend. The queen's appearence started to materialize in the distance. She was running torwards Jeanne. "Come quick Marie! I-" In the blink of an eye, Jeanne's vision wasn't more of the dark and empty place she was in. Her eyes now saw a forest. The same forest she was not so long ago.

"Heh? I'm back here?" Jeanne looked around to see she was back to the forest when she was catching trees with Mash. It's surrounding noises came back as well "How much time I was in that place?"

Marie reached her and hugged the saint with all the strenght that she could. Mash followed her behind. "Thank god we found you Jeanne. Mash had lost you from hed sight and couldn't find you, so we searched for you like crazy!" Marie told her, talking almost at a frenetic pace.

"Where have you been Jeanne-san? You just dissapeard without saying anything." Mash had just been collecting apples wit Jeanne, so to see her dissapear out of nowhere must have been alarming to the shielder.

"Sorry for worrying you again. I was-"

"Wait Jeanne! I heard some movement near us." Mash cut Jeanne short and went into battle mode already. They were in an open area of the forest so the enemy could arrive anywhere.

A few feet from their right, a purple haired woman came out of the trees. "For a demi servant you have some good hearing. Not bad at all." She smiled cheerfuly. "Unfortunately, I have to crush you here and now."

To be continued...


And that's the end of chapter 9. F*cking hell the next one will be the 10th! Never expected to have the will enough to carry it out this long. I know it isn't THAT long but many fanfictions get abandoned before even reaching to 10 chapter soooooo, I feel proud for writing the story until now.

Once again a lenghty chapter. Idk if I prefer writing these ones or the short ones. Also Vlad here controls a bit better his vampire impulses and drinks blood in a wine glass because...that's something I genuinely would imagine him do it lol. I mean, Uncle Vlad has that Lord (Morbius) Dracula DRIP you know?

And probably the most important part of this chapter was of course, Ritsuka's revelation of his rookie start in the musical career. Hope he can create some bangers- yeah I know it's the conversation beetween Jeanne and the figure. Don't know what to call it for now. Like, Mysterious Figure, Figure, Cloth Figure, Shadow Figure, did I already said Figure? Anyways, as you saw it and read it, here in my version Jeanne Alter is indeed Jeanne's dark counterpart. It might go against the premise of the original Jeanne being all this pure and holly girl that literally is capable of no bad, BUT I always tought the idea of Jeanne Alter being the dark emotions that the original Jeanne always tried to ignore it is way interesting than just "Gilles ideal Waifu UwU'.

If you like it cool, if you don't that fine too. In the end it's just a fanfiction.

So that was all I wanted to say and see you next time on chapter 10! Peace!

Random Note: My brother read the lines of Jeanne's conversation with the figure in the most over dramatic voices I could ever imagine. Literally couldn't stop laughing and at to took sometime to get back to write the thing seriously lol. Also I'm in doubt if I should buy The Last of Us remake. It looks cool but the price is just /