#Serpent Witch {Medusa}

[violetmoondaughter]

At the origin of the Myth of Medusa there is probably the ancient apotropaic symbol of the gorgoneion, the head of the gorgon.

Gorgoneion is a grinning mask with glaring eyes and protruding beast-like tusks and pendent tongue used in antiquity to banish evil spirits from temples. The origin of the symbol is probably a cultus object, a ritual mask used as the vehicle of the divine power. The big wide-open eyes were used in the past to recall the idea of the divine eye always watching. Gorgoneion was in fact seen as an underworld bogey. The figure is depicted in the typical fashion of the Mistress of Wild Things, the dark side of the Great Mother. She is the snake goddess, the snakes in her hair represent the chthonian symbol of rebirth and sexuality while the wings symbolize the divine power and transformation. These powerful symbols were used since antiquity to depict the ancestral divine feminine control over life and death. The apotropaic power of the gorgoneion comes from the representation of the divine energy always watching and scaring away with its monstrous figure.

The rise of patriarchal society and the subsequential change from a divine feminine power to a divine male power brings the necessity of demonizing the ancestral powers and iconographies. The figure of the gorgon endures a change from the goddess of snakes to a monstrous creature defeated by the male hero Perseus. The myth of medusa tells us the story of a woman punished for her beauty, for her feminine power, and transformed into a monstrous creature by a goddess. The gorgon’s name in the myth is Medusa, which in ancient Greek means Protectress or Guardian and she is transformed in a winged creature with serpents’ hair and the power of petrify people with her gaze. For patriarchal society this supernatural creature must be defeated and subjugated to male power, and for this reason in the myth Perseus, after killing her, will use her head as a powerful defensive weapon on his own shield.

With the myth of Medusa, the highest divinity of ancient religion became a harmful bogey to be slayed to represent the female oppression. Patriarchal society used the female figure of Athena to legitimize female oppression and retells the apotropaic gorgoneion symbol as a male hero trophy only indirectly connected with the female power of a goddess.

#witchcraft #witchblr #italianwitch #strega #paganism #witches of tumblr #pagan witch #gorgoneion #medusa #medusa gorgon #ancient symbols #symbols #sacred symbols #great goddess #occultism #esoteric #ancient religions #snake goddess #gorgon #serpent

[personalitynexus]

"By popular demand..."

"Here I am."

#Serpent Witch {Medusa}

[nuagederose]

🧙🏼‍♀️ witchtober 2023 // day three: medusa 🧙🏼‍♀️

to say i relate to her is an understatement 🐍

#Spotify #witchtober #witchtober 2023 #witches #witchcraft #witchblr #witchy vibes #day 3 #digital art #digital drawing #medusa #gorgon #mythology #ancient greece #serpent #black girl magic #artists on tumblr #badgalnirvhannahart

[pikachoc2]

(OCs The Owl House)

Yanaelle and Messgan sketches !

#the owl house #oc #toh oc #the owl house oc #original character #drawing #dessin #tradionalart #art #sketch #witch #snakes #serpent #medusa

[mewsingsbynataliek]

NSR Halloween DLC ideas, just in time for Spooky Night!

The soundtrack for the Halloween DLC would feature instruments associated with the holiday being incorporated into the songs, such as pipe organ and theremin.

The Bosses

DJ Subatomic Supernova

DJSS is a scarecrow, wearing a straw hat, flannel shirt, and denim overalls (cut-off, of course!).

For the battlefield, the background of the Planetarium is a deep orange. The planets he uses to attack are replaced with pumpkins, and the asteroids are replaced by a swarm of crows.

Sayu

Sayu is a cute ghost girl. (I felt it would be fitting since she’s a floaty character.) She's slightly translucent and sports a ghostly wisp-like tail rather than her regular mermaid tail. Her colour palette features off-whites and faded pastels, making her look more etherial.

Sayu wears a tattered white Victorian/Lolita-style dress, lacy cuffs around her wrists and a little bow on her head.

For Phase 2, her dress becomes poofier and more elaborate as small ribbons resembling tentacles appear around her waist. Her trident is completely white.

Phase 3 has her go full-on ghost bride. Her dress has a huge multi-tiered skirt, her hair is adorned with a long veil, and her tentacle ribbons have grown to full length. Her deep-sea mode has her face turn glowing green with solid black eyes, making her resemble a spookfish, while her “tentacles” feature flickering lights similar to a bioluminescent jellyfish.

Her final form is basically your stereotypical bedsheet ghost shape with her legs sticking out the bottom.

Sayu’s team are dressed in dark wizard-like robes, and each of them are wearing masks like the ones worn by Lock, Shock, and Barrel from The Nightmare Before Christmas. 

For the battlefield, the “landscape” is dotted with jack-o-lanterns, tombstones, and dead trees. The background is changed to a seafoam green color, with wispy little ghosts flying about.

Yinu and Mother 

Yinu is dressed as a cute little witch. Her hair is in pigtails similar to her Christmas skin, and her witch hat is adorned with fall leaves and little jack-o-lanterns.

Mother, meanwhile, is a spooky Halloween tree with spiders. Her dress is a dark wood colour with translucent, ragged-edged sleeves, and she wears a thorny hairband and spiderweb earrings.

The ends of her “hair” have been dyed the same colour as her dress, and she wears both black lipstick and black nail polish.

When she grows bigger, her branches begin to sprout large thorns, which end up making her cage form look more like a spiderweb. (There are even little fake spiders sitting on top of it!)

For the battlefield, the stage is decorated to evoke a bountiful harvest, with pumpkins, hay bales, bundles of wheat, stalks of corn, apple trees, cornucopias, and garlands of leaves.

Both the gate and the giant piano hammers are adorned with thorny branches and autumn leaves.

1010 

1010 are pirate ghosts. (As a fun gag, Blue could wear two eyepatches instead of his sunglasses!)

Meanwhile, Neon J is their ghostly captain, complete with a captain’s hat, a sword at his belt, a fake parrot on his shoulder, and – once again – a fake beard attached to his screen head.

For the battlefield, the flying limousine is decked out to look like a pirate ship, with a mast, a crow’s nest, and a tattered sail.

(I felt 1010 as pirates would be fitting since they're a navy-themed boyband and Neon J was a captain in the navy.)

Eve 

Eve is dressed as Medusa.

Her dark green dress has a scaly pattern, and she accessories with a lot of gold, including spiralling gold sandals and a golden diadem crown.

Her hair has been dyed, shaped, and styled to look like several little writhing serpents.

Her backpiece is composed of even more snakes in gold and teal which wrap around her upper torso and spread out behind her like a peacock’s tail.

Eve’s pupils even become snake-like starting at Phase 2!

For the battlefield, Eve’s gallery has been transformed into an Ancient Greek temple, but with a postmodern/vapourwave twist. Stylized Greco-Roman columns with snakes wrapped around them line the walls, and an ancient looking gold chandelier hangs from the ceiling. The left side would be eggplant purple while the right side would be cerulean blue.

If the player gets hit by the eye lasers from Eve’s giant statue, they’ll actually turn to stone and be frozen in place for a short time.

For Phase 2, on Mayday’s side, the snakes wrapped around the columns have grown larger and are now looming over Mayday, their faces twisted into angry snarls (representing Eve’s derisiveness and hostility towards May).

Meanwhile, Zuke’s side features floating fragments of ruined columns (representing how lost and incomplete Eve felt after Zuke left her). 

Phase 3 is where it really starts to get trippy. Both rooms feature ruined columns and floating shards, along with giant brightly colored snakes slithering all over the background.

The shards in Zuke’s side reflect images of faces screaming in anguish, while the shards on Mayday’s side have limbs protruding from them- one shard has three legs protruding from them in reference to a trinacia. (Look up what a trinacia is to understand the reference!)

Tatiana

Tatiana is a vampire.

She wears black and red robes with bat wing-edged sleeves and a wide collar. Her earrings are coffin shaped, and she has small, pointed fangs that can be seen when she opens her mouth.

At the beginning of her battle, she starts throwing flaming bats.

For the battlefield, Tatiana's office/battle arena is made to feel like a vampire’s castle tower.

The whole room is lit with a deep red glow, and the tall windows that feature the NSR murals are topped with pointed arches, giving them a Gothic look.

You can even see some glass bottles filled with (ahem) red liquid on Tatiana’s desk.

Meanwhile, the Goolings' stage outside is decorated with jack-o-lanterns and hanging skeletons.

DK West

DK West is dressed as Frankenstein FrankenWest!

His look consists of neck bolts, stitch markings, and a dark ragged recolour of his original outfit.

His bull shadow puppet has matching neck bolts, which even emit shadowy electricity when it appears during the battle.

Bunk Bed Junction

Mayday

Mayday is dressed as an imp, wearing a bright red dress with black sleeves and waistcoat, black wings, red horns, and a red tail.

Her guitar is deep purple and splattered with glowing orange paint. It emits a wolf howl when she powers it up for the Showstopper.

Zuke 

Zuke is a werewolf. Ragged clothes with fake fur poking out, extra fur attached to his forearms (don’t ask how got it on there), pointed ears, a bushy tail, pointed fangs, his nose has been painted. Pretty simple.

His drumsticks are splattered with glowing green paint and tipped with tiny light-up pumpkins.

The Other NPCs

Ellie has little bat wings attached to her back and wears a springy bat antenna headband.

And last but not least, 

Kliff . . . is just wearing a pair of Groucho Marx glasses. Yup. That's it.

Let me know what you all think. I’d love to hear some feedback. Thanks for reading! Happy Halloween!

#no straight roads #halloween #dlc ideas #long post #sorry for this being so long #I wish I could draw these but I don't have the equipment #I had so much fun coming up with these concepts #descriptive writing #if this inspires any fan art please let me know id love to see it :) #nsr mayday #nsr 1010 #nsr zuke #neon j #dj subatomic supernova #nsr sayu #nsr yinu #nsr mother #nsr eve #tatiana nsr #ellie nsr #nsr kliff #there's just something so funny about the idea of eve being like

[colormepurplex2]

ColorMePurplex2 Master List

Important notes

Genre Key: s (smut), a (angst), f (fluff), dd (dead dove), mm (contains some form of mxm content)

Rating: (regardless, this space is not for minors) G - general audience | PG - strong, suggestive language | PG-13 - frequent use of strong language, grittier subject matter | R - large amounts of vulgar language and adult references | MA - strictly for adults 18+

Relationships: my stories may feature sexual relationship variations between all genders. This is a LGTBQIA2S+ friendly space

DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to own any part of BTS. All members of BTS are faces and name claims for these stories. Every post is entirely a work of fiction and by no means is meant to be a projection, judgement, or representation of real-life people. Any scenarios or representations of the people and places mentioned in my works are not representative of real-life scenarios.

For a full, comprehensive list of each pairing/scenario please check the masterlists under each section.

OT7 Masterlist

▻ Souls of Seoul: Blood Bond (Ao3) (127k) - x f.Reader - Modern Fantasy/Thriller AU | RATED: MA | s, a, f, mm

▻ Souls of Seoul: The Rise And Fall (Ao3) (~93k, ongoing) - x f.Reader -  Modern Fantasy/Thriller AU | RATED: MA |  s, a, f, mm

▻ Fickle Flame (~66k, ongoing) - x OFC - A/B/O, Vampire/Hybrid, Dystopian AU | RATED: MA |  s, a, f, dd, mm

Kim Namjoon Masterlist

▻ Kaleidoscope (6k) - x f.Reader - Art/Music AU | RATED: MA |  s, f

Kim Seokjin Masterlist

▻ Your Guardian Angel (14k) - x f.Reader - Non-Idol, Roommates AU | RATED: MA | s, a, mild f

▻ Masks & Merlot (13k) - x f.Reader - Long-time pining, Non-Idol AU | RATED: MA | s, a

Min Yoongi Masterlist

▻ Work Hard, Play Harder (9k) - x f.Reader - College AU | RATED: MA | s, a

▻ Till Death Do Us Part (41k) - x f.Reader - Mafia AU | RATED: MA |  s, a, f

▻  Blood Bride (9k) - x f.Reader - Vampire AU | RATED: MA |  s

▻ Bump In The Night (12k) - x f.Reader - Monster Under The Bed AU | RATED: MA |  s, a

▻ Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop (8k) - x f.Reader - Coffee Shop/Art AU | RATED: MA |  s, f

Jung Hoseok Masterlist

▻ Box Of Chocolates (15k) - x f.Reader - Non-Idol, Exes to Lovers AU | RATED: MA | s, a, f

▻ Play With Fire (8k) - x f.Reader - Crime/Arsonist AU | RATED: MA | s, a

▻ The Stars In His Eyes...The Hate In Your Heart (18k) - x f.Reader - Non-Idol, Brother’s Best Friend AU | RATED: MA | a, s, mild f

Park Jimin Masterlist

▻  Pixie Dust - x f.Reader (8k) - Fantasy/Fairy AU | RATED: MA | s

Kim Taehyung Masterlist

▻ Did It Hurt? (28k) - x f.Reader - Angels & Demons AU | RATED: MA | s, a

▻ In Memory of Him (~13k, ongoing) - x f.Reader - Non-Idol, Late Husband's Best Friend | RATED: MA | s, a, f

Jeon Jungkook Masterlist

▻ Make You Mine - x f.Reader (11k) - A/B/O AU | RATED: MA | a, s

▻  Chasing Shadows - x f.Reader (21k) - Sherlock Holmes Crime AU | RATED: MA | a, s

▻ On Wings of Mist & Memories (39k) - x f.Reader - High Fantasy/Dragons AU | RATED: MA | a, s, f

▻ Now I’m Yours (14k) (follow-up to Make You Mine) - x f.Reader - A/B/O AU | RATED: MA | a, s, mild f

▻ Shatter With Me (~18k, ongoing) - x f.Reader - Best Friend's Husband, Surrogacy AU | RATED: MA | a, s, mild f

Multi-Member x Reader/OC Masterlist

▻  Lights, Camera, Action - NAMJOON/JUNGKOOK (22k) - x f.Reader - Non-Idol/Art AU | RATED: MA | s, f, mm

▻  I Put A Spell On You - JIMIN & JUNGKOOK (9k) - x f.Reader - Witches/Demons/Vampires AU | RATED: MA | a, s, mild mm

▻  Dream For Us - HYUNG LINE (15k) - x f.Reader - Demi-Gods AU | RATED: MA | a, s

▻  Flowers Of Fate - YOONGI/JIMIN/NAMJOON/JUNGKOOK (56k) - x f.Reader - High Fantasy/Beltane/Fae AU | RATED: MA | a, s, f, mm

Member x Member Masterlist

▻  By The Fire With Care - SEOKJIN/TAEHYUNG (2.9k) - Non-Idol, PWP | RATED: MA | s, f

▻ Curse Of The Serpent - NAMJOON/JIMIN (12k) - Greek Mythology/Perseus x Medusa Retelling | RATED: MA | a, s

My writing may not be copied and posted or translated without my expressed permission. All of my work is cross-posted to Ao3 , Wattpad , and shared via Twitter. I do not post to any other site All rights reserved. 2020-24 ©ColorMePurplex2

#colormepurplex2 #colormepurplex2writings #bts masterlist #bts masterpost #bts fanfction #bts smut #bts angst #bts fluff #bts stories #bts #bts au #masterlist #kim namjoon #kim seokjin #min yoongi #jung hoseok #park jimin #kim taehyung #jeon jungkook #reader insert #x reader #oc #fem oc #member x member #polyamory bts #bts reverse harem #namjoon #jin #seokjin #hoseok

[bangtanwritershq]

BangtanWritersHQ Presents: “Never Know Peace" Masterlist

For August 2023, we assembled a masterlist collection of fics to showcase Bangtan featuring enemies to lovers, angst, and other related themes! There are many different AUs, genres, and pairings featured! So, if you're in the mood for all things angsty and brutal, this masterlist is for you!

Browse at your leisure and ENJOY!

KEY:

🔞 - nsfw (mature themes) ✅ - sfw (no warnings) 💖 - smut ⚠️ - other warnings

SET UP - emojis: Title (if link is to another platform) | Author [parts] pairings, genre/aus, rating, word count

🔞💖⚠️ Curse of The Serpent | @colormepurplex2 [2/2] Pairing: Perseus!Namjoon x Medusa!Jimin AU Type: Gods & Monsters, Greek Mythology | smut, angst, mild fluff Rating: MA WC: 12,046

🔞💖⚠️ I Put A Spell On You | @colormepurplex2 [2/2] Pairing: Demon!Jimin x Witch!Reader / Vampire!Jungkook x Witch!Reader AU Type: Vampires/Demons/Witches, Friends to Enemies | smut, angst Rating: MA WC: 9,257

🔞💖⚠️ Make You Mine | @colormepurplex2 [2/2] Pairing: Alpha!Jungkook x Omega!Reader AU Type: A/B/O, E2L, Fated Soulmates | angst, smut, mild fluff Rating: MA WC: 11,231

🔞💖⚠️ Bite Me | @downbad4yoongi [1/1] Pairing: Vampire!Jimin x VampireHunter!Jungkook AU Type: E2L, Supernatural/Paranormal | angst, smut, violence Rating: MA WC: 4,740

🔞💖⚠️ Seeds | @downbad4yoongi [2/2] Pairing: Hades!Hoseok x Persephone!Yoongi AU Type: Modern Greek Mythology, S2L | smut, angst Rating: MA WC: 7,902

🔞💖⚠️ BTW, ily | @hisunshiine [1/1] Pairing: TATMIFB!kim namjoon x TATMIFB!reader AU Type: Opportunities, Firsts | smut, angst Rating: MA WC: 6,393

🔞💖⚠️ Eternal Night | @hisunshiine [1/1] Pairing: Royal!Tae x Royal!OC AU Type: Vampires, Royalty, Unrequited Love | smut, angst Rating: MA WC: 4,768

🔞⚠️ Happier | @hisunshiine [1/1] Pairing: Yoongi x Reader AU Type: Lovers to Exes Rating: PG-13 WC: 845

🔞💖⚠️ College Nights, Diner Fights | @hisunshiine [1/1] Pairing: waiter!jungkook x waitress!reader AU Type: Diner, E2L | angst, smut, fluff Rating: MA WC: 9,664

🔞💖⚠️ Till Death Do Us Part | @colormepurplex2 [4/4] Pairing: Hitman Yoongi x Kidnapped f.Reader AU Type: Mafia/Arranged Marriage, E2L | angst, smut, fluff Rating: MA WC: 41,132

🔞💖⚠️ Blood Bride | @colormepurplex2 [2/2] Pairing: vampire!Yoongi x human!f.Reader AU Type: Vampire, S2L, Accidental Marriage | angst, smut Rating: MA WC: 9,756

🔞💖⚠️ The Stars In His Eyes...The Hate In Your Heart | @colormepurplex2 [2/2] Pairing: Hoseok x f.Reader AU Type: E2L/Brother’s Best Friend | angst, smut, fluff Rating: MA WC: 18,085

All stories copywritten of the specified author. The authors provided consent for their stories to the network to be shared by submitting their stories. Stories posted in the order of submission to the event.

#BWHQ #BWHQ Writing Event #BWHQ Writing Events #BWHQ Network #bangtanwhq #bangtan writers hq #bangtan writers hq network #bts imagines #bts #bts reactions #bts fanfic #bts fanfiction #bts scenarios #bts x reader #bts smut #bts au #bts angst #bts fluff

[starrynightarchive]

can you learn to love me? really?

darlin', your resolve is adorable, truly. but let me warn you, i am not easy to love. i am not beautiful in a way that's convenient. you can look into my eyes and wax poetry that makes apollo hang his head low in shame but here's the thing: you cannot veil the fact that they will always remain the ones with which orpheus looked back foolishly to forever doom eurydice, droven mad with love and devotion. you can kiss my nose and try to pretend like my jagged edges don't exist but you see it, don't you? the desperation in my eyes and how they grow longer and sharper as i utter promises (lies) that leave you feeling dirty because you too, know i can't help it. i can't stop myself from becoming whatever this is. every time you kiss my nose, i can hear you sighing,"oh, my poor pinocchio."

hands tangled in my hair, so silky and luxurious, you marvel that i stepped out of your sweetest dreams. i smile and kiss your nose ("oh, my poor pinocchio."). in the dark of this night, when the silver moonlight caresses my frame, you gasp. please take your hands away, would you? the serpents growing out of my scalp are waking up and their ebony scales are tipped with venom that could put you in an endless slumber. beautiful, you said? ah, i've heard that one from countless men, right before they meet my eyes to embrace their doom. (with that smile of yours that drips honey, call me medusa, won't you, lover?). this is a tale as old as time; you watch the rose petals decorating my hair wilt and fall one by one by one. what happens when they all fall apart? ("tell me how to fix this," you sit by my side and sob. i look up at you from my deathbed and try to smile, but all i can do is bare my teeth menacingly,"oh my poor, innocent beauty. that's the thing," the petal holds on to its dear life,"you can't." the petal falls and i swallow you whole.)

you hold my gold stained fingertips to your lips and kiss them one by one. my hollowed out cheeks are dusted with powder to look pretty for you. haunted, but pretty. aren't i? aren't i pretty? isn't that all that matters? then why can't you look me in the eyes? please, my love, can you feed me a handful of those pomegranate seeds? in this lonely castle of mine where everything i touch turns to gold, it's been so long since i've even tasted a morsel of rice; the curse of midas is making a masterpiece out of me, one that's made of gold but please, please, i am so hungry. come closer. pick up the knife and split apart this fruit for me dear. i lick my lips, grinning as i watch your shaking hands pick apart the fruit. i can't remember tasting anything other than blood.(one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, you slip them past my lips. why are you crying? why are you afraid? i'm just your lover, aren't i?)(but some call me the queen of the underworld, too)

night after night, you'll have to bandage my ankles and our home will never have those white linen sheets that you always say the are the most comfortable because i will stain them maroon over and over again, anyway. you can never be comfortable with me, my dear, you can never know peace. i'll show you love like no other but we always know how that ends, don't we? i love and i love and i love and i wake up screaming, my hands and legs tied to a wooden pole to be lit on fire ("burn that witch!") because i've never known how to be enough. i've never known to be anything other than too kind, too full, too bright, too giving, too forgiving, too much. and i will always end up bearing the sins of the whole world (and the tragedy is that they will loathe me for it. i will loathe myself for it).

will you remove nails hammered to my ankles and wrists and remove the crown of thorns perched on my forehead gently, gently? and as they lower me to my grave, will you cry yourself sick? would you cross your heart and pray to gods that you've never cared to believe in? and when i return on the third day only to bleed and bleed all over again, would you scream your throat raw at all the grief and gore or would you kiss my temple with steely eyes like sending off a soldier to war?

now, look me in the eyes and tell me, dearest.

can you learn to love me?

#my writing #my poetry #ish? #thinking out loud #pretty words #mythology #fairy tales #dark poetry #greek mythology #love poem #technically not a poem but a very long poetic ramble #poetry and beauty #love and all that surrounds it

[ladylilit]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑: the woman-wife-demon is the apotheosis of all that is evil, or so it was by way of doctrine. first, there was lilith, and then there were eve, jezebel, delilah, babylon. the woman-witch, the woman-whore, time and time the powerful woman becomes synonymous with wicked.

her irritation is a vile thing, manifesting in the flock of shadows which trails beneath the hem of her dark dress, dispersing like wild birds with her stride. the taste in her mouth is always bitter after these meetings with heaven. the parlour doors open and she spies her guest already awaiting. a demon-maid rushes forth to bring an ornate tea service tray, balancing cups, a teapot, and a dessert stand — lilith dismisses her with a gracious nod, and when the doors close, silence settles at the behest of privacy.

this is the queen in retreat, pearls clattering atop the dresser as she slips them off her neck and into the confines of their jewellery box, accompanied by her crown.

❛  did i keep you waiting long? ❜ she grasps the edges of the tray, where it sat atop an end table, and brings it forth herself, the two little cups of tea steaming. with as many errands as they have between them, their weekly meetings had turned monthly, and lilith laments her awful mood, wishes she were arriving in better spirits. irritation is etched into her features, despite her attempt at maintaining stoicism, though medusa surely knows her well enough, after centuries, to discern otherwise. ❛  i had matters to attend at the heaven embassy and ... it took longer than expected. oh, you wouldn't believe their audacity! lucifer was supposed to attend but he was otherwise occupied and— ❜

@chthonicrage, [ lean ]

her spiel is cut short by the silent invitation to sit, to lean in. and she huffs, and she does, gold cascading down medusa's shoulder like waterfalls where lilith lays her head, legs tucked up, figure half-draped over the other woman. shoulder droops as she calms down, her scowl dissipating and giving way to a smile.

fingers gently caress the serpents which move toward her, petting one's head and booping the little snout of another. ❛  you must teach me to wield a bow, dear. at the next conference, i wish to drive an arrow through adam's head, like a pig roast. ❜ she's smiling but it's only half a joke.

#chthonicrage #they're gay your honor #( incantations ) ⅋. ⥽ eyes burning with a sacred darkness. ❞

[anthropolite]

Skills I can turn people to stone with but a glance. (x) I am a talented artist. (x) I am a Haliad: water is no obstacle to me, and I can calm or whip up the seas as I see fit. (x) My reflexes are serpent-quick. I am a figure of dread and terror. Gorgon, they call me. Though the subterranean aquifers of the river Oceanus, I have learned to walk the lands of the dead. I am an apotrapeic entity, my very image used to ward off spirits. I can move without a sound. Relics A pond or fountain, whose waters lead directly to the bottom of the Mediterranean (disconcertingly not stationary) A beautifully-crafted telescope, given to me by my lover Zora. A temple dedicated to me, in Knossos Characters Medusa, my sister. Cursed and then murdered at the whims of Athena. Now a shade, she and I have rekindled our relationship. (Immortal) Stheno, my sister. Strong, loyal, and very much cursed. I trust her with my life. (Immortal) Athena, once my patroness. I served loyally at her shrine, and she betrayed my loyalty in the most dramatic way possible. (Immortal) Zora, a chimerical, brilliant artist, my lover, reborn as one of the starfolk. (Immortal) The Olympians, but most notably Hades and Hermes, who conspired to slay my sister. (Immortal) King Minos of Crete, who has led his people to worship me, hoping to earn safe sea travel, and protection from evil spirits. The witch Chryse, who attempted to enslave me to her will. (Immortal) Aspasia, a young woman who I saved from being sacrificed to me. Symbols The serpent, and the gorgoneion. Saga 1 My sisters and I were cursed by Athena, giving us petrifying gaze and snaky locks. It is not only my hair that has become snake-like: my reflexes have become viper-quick to match. Unable to control our petrifying gaze, the other priestesses at the shrine were turned to stone. Saga 2 Medusa was murdered by a champion sent by Athena; I curse myself for having ever trusted her. He was not sent without divine help: Hermes and Hades conspired to provide artefacts to make his task that much easier. The next champion was not so fortunate: one more statue stands in silent vigil. Saga 3 I am a figure of dread and terror; Gorgon, they call me. Death is little obstacle to me: the shade of my sister Medusa has once again become one of my closest confidantes. I have learned to walk the lands of the dead, accessed through the subterranean aquifers of the great river Oceanus. Saga 4 An apotropeic entity, drive the unquiet dead back to their proper resting-places in Hades' realm. Saga 5 Thought slain during an attempted coup, my lover Zora was reborn as one of the starfolk.

#Tales from the Gods #character sheet

[atozearth]

20 Best Halloween Ideas with Makeup For 2023

Halloween is the time to let your imagination run wild and transform into characters that range from whimsical to downright spooky. Elevate your costume game with these captivating Halloween makeup ideas that will have everyone mesmerized. From mystical creatures to classic monsters, here's your guide to creating unforgettable Halloween looks:

1. Enchanting Forest Spirit:

Become a woodland enchantress with earthy tones, leafy accents, and a touch of glitter to capture the essence of the mystical forest. Also Read : purge makeup

2. Gothic Vampire Glam:

Embrace your inner vampire with pale skin, dramatic smoky eyes, and deep red lips. Add a hint of fangs for a truly haunting allure.

3. Dia de los Muertos Elegance:

Honor tradition with intricate sugar skull makeup, combining vibrant colors, floral motifs, and decorative details to celebrate the Day of the Dead. Also Read : Skeleton makeup

4. Spooky Doll Transformation:

Channel your inner creepy doll with porcelain-like skin, exaggerated features, and a hint of eerie innocence for a doll-inspired Halloween look.

5. Maleficent's Dark Magic:

Embody the iconic villain with sharp contouring, bold eye makeup, and those signature horned cheekbones. Unleash your inner mistress of darkness.

6. Ferocious Werewolf:

Transform into a ferocious werewolf by blending fur textures onto your skin and adding piercing eyes and a pair of fearsome fangs.

7. Wicked Witchcraft:

Cast a spell with a wicked witch look, featuring a green complexion, dramatic eyes, and a touch of dark mystique for a bewitching Halloween aura. Also read More : Tutorial on how to makeup

8. Mermaid Majesty:

Dive into an ocean of fantasy as a majestic mermaid, adorned with shimmering scales, sea-inspired hues, and ethereal accessories.

9. Ghostly Elegance:

Achieve an ethereal ghostly glow with pale makeup, soft pastels, and an air of haunting mystery that'll keep everyone guessing.

10. Alluring Cat Character:

Channel your inner feline with sultry cat-eye makeup, a cute button nose, and intricate whisker details. Don't forget those mesmerizing cat ears!

11. Icy Queen of Winter:

Bring the chill with icy shades, silver accents, and an air of regal elegance. You'll be a queen ruling over a kingdom of frost.

12. Cursed Mummy Revival:

Unearth the past as a mummy with wrapped bandage-style makeup, sunken eyes, and a hint of ancient Egyptian mystique.

13. Haunting Porcelain Doll:

Transport yourself into a doll's eerie realm with matte skin, rosy cheeks, and hand-painted cracks for an eerie porcelain appearance.

14. Celestial Stardust:

Embrace the cosmos with celestial makeup featuring galaxies, stars, and shimmering shades that will make you the center of the universe.

15. Medusa's Gaze:

Transform into the mythical Gorgon with snake-themed makeup, piercing eyes, and serpents weaving through your hair.

16. Haunting Scarecrow:

Combine the haunting and the charming with scarecrow makeup that includes stitched smiles, patchwork skin, and straw-like accents.

17. Dark Twisted Fairy Tale:

Give classic fairy tales a chilling twist with zombified characters like a decaying Cinderella or a wickedly haunting Snow White.

18. Mysterious Fortune Teller:

Master the art of mystery with dark, smoky eyes, a crystal ball accent, and layers of ornate jewelry that speak of hidden knowledge.

19. Zombie Apocalypse Survivor:

Survive the undead uprising with pale, lifeless skin, zombie wounds, and a gritty survivor look that's both eerie and resourceful.

20. Pumpkin Queen's Magic:

Blend witchy enchantment with Halloween's favorite gourd. Pair orange hues, black accents, and a pumpkin-inspired makeup for a regal twist.

Halloween Ideas with Makeup Video

https://www.youtube.com/embed/KurwcF8s42g Let your creativity shine this Halloween with these captivating makeup ideas that will turn heads and leave a lasting impression. With a brush in hand and a sprinkle of magic, you'll bring these characters to life in ways that will make this Halloween one to remember. Also Read more - Screen Shot On a Samsung - Air Max System Platform Sneaker - Apple Gift Cards Balance Check - How To SS On Chromebook - Ktn lookup in 2023 - Gifts for 10 Years Old Boys - Gift For Parents At Christmas - Foods That Are White In color - Kitchen Remodel Ideas - iPhone 15 launch date - Roblox t shirt Read the full article

[gamecrag]

Are you looking for a fierce and deadly army to dominate the battlefields of Warhammer Age of Sigmar? Look no further than the Daughters of Khaine. This army of dark elves is known for their speed, agility, and deadly prowess in close combat. In this article, we will be highlighting the top 10 units for the Daughters of Khaine army, so you can build a formidable force and crush your enemies. 10) Khinerai Heartrenders Datasheet Point cost: 130 Flying units armed with javelins that excel at harassing enemy units from a distance. They are fast and agile, making them difficult to catch, and they can also teleport across the battlefield using their Shadow Leap ability. However, they are relatively fragile and can be taken down quickly if they are caught in close combat. the Khinerai Heartrenders have a 6+ armor save and 1 wound each, which makes them relatively fragile. However, they have a high movement speed of 14", which means they can quickly move around the battlefield. They are armed with Heartseeker Bows, which have a range of 18" and hit on a 3+. Each successful hit inflicts 1 damage, but if they roll a 6 to hit, they can make an additional attack. They also have an ability called Fly, which allows them to move over enemy units and terrain. 9) Witch Aelves Datasheet Point sheet: 110 the backbone of the Daughters of Khaine army. They are fast and deadly in close combat, with each model armed with a pair of sacrificial knives. They also have a special ability called Blood Rites, which allows them to gain bonuses in combat as they inflict casualties on the enemy. they are not very durable and can be taken down quickly by ranged attacks. 8) Bloodwrack Medusa Datasheet Point cost: 140 The Bloodwrack Medusa is a monstrous unit armed with a deadly gaze attack that can turn enemies to stone. They are also fast and agile, making them difficult to catch in close combat. However, they are relatively fragile and can be taken down quickly if they are focused on by the enemy. 7) Melusai Datasheet Point cost:170 A versatile unit that can be armed with either bows or spears. They are fast and agile, making them difficult to catch, and they also have a special ability called Serpent's Call, which allows them to teleport across the battlefield. One of the unit's weaknesses is that it can be taken down quickly if they are caught in close combat. 6) Khinerai Lifetakers Datasheet Point cost: 130 The Khinerai Lifetakers are flying units armed with deadly barbed spears. They are fast and agile, making them difficult to catch, and they can also teleport across the battlefield using their Shadow Leap ability. They also have a special ability called Death on the Wind, which allows them to make additional attacks when they charge. they are relatively fragile as are most of the factions units and can be taken down quickly if they are caught in close combat. 5) Blood Sisters Datasheet Point cost: 140 The Blood Sisters have a 4+ armor save and 2 wounds each, which makes them relatively durable. They have a high movement speed of 7", which means they can quickly move around the battlefield. They are armed with Glaives, which have a range of 2" and hit on a 3+. Each successful hit inflicts 1 damage, but if they roll a 6 to hit, they can make an additional attack. Additionally, they have a number of special abilities that make them even deadlier. For example, they have an ability called Heartshard Glaives, which allows them to re-roll hit rolls of 1 in combat. They also have an ability called Lashing Serpents, which allows them to make additional attacks when they charge. Finally, they have an ability called Quicksilver Speed, which allows them to move an extra 2" when they pile in. 4) Morathi Datasheet Point cost: 480 Morathi is the leader of the Daughters of Khaine army, and she is a powerful spellcaster and melee combatant.

She has a wide range of spells and abilities that can buff her own units and debuff the enemy, and she is also deadly in close combat. She also has a special ability called Heart of Fury, which allows her to make additional attacks when she takes damage. However, she is relatively expensive in terms of points cost. Morathi is a massive figure with 16 wounds and a 4+ armor save, making her one of the toughest units in the army. She has two forms: her first form, High Oracle of Khaine, is a spellcaster that can cast a variety of powerful spells. Her second form, The Shadow Queen, is a melee combatant that is armed with a pair of deadly weapons that hit on a 3+ and wound on a 4+. Each successful wound inflicts 1 damage. 3) Blood Stalkers Datasheet Point cost: 140 Blood Stalkers are ranged units armed with deadly repeater crossbows. They are fast and agile, making them difficult to catch, and they can also teleport across the battlefield using their Shadow Leap ability. They also have a special ability called Heartseeker, which allows them to make additional attacks when they roll a 6 to hit. they are relatively fragile and can be taken down quickly if they are caught in close combat. The Blood Stalkers have a 5+ armor save and 1 wound each, which makes them relatively fragile. However, they have a high movement speed of 8", which means they can quickly move around the battlefield. They are armed with Heartseeker bows, which have a range of 18" and hit on a 3+. Each successful hit inflicts 1 damage, but if they roll a 6 to hit, they can make an additional attack. 2) Avatar of Khaine Datasheet Point cost: 340 The Avatar of Khaine is a monstrous unit that is the embodiment of the god of murder himself. It is armed with a deadly sword that can cleave through entire units, and it also has a wide range of special abilities that make it incredibly deadly in close combat. It also has a special ability called the Blood Frenzy, which allows it to make additional attacks when it takes damage. it is relatively expensive in terms of points cost. In terms of stats, the Avatar of Khaine has a whopping 16 wounds and a 4+ armor save, making it one of the toughest units in the army. It also has a high movement speed of 8", which means it can quickly close in on enemy units. In combat, the Avatar of Khaine has a whopping 8 attacks with its sword, hitting on a 3+ and wounding on a 2+. Each successful wound inflicts D3 damage, which means it can quickly take out even the toughest enemy units. 1) Slaughter Queen Datasheet Point cost: 100 The Slaughter Queen is the general of the Daughters of Khaine army, and she is a powerful spellcaster and melee combatant. She has a wide range of spells and abilities that can buff her own units and debuff the enemy, and she is also deadly in close combat. She also has a special ability called the Blessing of Khaine, which allows her to heal nearby units and give them bonuses in combat. She is also relatively affordable in terms of points cost. In terms of stats, the Slaughter Queen has a 5+ armor save and 6 wounds, which makes her relatively fragile compared to other heroes in the army. However, she has a high movement speed of 6", which means she can quickly move around the battlefield. In combat, the Slaughter Queen has a pair of deadly weapons that hit on a 3+ and wound on a 4+. Each successful wound inflicts 1 damage.

[anime-witch-showdown]

For my last entry, I’d like to submit Medusa Gorgon from Soul Eater. She’s a literal witch in the context of her story, flies around on a broomstick, experiments with dangerous magic, has cool tattoos, is associated with serpents, etc. Arguably the only non-witchy trait she has is that wears a hoodie instead of a more traditional witch’s hat.

#submission #previously approved

[nerath-mp]

Lore: The Hyksos Sisterhood

Outside the Campaign

So, the Hyksos were a cultural group that invaded Egypt's Lower Kingdom during the 12-13th dynasty (c.19th-16th century BCE). The 3rd century BCE Greek-Egyptian historian Manetho described the Hyksos as an oppressive invasion force from the Levantine region but modern historians and archaeological evidence tends to argue they were a slow immigration of Caananite origin that culminated in the first "foreign rule" of Egypt by the 15th dynasty and coexisted with Egyptian dynasties during the Second Intermediate Period. Their defeat by Ahmose I is where the New Kingdom period, an Egyptian golden age, is said to have begun.

One more historical note - the list of Hyksos kings is said to include a king known as Apepi, more commonly known as Apophis, who features as a major antagonistic serpent-demon in ancient Egyptian religion, who seeks to devour the sun during its transit through the realms of the dead between sunset and sunrise. The accuracy of the name is disputed, as its recording was done by Manetho many centuries later and seems to be aligned in part with his casting of the Hyksos overall as an evil influence over the Lower and Middle Nile territories.

When picking a starting arc for my campaign, I was reminded of an ancient rec.games.dnd campaign chronicle, where the DM ran his PCs through the Slavelords series of novels for AD&D second edition. I owned this fairly well-regarded modules series set in Greyhawk but never ran it, so I heavily adapted the basic idea of it: a group of slave-taking/trading bandits mixed with a cult and some humanoid monsters. And the rest was the history of the first arc. Enjoy - Me PS. I also finally got the hang of the two different post editors so now I can embed the alt text for images properly from now on.

(Source: Sigil of Tiamat, artist unknown)

Who were the Hyksos?

Snake cults were an unfortunate, lingering threat to Khonsuria, stemming from the alliance with the serpentfolk of Zehir and the War of Beasts. Such cults, often directly allied or funded by the serpents or spiders, spread chaos and disorder that weakened the Pharaohs of that period, preventing full-reunification of the rebellious Lower and Upper Kingdoms. So, for the longest time, it had been assumed the Hyksos had been merely been another of these threats - a snake cult whose adherents raided Khonsurian and Baelish settlements and even aarakokra nests, sold or killed the men, and spread their twisted faith to the women, using dark magics to turn them into half-humanoid monsters, like the serpentine lamia, the winged harpies and the eel-like sirens. The name 'Hyksos' first entered the histories of Khonsuria as tales of halfling kith warning of desert raiders in the Herrenia region of the Lower Kingdom during the Second Dynasty, after the Giantwar.

(Source: 'Never meant for human hands' by Mr Zarono on DeviantArt)

The Hyksos were unique among these other Zehirian snake-cults in a few ways:

Unlike other cults, their membership seemed exclusively women

Where other cults transformed volunteers and sacrificial victims into yuan-ti abominations, the Hyksos seemed to craft their 'ascendance' to a diverse number of forms, including sirens, medusae, harpies, and most commonly, the serpentine lamia.

As such a monstrous bent would indicate, their raids and dealings with outsiders often used the charms and mind-control of these creatures

The cult was exceptionally hard to locate and eradicate, while it seemed to have informants in many settlements including the holy city of Sarkhaen Tair and as far away as the Matriarchy of Lar'tya in northwestern Nerath, no central location could be identified

The cult also seemed to have as much interest in the theft of historical artifacts and knowledge as it did slaves and influence, leading a few to believe it was directed by angels of Zehir, or possibly a dragon or lich

(Source: 'Desert Witch' by Filipe Pagliuso on ArtStation)

The Rise of the Hyksos

The Hyksos became more than simply a slightly strange variation on known minor threats during the fall of the Second Dynasty, when the naga Apophis had seduced many of the Pharaoh's court and the sphinx nobility to re-open the old tombs of the first Dynasty and delve once more in the magics of the Far Realm as well as seek out of the forbidden knowledge of the Primordials and even of abominable Bael Turath. Hyksos cultists used their enchantments to fuel the rage of the commoners against their rulers, while their raiders made off with hundreds of slaves bound for the markets in Djeser-al-Moqqara or the profane secrets of Achaemia.

When that Dynasty fell, first to the kinslaying of the Forgotten-King, or then the assassination of his daughter, the Hyksos formally joined forces with the Slavers Society (that a few believed they had infiltrated and controlled themselves) and conquered Rheksus - with an eye to securing access to the Great Library, its necropolis, and strategically pushing back Khonsurian scrutiny of the Sisterhood's exploration of the ruined Kovalese coastal cities. Then Vor Rukoth's emergence became known to the cult via their gnoll allies, so they made contact with the dragon Kraz-al-Manat, offering to act as matchmakers between him and Nistru in exchange for certain preferential arrangements for their own expeditions into his territory.

(Source: 'The Serpent God' by Aethergee on Twitter)

Secrets of the Sisterhood

The Hyksos had indeed been one of the many serpent-cults in their beginning, but either from that outset or very early on, they fell under the power of the Night Serpent, Apophis, lesser known hero of the Giantwar, spy and advisor to Nistru the Midnight Storm, and one-time vizier (and possibly lover) of Pharaoh Abisha and her husband-son, the Forgotten-King. Apophis transformed the leaders of the cult into powerful lamia with strong warlock and sorcerous connections to darkness and illusion, and through these 'Mothers' she directed the cult both politically as well their interest in esoterica. The cult were allowed to make inferences that they had ties to Nistru as a form of boasting and to attract those who sought the dragon's favour.

As Pharaoh Haramati the First's campaign to retake the Lower Kingdom progressed, the Slavers' Society turned to the Hyksos for aid, and when Nistru first rose and attacked Rheksus in retaliation for violating her territory, it was assumed it had been through the Hyksos. Strangely, the envoys found Nistru, beyond that one devastating attack, strangely passive, and the Sisterhood noncommittal to further support or direct involvement. This was later revealed to be at the direction of Apophis, for whom the Society and their hold on Djeser-al-Moqqara seemed to have run out of value.

(Source: 'Amirah the Concubine' by Chris Oduro on ArtStation)

The other "great secret" of the sisterhood was the location of their home base, their central temple, in the upper reaches of the Broken Ordnning of Storms in the Herrenia Mountains. The cult travelled to and from this former storm titan's palace via a teleportation circle whose runic name was shared only with the cults 'Mother' (leadership) and chosen 'Aunts' (very closely aligned allies, often other servants of Apophis). The lower fortress is far more commonly known, but is a deathtrap of a dungeon disconnected from the highest peaks save for a hidden stair. It was here that selected cult members would be sent to be fully indoctrinated into the inner secrets of the cult and transformed by Apophis' magics into the monster-women hybrids that held the upper ranks in the cult.

Part 2 of this Lore post will focus on what is currently known of Apophis the Night Serpent herself. - Come back tomorrow for more info.

(Source: Apophis by Yilade on DeviantArt)

#dnd campaign #lore #selduria #khonsuria #cult #antagonist #Apophis

[depravednexus]

Captured gif: 4A

Katsu is captured and pegged by Medusa after finishing his gig with his band. He's weakened from his performance and could not fight back.

@katsu-wants-your-bottom

{XX} image

Boredom filled the witches eyes as she slammed her hips against the bare ass of the restrained man beneath her, held in place not by ropes, but by her magical serpent familiars, their fangs bared and ready to strike if he tried to use that voice of his for anything more than pretty moans of pain or pleasure.

She had expected more of a challenge in securing the most recent plaything of the night, only to have disappointed herself with how much he had tired himself out from the earlier show on stage. Decent music, she'd admit, but not her style. Much like how he and several men before him tried to deny that the strap atop her crotch, now plugging in and out of his ass with each thrust, was not their style. The bulk of the eleven inches of silicon lubricated with her own special blend of lube, local numbing agents, and aphrodisiacs vanished and reappeared (save for the tip) at an easy pace, accompanied solely by lazily slaps to his ass.

"That's it... Moan for me and let the pleasure take root. I may even let you cum if you play nice~"

[the-letter-horror-lover]

Tick-Tock

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"I confess I am not particularly fond of seeing my mistress being handled so familiarly."

The air in the room thickened and trembled. A surging energy chilled the space like a ghostly presence.

Sebastian stepped forth and looked at the boy with a look of bitter amusement—and fury. His eyes blazed like a forest-fire and Jason was a hapless tree engulfed by the licking flames.

Jason drew back, unpinning my hands though his legs still held me in place. "Unless it is by your own private hands I wager. Professor."

"I do not kiss and tell." Sebastian's provocative laugh mirrored a serpent's hiss. "Or how the French say, baiser and tell."

"Why you...!" I writhed under Jason whose face burnt like a brand.

Un baiser, French noun for 'a kiss', but the verb form referred to something most indecent. To fuck.

"Enough of your vile tongue, you thing. Just do something already. It's an order!"

"No need to give an order, mistress."

He removed one glove and stroked the mark of our infernal contract. His looming shadow darkened Jason's body and then, turned material. The demon stood in place, but his shadow moved and multiplied. Uncoiled. Tendrils blended into his human guise, dancing around him like provoked vipers. The white gloves disappeared and in their place came taloned hands, coal black. Slitted eyes trembled like the vibration of a string pulled taut too quickly.

The boy's eyes widened in disbelief. And then fear. As though his imagination had conjured the most grotesque phantom.

"Who are you really?" he breathed. "What are you?"

"I am simply one hell of a butler." Sebastian unveiled a soft, ominous smile.

"Oi. Don't incapacitate him," I said. "We still need him to find Lizzie."

If Sebastian had heard me, he did not acknowledge it. Twining tendrils, like the crown of snakes on Medusa's head, snatched at Jason's ankles, clawing into them until they broke skin and wrenched him away from me. Sebastian's eyes glowed embers and burned through the boy. A searing iron that branded criminals with a permanent imprint. Roughly, Jason unstraddled me and the bed shook. He reached under his dress. A sleight of hand, then a glint of sliver. I found myself pulled to his chest, a garter knife at my neck.

"Don't come any closer," Jason said and leapt off the bed. The thin blade teased my neck.

"Stay where you are, Sebastian."

The two faced each other, their stares meeting like crossed swords. The pressure on my skin sharpened as Jason towed me to the window. A fierce shove, and I hurtled forwards. I sucked in a gasp of air.

Sebastian caught me by the waist as the cad escaped. "Are you quite unhurt?"

The butler traced a finger across the blade's indentation on my neck. A pink tinge colored the white glove. His face changed with the rapidity of a kaleidoscope. His eyes burned wildly at the glove. His adam's apple bobbed as though he had swallowed excess saliva. "Young mistress..."

"Don't tell me you're going to go feral again," I said.

"You are well aware of my new state, the unpredictability of it." He spoke with a slight rasp. "I shall excuse myself and carry out the rest of the tasks. Inform Miss Hulda to safeguard the girls and attend to a minor task in town. This will give some time for me to... regain my composure which is vital if we wish to finish this investigation successfully." His voice grew coarser, a rising storm. "Lock your quarters, and do not be an unwitting Snow White who opens the door for the disguised witch."

"Don't be stupid. You're the closest thing to an old witch here." I narrowed my eyes. "Wait, what task in town?"

"To drop something off—it's trivial."

"Those papers you were writing on earlier. You put them inside your coat—"

Sebastian's eyes glowed dangerously. "Do you really wish to be asking me full explanations now?"

He left before I could dismiss him.

I clicked my tongue and stared at the window. Sharp arrows of rain rattled the windows. They beat against the melting snow and turned it into an unaesthetic slush. The only pretty thing was the silver moon, full and bright, glowing imperiously in the misty sky. I toyed with Lizzie's bracelet on my wrist.

Save the girls by the full moon.

At least, there would no more girls left for Jason to kidnap. And no longer did he have the Stone of Lethe. My shoulders loosened. Maybe I finally had the upper-hand in our game.

A knock on the door.

"Who's there?" I said sharply.

"Miss Hulda. You ha've a Christmas present addressed to you. It was left under the tree in the common area."

Well, certainly not a witch. But I wouldn't take chances.

"If you could slide it through the door," I said, then added, "please." I feigned a cough.

"Oh, has the weather gotten to you too?"

"Indeed, and I do not want to make you unwell."

"Alright then, I'm slipping it underneath." A small, thin package peered under the door, my name in golden ink, the filigree wrapping colored like a fairy tale. No sender name.

Miss Hulda stalled at the door. "Take care, Phantomhive."

"Thank you."

When the clack of heels tapered away, I tore into the wrapping. Gilt edges of a slim book glimmered in the light. The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Of course, he'd pick that.

I opened the book, and red petals spilt from the covers—begonias. Beware, as per the language of flowers. But those were not the only things hidden in the book. A white scrap fell from the twelfth page, containing four lines of symbols. Symbols I recognized from my science and mathematics texts.

I got to work. Staring at the balcony window periodically, toiling away at the cipher. How strange that the devious thing also brought repose. A hypnotic and lulling state amidst the chaos, like the eye of an storm. The mechanic decoding, line by line, letter by letter.

There. I had decoded it.

Tick-tock, tick-tock best make haste.

If you wish to solve the case.

This shall be our final chase.

Who will have the coup de grâce?

"Nutcase," I added to the juvenile poem. Final chase. Perhaps this was the final clue then. But what clue? I read it over and over. And then again. Was there a cipher within a cipher?

A flash of lightning cleaved the sky in two. I squinted my eyes and through the blur of my lashes, a face was illuminated in the brightness. Peering at me through the rainy window. Unblinking eyes, hollows of nothingness.

I snatched my breath furiously. Lizzie.

The girl pressed her hands against the balcony window, expressionless. Intangible as a dream. Her limp golden hair stuck to her pallid cheeks like sea-weed.

I carefully stepped forth. "Lizzie...it's me."

She didn't move; her expression remained unnervingly blank. The face always in bloom now looked like a storm-broken flower.

Slowly, I walked to her and opened the balcony door. "Here—" I swore.

Lizzie leapt back and nimbly landed on the balustrade. The girl tilted her head and her dull eyes pointed to the ground before returning to me. She wouldn't.

Stretching out my hand, I tried to steady my voice. "Lizzie, come over here." My fingers grazed hers.

She jumped.

"Lizzie!"

I rushed to the balustrade and peered below. Near the base of a tree, an obscured figure crouched in the heavy mist. It stilled for a few seconds, then sprinted in the rain, swift as a turtle dove.

I swung my leg over the balcony and reached for the closest tree branch. Inch by inch, I climbed down, the rough bark scratching my skin, tearing the lace on my dress. The moment my feet touched the ground, I darted into the mist. The winter air whipped my face; my breath clouded my vision; but the worst was the harsh peal of thunder. I shuddered against the hissing crackle, my mind screaming to turn around. No, I wouldn't lose her this time.

Golden hair and a long skirt billowed in the distant wintry haze. Calling out for her, I followed her like the North star. She was my North Star. The closest thing to a beacon of hope in this inferno.

She swerved into the courtyard and I lost sight of her behind the brambles. I panted, arriving at the rose garden moments later. I turned in a circle and caught a door to the North Wing closing quickly. There.

I barged through the academy's entrance and flashed a darting glance. Water droplets gleamed from the tiled floor. I followed them. Fainter and fainter they grew until they had disappeared altogether. I looked around the hallway. A storage closet and at the end of it—the music hall. I crossed the threshold of the hall and my gaze swept over the piano and other string instruments.

Nowhere in sight.

I strained my ears but only heard the droning of rain. I checked the exits that led outside. All bolted from the inside. Maybe Sebastian and I hadn't inspected the space properly before. I checked every inch of the hall for a loose floor board that might give way like in the mystery stories I often read. Around tables, drapes, cellos, the piano—of course, nothing. I ran my fingers over the black and white keys in a garbled mess. Did I need to scrutinize the blasted ceiling now too? If Lizzie came inside and didn't come out...then surely, she had to be here. Somewhere.

A crackle of thunder broke my thoughts. My muscles constricted like a reflex. No wonder the vice-chancellor wanted to hold the ball here. The acoustics here sound extremely well. I considered her words and circled the room, my heels clicking the floor loudly. Could it be...?

I applied more pressure on the tiles and hyper-focused on the clack of heels. Hollow underneath.

I frowned. This was the lowest level of the school. If it had a basement or cellar, there was no stairs leading to it. Then...how? There had to be something else. Instinctually I knew. The who, what, and where's were centered around the number twelve.

Jason's voice drifted through my mind.

Tick-tock, tick-tock best make haste.

If you wish to solve the case.

Tick-tock twice. Entirely unnecessary unless it meant something. To emphasis time like that— A spark of realization stole my breath.

Time.

My gaze settled on the tall grand clock tower in the music hall. The one that was always broken and kept as a showpiece, its hour hand on 7 and minute hand on 12. A shiver whirred down my spine.

I inspected the clock tower closely, carefully. On the side of its wooden frame lay a tiny nook, almost unnoticeable. Putting in all my strength, I tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge.

"Damn it." Of course, that would have been too easy.

My thoughts buzzed like a swarm of bees. Had I already had the key? Was it in one of the ciphers? Jason wouldn't have led me to this point without the key.

I stared at looming clock, the lightning stripping away its color. Something poured on me like a flood. Realization, no intuition.

The key was staring at me right in the face.

I placed a chair in front of the clock and stood on it so that I could reach its face. My unsteady fingers moved the minute and hour hands to twelve. I stepped down from the chair. Holding my breath, I inserted my hand into the nook and pushed. It moved.

This time, my full weight was not necessary. Like a well oiled door, the side frame opened smoothly. And revealed a narrow passageway.

Darker than night, the space magnifying the rumble of thunder. I stiffened, bracing my ears. More lightning, followed by thunder seconds later. The storm was here, thunder and lightning dancing in horrible delight. So this was what bravery was. Being terrified but forging ahead.

I swallowed and forced a step, then another. My hands became my eyes, guiding me in the pitch black. The walls were narrow, enough for one person. Or one person and several girls in a single line. I imagined the boy leading Alice and Angelica here when the ballroom had erupted in chaos, and then Lizzie running blind, her golden hair swallowed by the shadows. The passageway sloped downward, propelling my feet faster.

A crack of thunder and the space echoed with it. My hands shook, too preoccupied with leading me forwards, unable to dampen the harsh claps this time. Anchoring my thoughts on my cousin, I advanced further. Deeper and deeper, and the passageway gradually increased in width. The ground leveled out and the pitch black had softened. A hint of light emerged in the distance—and a voice. Distinctly male.

The hairs on my nape stiffened. I lightened my footsteps, slowing my pace. The passageway blended into a space marked by time. Ancient-looking pillars engraved with Latin inscriptions, peeling painted star-constellations on the midnight blue ceiling. A sickly sweet smell lingered in the air. Earthy pond-water, a chemical odor, and the ghost of a familiar perfume. My cousin's perfume.

She had been here.

My fingers ran over the edge of a stoned wall. There was nowhere else to go but turn the corner. My skin tingled, sweat forming. Slowly, I peered behind the wall. And stilled.

Almost a dozen girls had gathered in a circle, their hands linked like they were partaking in a ritual. Lizzie, Sullivan, Angelica, Alice a girl who vaguely resembled Jason, among the other blank, dull-eyed faces. My nerves jumped under my skin. In the middle of the formation, a tall figure stood before a crucible, back to me, but his built looked vaguely different than Jason's. Both tall and thin, but his body was reedy instead of sylphlike. He was holding an old book and brought it to his face.

The man turned his head, and his spectacles glinted. I drew in a violent breath.

The headmaster.

Notes:

Happy Thanksgiving day, lovelies ^.^ I am immensely grateful to every person who has read this fic or left a comment or reblogged this story on tumblr. You are the reason this story exists and keeps going—and ack, I think I'm having an emotion. Anyways, hope your thanksgiving weekend is filled with some much needed RnR time, delectable foods, and tasty stories ;)

Chapter 25: Zodiac Alchemy

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"Who's there?" Arthur Randall Delacourt jerked his head, a cane gripped in his hand. His sharp mouth settled on me. His flinty eyes burned through my core but his smile chilled my skin. "You've arrived in time. The moon is moments away from hitting its peak."

"You," I breathed.

"Me," he said. "Are you surprised?"

No, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "You were on the suspect list."

"Even with my own daughter missing? I'm wounded. I was quite clean in my tracks. I suppose you suspected all the faculty equally so."

"No, I didn't." That was the truth. "I suspected you the day you stepped into my manor."

"You need not bluff to save face."

I clenched my fist. "Why do you think I didn’t accept your case outright? My suspicion began with your adamant insistence for me to accept the case instead of the Yard. That, and your watch."

He raised a brow. "My watch?"

"You had set it an hour forwards, suggesting you were in France recently, coincidently around the same time the French smugglers attempted to thieve the queen's diadem. Your scapegoats. As was Irene Diaz. You used her to steal the diadem and framed her as part of the heist. You orchestrated everything from the shadows, using Jason as your puppet."

"Miss Diaz was never intended to be part of any of this; she was merely a test subject for the Stone of Lethe." Delacourt brought the book to his face, a gilt alchemy book I had seen before. He unhurriedly flipped its pages.

"The alchemist who wrote that," I said, "it was Basel Phantomhive. My ancestor."

"She," corrected Delacourt. "Female alchemists often assumed male names for their works to be taken seriously. Her real name was Basille. She was quite a skilled alchemist, who I'm sure would be delighted to have you in her abode."

"Her abode?"

Take a look around you. This academy. All of it, was originally the dwelling of Basille Phantomhive. This very place we stand is where she conducted her alchemy experiments. Before I refurbished the academy, it was but a derelict building from centuries of disuse. Starting the academy not only provided a convenient means to gather the necessary girls, but also to have her invaluable alchemy books in my possession."

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you want with her books?"

He ignored my question. "The watch was the only thing that arouse suspicion? I must say, it's not much."

The nerve.

"There was also your reaction," I said. "Two fathers with missing daughters show up at the manor. One distraught, desperate, on the edge of madness, and the other, not at all."

He paused to consider. "Acting has never been my forte. Nonetheless you accepted the case as I knew you would once your cousin went missing." A slight smile played below his mustache. "I was on the suspect list, past tense. What exactly took me off?"

"When the ballroom debacle happened, you were in the thick of the mess along with the rest of us. You were never near any of the disappearances. However, if you had roped in someone to do the legwork...well, that certainly changes the equation."

"So only the watch and the bad acting then?" He read a page, not sparing me a glance.

"No, I also received information from a helpful source that the perpetrator would be found in the number 12. And you carelessly divulged to the rival school’s headmistress at the Christmas feast that your birthday fell two days before Valentine’s Day. February the twelfth—coincidently one of the answers to the ciphers."

"Ciphers..." Delacourt’s expression hardened. "Jason?"

"Father."

The boy materialized from the shadows, and he didn't even look at me. The dots connected slow as the shadows creeping at sunset. 7891011 12 translated to Jason D, and the D stood for Delacourt. His surname. His son.

"Were you the helpful source?" Delacourt asked softly. Dangerously.

"I simply thought it’d be amusing if the Queen's watchdog, who prided herself on solving puzzles, unwittingly landed herself into our nets because of them."

"Did I tell you to?" His eyes glinted. The cane came down, a vicious flicker of movement. It struck Jason's arm, the skin already purple as storm-clouds. "Do not forget, your sister's fate lies in your hands."

So it was blackmail.

Jason's face turned chalk-white, but he remained silent.

"His sister," I said, repulsed. "Not your daughter?"

"Step-daughter," said Delacourt. "Step. Both Jason and Isabella."

"I doubt had they been blood related, that would have made an ounce of difference." Madame Red flashed in my mind. Her tinkling laughter during our chess games, her warm hand ruffling my hair with fondness, the blade in hand ready to strike me.

"The moon will reach fullness in a few more moments," said Delacourt. "Gather yourself together, boy. We need to begin."

Think, think. I needed to stall. "Twelve alchemical steps, twelve zodiac signs, twelve birthstones. It's all for the twelve keys." I rambled on. "You stole the queen's diadem because it had all twelve stones. I must say I'm rather surprised you thieved from Her Majesty. You held her in highest esteem. Her word was absolute truth to you."

"Exactly—was." The furrows on his forehead deepened, and he gave me a strange look. "After some revelations, I could no longer think of Queen Victoria in the same way. To pilfer from her would be a fitting betrayal. It worked out nicely enough as who else would have the highest quality gems?"

"I presume that is desirable. In creating the philosopher's stone."

Delacourt sighed. "The philosopher's stone has become too sensationalized. It is not a stone."

"Then what is it?"

"An elixir of sorts." His lips twitched and his gaze swiveled back to the book in hand.

"Only eleven girls," I said. "But you need twelve for whatever hermetic ritual you're planning. One girl for each key. I suppose I am the last one. Sagittarius. You used my cousin as bait to lure me here."

"A recurring weak point, isn't it? Remarkable how she makes the queen's watchdog turn into a puppy." His tone dripped with condescension." But I confess I wanted you for some time. And not for your zodiac sign."

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean?"

"You'll soon find out."

"The Stone of Lethe," I said, buying time. "How does it work?"

"May I propose a demonstration?" Delacourt gestured to Jason with his cane, then Lizzie.

"Your sabre," said Jason, throwing her a sword. "And your target." He pointed at me.

Lizzie raised her arm and swiped down—hard. I staggered sideways, my shoulders hitting the hard limestone wall. Lizzie struck again. Her moves were sharp and brilliant, the glitter of her sabre, a flash of lightning. She aimed for my leg. I cried out. A jolt of searing pain, and my cousin looked on, reaction-less. All the warmth had fallen from her like a garment to the floor.

I was on the floor. "Lizzie," I pleaded. "It's me."

The headmaster watched on with amusement. "The Stone of Lethe works in a relatively simple way. Similar to mesmerism. The hypnotist puts one in a trance and a trigger breaks it."

"What's the trigger?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

I considered the night Irene Diaz was caught stealing the diadem, the trance-like state I had found her in. But she broke out of that state on her own, hadn't she?

I replayed that night in my head. Irene had faced me, dull eyes, a vague smile, the Queen's diadem in hand. The Scotland Yard hounds barked, and she had dropped the diadem to the floor, rapidly coming into awareness. Could the dogs have been the trigger?

Lizzie advanced, and I inched backwards until my head pressed against the wall. Delacourt snapped his fingers and the other girls came behind Lizzie.

My thoughts raced. The barks caused Irene to snap out of the trance. Was it the loud sound or something else—I froze. Irene Diaz and her beloved Pekingese dogs. The dogs she had taken to when I had found her in the alley. That was it.

In order to break the trance, a trigger was needed. Something distinctly important to a person. For the opera singer, that was her adored dogs.

My mind whirred the speed of light, my nerves ran lightning, but the world around me slowed to a crawl. Like creeping rust. Every direction I turned, dull unnerving eyes stared back. The girls had cornered me. Jason's face turned hard as Lizzie raised her sabre wielding hand and swung down at me. I braced myself.

A shadow flitted in front of me and a suited arm parried the strike.

"Sebastian..."

"You had only one thing to do," he said, "and you couldn't even manage that." His brow crinkled. "Your ability to fling yourself into trouble is most impressive."

"Hmpf, I see you've regained a modicum of control."

Lizzie aimed for me again, acting as though Sebastian wasn't even there. The butler took on the blow, unflinching, but it must've taken more of his energy than he let on for his eyes lost their human facade. Slitted eyes were trained on Lizzie's moving blade.

"Use the Stone of Lethe on him," Delacourt snarled.

"But he...he's a—" The words faltered on Jason's lips. How could one succinctly describe a creature spawned from the underworld? A thing that should not have existed.

"Hurry up, boy."

He broke his frozen stare at Sebastian. "It's somewhere on me."

Delacourt gripped his cane. "It better be."

Sebastian's eyes crinkled, almost gleeful. "Your trinket might work on humans, but it won't work on me."

Jason rummaged through his pockets, taking his time. Stalling.

"My, aren't you being wishy washy." Sebastian held me close, his hand gripping my waist possessively, and his lips curled. "With that mindset, you've lost the battle in your mind before you even fought it in the real world."

"Lizzie," Jason called to her. "Your target is him."

The girl ran at blurring speed and twirled in the air like a ballerina gone rogue; an angelic assassin. She thrust her sword at Sebastian's middle. He dodged it, barely.

"Don't hurt her," I shouted to Sebastian.

With the demon occupied, Jason quickly brought the Stone of Lethe to my eyes. My reflection stared back at me. My face transforming; dull faced, blank-eyed.

Jason dipped his head and whispered into my ear, "Kiss me." The boy relished the look of revulsion on Sebastian's face as he warded off Lizzie.

My feet moved slowly, sluggishly to Jason. He carded his hand through my hair and his breath danced on my cupid's bow. He tipped my jaw upward. My lips grazed his own, firm and open, when he grunted sharply.

He stumbled back, clutching his rib. His eyes flashed to Sebastian, but the butler stood twenty feet away, parrying with Lizzie. Sebastian smirked briefly over his shoulder.

"What on—" Jason blinked. "How...?"

"Despite my frame, I am capable of instilling a jab when necessary." I smiled at the boy. "The stone currently in your possession is a mere facsimile that Sullivan created before you abducted her. Sebastian planted the fake in the grand piano, which you stole."

"Clever," said Delacourt. "But I can easily find the whereabouts of the real stone."

"How?"

"Through this." He flipped the pages of the alchemy book, the name Basel Phantomhive glinting in gold. "Your ancestor was a remarkable alchemist who compiled various occult conjurations. A panacea of sorts. Something for everything. A particularly intriguing conjuration speaks of locating nearby objects." The headmaster recited from the book, archaic Latin-based phrases, and picked up his cane. "This becomes a dowsing tool. It uses muscle movements caused by subconscious mental activity." He closed his eyes, wrinkled his brows in concentration, and threw the cane high in the air. It fell with a strident clatter, the gilt handle pointing to Sebastian.

"It's always the butler, isn't it?" Delacourt sighed. "Jason, retrieve it."

The boy took in Sebastian's slitted eyes and swallowed. "I don't think I can—"

"Don't tell me, tell your sister that."

Jason clenched his hands. "Lizzie, your opponent is no longer the butler." Lizzie tilted her head, her feet unmoving, and Jason walked toward her. "Your new opponent." He traced the blade of her sword, seamlessly following it until his finger landed on her wrist.

My stomach dropped. "You wouldn't. You still need her for the ritual."

"She is replaceable. Do you think she is the only girl who falls under the required zodiac sign?"

"You won't find another one that quickly. The moon has almost reached its peak."

"Would you like to try me?" He smiled hard.

Lizzie picked her sword, the blade no longer facing outward. The tip grazed her torso.

"Stop," I breathed.

"It's useless," said Jason. "Unless your butler hands me the stone, that is."

"Sebastian," I said quietly. "Give it to him."

"Young mistress—"

"Just bloody do it!"

Frowning, the butler sighed and slipped his hand under his cuffs. The ring gleamed in the air, and Jason caught it.

"You lot, take care of the butler." The headmaster gestured to the other girls, and they turned on Sebastian. Lizzie reversed the blade of her sword and dashed headlong, a moving thunder-bolt, fighting him with all her might. Sullivan jabbed her needle-sharp compass into the butler's neck. Angelica and Alice joined in with fencing swords as the other girls lunged at him.

"Shall I call them off?" Delacourt chuckled, tapping his cane on the floor. "The Scotland Yard bloodhounds are nothing compared to this." He watched as one of the girls rammed the pin of her broach hard into Sebastian's shoulder. "They make excellent bitches, don't they?"

His words stung like a lash. "You vile cockroach."

Sebastian grunted against a blow from Lizzie and his eyes glowed a startling crimson. His shadow blurred on the ground, transforming into something black and amorphous. They extended from him like appendages and wrapped themselves around the girls.

"Bloody hell—" Delacourt inhaled sharply. Fear writ his face, like Macbeth before the ghost of Banquo. "What the devil are you?"

"Why, just that." His eyes danced at the headmaster, flames of sulfur.

"It can't be..."

"It is," said Jason. "I've seen it with my own eyes. He's...it's not of this world."

Delacourt's eyes shone bright. He flipped the pages of the alchemy book. "In that case, we have just found ourselves the perfect subject to experiment with. Jason, this one." He showed his son a page from the book.

While the girls swarmed Sebastian, Jason left Delacourt's side and from his pocket, he retrieved a small vial of black silvery liquid and coated his finger thickly. He lingered around the perimeter of them and drew a geometric pattern around the butler. The outline of a pentacle.

Sebastian tittered behind his shoulder. "In my millennia of existence, do you think others have not already tried?"

Delacourt opened the book to a page and his forehead creased in concentration. "Per lunam, sit mundita, purgatio, et sanctimonia."

Let there be purity, cleansing, and sanctity by the moon.

Sebastian paused. The marking glowed on the shadowy floor, bright as a full moon on the blackest night. Jason gestured to the girls and they retreated like obedient soldiers. Sebastian tried to step forth—and couldn't. His slitted eyes flared. A barrier. He was tethered within the pentacle. My eyes widened. To bound a demon, Baselie Phantomhive was no ordinary alchemist.

Delacourt's mustache twitched. "Now, the first key." The man placed his hand over the bubbling crucible. "It's heated enough. Jason, begin calcination." His step-son wordlessly stepped forth. "The dragon, antimony and fire," Delacourt translated the hermetic imagery. "Conjunction of the two first agents."

Jason dropped the lustrous grey chemical into the vessel, and a crackling echoed in the chambers. When the sound dissipated, he deposited a brilliant stone into the mixture. The diamond from the Queen's diadem. The birthstone of the first zodiac sign, Aries. He reached for his sister's hand and with a pained expression, lowered her hand into the crucible. Her finger dipped into the solution and the vessel hissed.

An ocean of liquid silver darkened though Isabella's finger bloomed angry red. If she were in pain, her blank face concealed it.

"And in the second key, dissolution," said Delacourt, "the dragon gives the Regulus."

Angelica went next. The second key. Taurus. An emerald was dropped and her hand was forcibly lowered into the vessel. Followed by Sullivan. Gemini. A pearl splashed into the mixture and then her hand. A crackle like a thunder-clap, and I shuddered.

Jason performed each step in a maddening rhythm. A mechanic repetition like the cogs of a wheel. One girl at a time, a stone for each; one chemical then another, and the mixture changed colors. It blackened then whitened. Nigredo and albedo. Which meant the next phases were citrinitas and rubedo. The yellowing, then reddening. The final phase.

"Cibation," said the headmaster.

The 7th key. And the 7th sign was Libra. Lizzie.

The girl stepped forth and hands hung loosely at her sides. Jason dropped an opal into the slosh and instead of adding a chemical compound, this time he retrieved a needle. He pricked Lizzie's finger.

"The feeding of the contents with fresh material," explained Delacourt.

A drop of crimson touched the mixture, followed by the girl's finger. The mixture sputtered from a porcelain white to amber yellow.

The 8th key proceeded, and my turn was fast approaching. Panic numbed my senses and I slowly, silently turned to Sebastian.

Sebastian and his shadowy tendrils tried to breach the pentacle from all sides. They moved wildly, fiercely. Whipping the barrier but never crossing it. Impossible. The beast was caged. An enraged lion shaking the bars of its prison; a snarling beast robbed of its prey.

"Sebastian—"

A swift motion, and the deepest blue snatched my vision. Jason had brought the Stone of Lethe to my eyes. "I'm sorry..."

I was slipping, falling deep. Everything was underwater. The world vague and hazy, a dream existing within reality. Jason dropped a winter blue gem into the mixture, and his lips moved, but the words didn't penetrate my mind; they floated around my head, illusive. My feet moved heavy and slow, wading through quicksand. A crucible in front, and my finger dipped into the vessel.

A furious howl. The animalistic cry of my name, and something in me stirred. Sebastian called out for me. Not young mistress. Not the name of my twin. My real name. Me. The name he had hoarded in his mouth and now let slip, cutting into my soul like a knife.

"Sebastian...?" I blinked languidly. It was like resurfacing from the ocean. My vision, my body, my mind slowly regained lucidity.

The demon swore, and I followed his gaze to my hand. My finger was wet. Coated in the glowing mixture.

"I must commend you creature," said Delacourt. "You figured out the trigger, but it matters not."

He was right. It didn't matter at all because I had just completed the ninth key.

Too late to turn the clock.

Notes:

thank you for reading along! apologies if this chapter reads a bit rough. You can blame that on my self-imposed deadline XD The plan is still to finish this fic this year, which is T-2 weeks (eeeeeps).

Chapter 26: The Philosopher's Stone

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

The elixir reddened like angry skies, and the colour only deepened with the tenth key. The eleventh key, and heat dissipated from the crucible in waves. Like a sudden blast from an opened door of a furnace, over and over. When Alice completed the twelfth key, the crucible seethed, the sound of a wildfire. Ruby-red dust shimmered in the air.

"The final step, projection." Delacourt stared into the crucible and his eyes frenetically roved along the swirls of liquid, brilliant-red. He was in a world of his own. "The philosopher's stone. To see it materialize...breathtaking."

"It's done," said Jason. "Now release my sister. All of them."

"Very well, I gave you my word and my word I shall keep." Words of another tongue, and the strange spell broke. The girls collapsed to the floor like drooping lilies. The headmaster faced me calmly, his eyes hollows of calculating madness. "One more step remains."

"That... you can't, I mean—" Jason's voice rose. "It's not necessary. You said so."

"You're right. It's not necessary, but desirous nonetheless."

"But it might not work," he said. "Basille Phantomhive never finished the instructions for the conjuration."

"There's a reason for that." A strange gleam in the headmaster's eyes. "Because it worked."

"What..?"

"In order to increase the philosopher's power tenfold, the summoner’s life force was added after the twelve keys were successfully completed."

"Damn it," Jason said under his breath.

The floor below Sebastian's feet cracked, and the glow around the pentacle grew fainter.

Jason's eyes turned hard and flew back to his father. "It's weakening you know."

The shadows dimmed the glow of the mark and bright roiling liquid inside the crucible. A blackhole swallowing a star.

"I don't know how much longer the seal will hold it," said Jason.

"It is fine," said Delacourt. "We are almost done here." The man strode to me and grabbed my wrist, pulling all my weight with it.

I bite back a strangled cry. "The hell are you doing?"

"A perfect revenge," he said. "The aristocrat of evil. Interfering in revolting ways, wielding power over the Yard like an arrogant prick. Doing the evil Queen's evil works....well no more." A sharp angry howl by the beast. "The final step was the alchemist herself, Basille Phantomhive. But I have the next best thing. Her descendant."

"That-that doesn't make sense. What would Basille Phantomhive sacrifice herself?"

His eyes glowed. "To stop a greater evil."

"Like?"

"Perhaps if you open your eyes, you'd see who is the true villain. It is not I, nor you." Delacourt gazed at the crucible pensively. "With this, we might stand a chance."

I narrowed my eyes. "A chance against who?"

"The one who indirectly gifted you the mark of the beast." Delacourt pushed up his sleeve to reveal two twined snakes marring his skin. The same mark the cultists had branded into me. I felt sick.

"Wasn't that you?" I spat.

"It was us, yes," he said. "But we did not burn down your manor. We did not harm your predecessor. We were simply in the right place at the right time. Basille's bloodlines were lost ages ago, but the order of Magnus Scorpii had finally traced it. To you and your twin."

"Magnus Scorpii?"

"The cult," replied Delacourt. "All those in the Magnus Scorpii share your mark." The man pulled up his sleeve to reveal the sickening image. "Even my son Jason bears the mark, though my daughter Isabelle put up a noble fight for she wanted nothing to do with it."

My mind reeled. "I don't understand. Why would you, a member of the cult, be commissioner of Scotland Yard?"

"My post at Scotland Yard was under the request of Magnus Scorpii. An insider necessary to obfuscate cases the Magnus Scorpii was involved in. It was all for a greater cause. For this."

He dipped my hand into the churning liquid, and it hissed.The mixture glowed like embers and bathed the headmaster in blinding golden light. A nimbus of power exuded around him, radiating heat, bright as lightning.

I dropped to my knees. "What did you do—" I trembled on the ground, every bone in my body quaking. I lolled to the floor, the world a haze.

The pentacle holding Sebastian vanished into the floor and in a second, he was by my side. "Young mistress!"

Warm hands held me up to his face. "Sebastian...I didn't think you'd get it before the contract ended."

"It hasn't ended yet," he said in a strange tone. His usually sturdy hands were no longer steady. One might think the demon felt something.

I forced a smile and my eyes grew heavy. Sharp shouts of my name. But not only from Sebastian.

Jason.

"Take this," the boy said to Sebastian. He held out a blurry metal object. "It's a mixture using the nectar of Datura and other flowers of medicinal properties."

"And why ever should I believe you?" Sebastian turned to him like a thunder-cloud. "My mistress is like this because of your doing."

The boy's eyes flashed. "Look, do you want to save her or not? I worked on this in my dorm for weeks. An antidote for Cielle." He kneeled to the floor, and my hazy vision made out a pewter hip flask above me. "Please, just let me."

Cold metal touched my lips, and liquid dribbled. I couldn't move. My eyes drifted low, and Jason swore. He raised the flask to his mouth, but Sebastian grasped his wrist.

"It is not in your place to do so, especially since my mistress is in this state due to your cowardice." Sebastian narrowed his eyes and snatched the vial from the boy.

The hold on my back vanished. Sebastian rested me on his knees while his other hand held up the hip-flask. He swigged it down but didn't swallow. Warm, wet lips pressed against mine and bite down. A surging tide flowed into my mouth. A sharp note like bitter almond, something fragrant and floral, then a rush of fiery coolness. Liquid lightning. The potent taste coated my tongue and stung my throat. When the last remnants of liquid disappeared, I tasted nothing but him.

Hands racked through my hair, and he kissed me fiercely, desperately. I stirred through half-lidded eyes, but only to see a pair of glowing eyes that bore into my own. Drip by drip, lucidity trickled back. His lips were still anchored on mine though the elixir was long gone. I moved them against his. Hands twisted in my hair and dug into my waist. A trance of tongue. A trembling fire. He invaded all my senses, and I melted into him. Dissolved into him. The world around stilled, like the silent moment between thunder and lightning, despite the rumbles erupting outside.

He might’ve found my essence exhilarating, but little did he know I found his own the same. I parted my lips wider to taste it, that heady essence. The taste of him. I wanted more of it, but it would never be enough.

"Are you quite finished?" Jason's cold, indifferent voice.

Sebastian wrenched himself away from me and breathed hard. "How do you feel?"

"I'll manage," I whispered and swaying, took Sebastian's sturdy hands for support. I pulled myself to my feet and leaned against the butler.

Delacourt clapped. He had been quietly watching. "Quite lucky. I didn't think you'd manage that." He expression sharpened in thought and he spoke slowly. "With your underhandedness and that abominable weapon at your disposal," —his eyes flicked to Sebastian—"perhaps it would be wise for you to join me. We are on the same side after all. You want revenge against the one who brought the Phantomhive's downfall, and so do I."

"You must be madder than I thought if you think I'd willingly join you."

"In that case, I'm forced to rid you from the equation."

Delacourt curled his hands into a ball, brimming with power. Hot, fizzling energy collected in his grasp and he uncurled his fingers. Sebastian and I were flung backwards like toy dolls. The butler to the cold stone wall and me to his chest. I breathed out carefully, gripping Sebastian's lapels with both hands. The man had held his own against a demon. Diamond cut diamond. No, the headmaster had overtaken the creature.

Jason outstretched his hand. "Father, please—"

"You have some nerve to address me that after you betrayed me."

A flash of light and Jason fell to the floor. A moan and then unnerving silence.

"Sebastian..." I raised myself on his lap and took in his bruised cheek, his tattered uniform, his hell-fire eyes. My voice grew quiet. "Can you take him?"

"Please do not ask, young mistress. Simply give me an order."

"Very well." My contracted eyes blazed fervently. "Take him out."

"Yes, young mistress." Sebastian aimed for Delacourt, swerving around the fizzing pulses of energy. But barely. Blast after blast, the headmaster was unrelenting. Sebastian dodged them like his own shadow. The headmaster was clever. With a infinite source of power at his disposal, he didn't give creature an opportunity to attack, forcing him in a perpetual defensive state.

"Getting tired, you thing?" Delacourt jeered.

"Hardly." Sebastian darted like a speeding black stallion, dodging a fire-blue blast, but Delacourt jabbed the energy fused cane into his torso—hard. A spear-thrust. The butler grunted sharply, and Delacourt struck again.

With Delacourt occupied, I sprinted towards the fallen girls. I rushed to Lizzie and shook her by the shoulders. "Lizzie, please wake up."

Several moments trickled by, and then she finally stirred. "Where am I...Cielle?"

"Oh Lizzie." I threw my hands around her, and the girl nearly toppled back to the floor. "You're finally you."

"Have I not been me...?" Her warm hands unwrapped themselves from me, and she looked around the space. The sabres at her feet, the others girls lying around her, the match between Sebastian and Delacourt. Her face went white. She covered her mouth with a hand. "The headmaster..."?

"I'll explain later, but right now—"

"What's going on...?" Sullivan groaned, clutching her head. The rest of the girls were waking. Like flowers in water, they slowly revived. When they came to, their eyes fixated on Sebastian and the headmaster's poisonous duel. Isabella however, only had eyes for the boy lying on the ground.

"Jason!" She ran to her brother, stumbling every step. Her dark mass of hair flowed around her like an inky sea. She pulled his limp body to her chest, face wet.

"Isa...bella?"

"Shsh. Don't move, I'm right here." Her eyes mirrored her brother's, welling with emotion. "Foolish of you to do what you did."

"I'd burn down the world for you."

"What on earth..." Angelica stiffened and blinked as though thinking she was in a dream. When she realized she wasn't that lucky, she voiced the question in the other girls' minds. "Phantomhive, what the bloody hell is going on?"

"A lot." I stood. "In a summary, the headmaster abducted you lot to create the philosopher's stone." I looked at Jason and Isabella, both in their private world. After some deliberation, I left Jason out of it. "And he succeeded."

"The elixir of immortality," Sullivan whispered.

"Among other things," I said.

Lizzie bite her lip. "Well, what can we do now?"

"Stop him," I said.

"How?" asked Isabella. She still held Jason tight. "If he succeeded, then it's pointless for us."

Jason didn't meet her eyes, but I met his.

"Are you finally going to helpful?"

"I swear to you, Cielle, I don't know to undo any of this bloody mess."

"So that's a no. Typical."

Sullivan frowned. "The essence of alchemy is chemistry, something we've all studied. Perhaps...we can use that knowledge to our advantage."

"Of course, we can." Angelica's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Because science is the solution to supernatural predicaments."

"Well, why not?" I glared at Angelica. "Well, if you have a better solution, let's hear it." She didn't say anything. "Thought so."

Sullivan stared at the crucible. "Perhaps we can reverse the reaction."

"The alchemy book," I said. "A torn page from it read 'for every action, there must be an equal', but the rest of the sentence was cut-off. But it's rather obvious."

Jason almost smiled. "It's been drummed into our heads, hasn't it?"

"What are you talking about?" Alice asked Sullivan.

"Perhaps if you'd pay attention in class, you'd know." Sullivan crossed her arms. "For every action, there must be an equal and opposite reaction."

"Equal and opposite," I repeated to myself, and a idea began to form. "If we perform the twelve keys in reversed order..."

"I don't know," said Sullivan. "It's like grappling at straws, but if the page with that principle was torn out of the book,...well, perhaps there is something to it."

"The page that was torn," said Jason. "It wasn't me. He did it, so Sullivan might be right."

Sullivan's eyes glistened with resolve. "How did your father perform the twelve keys?"

Jason quickly recounted to her. To all of the girls.

"Even if we fish out the gems," said Sullivan. "We'll still be missing one important thing. Or rather, person."

"What?" asked Lizzie.

"The headmaster." Jason's face darkened. "If the last step required him to touch the mixture, then he must first make contact with the remnants in the crucible."

Angelica sulked. "Ask him to stick his hand into the pot, why don't you."

"I'll make sure of it." I fixed my gaze on Sebastian. My contracted eye tingled. When he caught my stare, I darted my eyes to the alchemy book, then the crucible. He nodded, understanding.

The butler knocked the alchemy book out of Delacourt’s hand and threw it into the crucible. The man flew after the book, his hand extended. A swirl of golden light, and it carried the book to him. He wiped the crucible's shimmering residue off of it.

I smiled at the liquid on his hand.

Delcaourt raised his hand, palm facing Sebastian. A hissing blast of energy, and Sebastian swerved. The headmaster caught us from the corner of his eyes. The gemstones Jason had fished out from the crucible, the tenth key completed and me about to perform ninth key. His eyes burned like an altar-fire.

The headmaster averted Sebastian's blows and brought his cane down on my wrist. I let out a sharp cry, and the remaining gems clattered to the floor, inches from Delacourt's feet. A vindictive smile on his lips, a blinding flash of light, and the gems turned to glittering dust right before my eyes.

Notes:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I hope you have a wonderful time filled with sweets and treats. And sleep. That's an important one XD I really ought to take my own advice.

anyways, don't mind me if this chapter and the next are a bit rough. Still on track to finish this story by new years (tentatively, we'll see; if not, well, it'll be finished in the next few weeks)

ONLY TWO CHAPTERS LEFT WHAT.

Sebastian's Secret

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Delacourt had crushed the gems into a powder of rainbow lying on the floor.

Jason stared at it with dark sea-green eyes. "Shite, shite, shite."

"We can't recover them," Sullivan breathed.

"If we don't complete the next step soon," said Jason, "all our efforts will be meaningless."

The rich color of the liquid was fading. Fast. I racked my mind for a solution and like an archery bow zipping to its mark, something struck.

I pulled up my sleeve to reveal the gemstone bracelet. Twelve small stones gleamed. The birthstones.

"My bracelet," Lizzie whispered.

I broke the gem charms off the bracelet and handed the gems to the rest of the girls with the corresponding zodiac sign. I kept the winter blue zircon, my birthstone. Sagittarius.

Sebastian continued to stall Delacourt. Out of breath, trying his best to distract Delacourt. His usually precise and fluid movements faltered. I exchanged worried glances at him in between the rest of the alchemy steps.

Angelica lifted her chin. "We can manage the rest. Go to your Professor Sinclair."

Perhaps I had underestimated the girl's perspicacity. Sebastian wasn't even in his guise.

"How did you know?"

"It's rather obvious. Whenever you look at him, it's the same look you gave the violin instructor." She sniffed. "Nauseating, really."

I grimaced. "Very well."

I darted towards him. "Sebast—" A brilliant searing surge of gold. Sebastian took the brunt of the headmaster's spell and fell atop me. He lay still.

"Sebastian. Sebastian!"

I buried my face into his chest. Damn it.

The headmaster cornered us. "Look like your game has ended."

The butler stirred. Just in time to see catch a powerful sphere of energy pulsating from Delacourt's palms. He aimed them at us. I clutched Sebastian tightly and—a grunt.

Delacourt had dropped to his knees, and the spheres dissipated into nothingness.

Isabelle Delacourt must've performed the last step of Aries.

The headmaster shuddered and his body radiated a spectrum of colour. The prism of lights split into twelve directions, returning to each of the girls. They fell to the ground, their senses overloaded as was mine.

The liquid in the crucible still fizzled. I crawled on my elbows, mustering some strength, and threw the Stone of Lethe into the vessel. It crackled violently, dissolving, and a rain of blue shards sprayed the air. Sebastian covered my head with his arms as the crucible sputtered like the last bit of a firework.

The transfer was complete, the stone destroyed, but one thing still remained.

Holding each other, Sebastian and I pulled ourselves to our feet.

"Who was it?" I demanded the headmaster.

The man writhed like a flickering flame. "It was...her."

"Who?" I said sharply.

"The-the k..." His lips stopped moving.

"Don't you bloody dare. Open your eyes and tell me."

He didn't. I swore under my breath.

"If it brings you any solace," said Sebastian. "Knowing who it was won't bring them back."

I threw arms around Sebastian and collapsed onto him. He lifted me, resting me on his arm. An ungloved hand wiped a teardrop from my stinging eyes.

"Don't."

"You did well," he whispered. His mouth grazed the side of my face.

"You don't have your glove on," I said quietly. "Didn't you say it's improper for a butler to touch their mistress without one?"

"Does it bother you?"

I intertwined my fingers with his bare ones. "Hardly..."

"I apologize for addressing you by your first name." He stroked my thumb with his. "Nonetheless, I'm flattered that my informal address served as your trigger. Something distinctly important to a person, was it?"

"Oh, shut up." My forehead bumped his. "It wasn't anything you didn't already know I suppose."

"Indeed."

I stared at his parted mouth, the slight curve at the edges, and leaned against them. Loud shouts in the backdrop—

Sebastian let me down and stood by my side, a silent shadow. Miss Hulda led a Scotland Yard official through the secret entrance. Abberline.

He burst through the room and stilled at the sight of the former commissioner and all of the girls. "What the deuce—"

"How did you find the secret entrance?" I asked.

"That was the vice chancellor’s doing. She had apparently seen Delacourt enter the music hall one night and when she entered in herself, he was nowhere to be seen. You can imagine her confusion."

Miss Hulda quietly spoke. "I wasn't blind. I struggled with my suspicions of him for quite some time, especially since he had given the impression that he was doing everything in his power to see that the girls—including his own daughter—returned safely."

"So it's true then. Lord Randall—the headmaster...he did all of this." Abberline shook his head. "It is a sad day when a former officer turns to crime. But why did he...?" Bit by bit, the inspector took in the space. The blue shards littered on the floor, the alchemical inscriptions on the walls. "Lady Phantomhive...what is all of this?"

"I don't think you want answers you aren't ready to hear." I grimaced. "Besides the grimy underworld of criminals is hardly your territory."

Miss Hulda gazed at the weary-eyed girls. "Who will oversee the academy now?"

"Perhaps you can," Sebastian said. "You already performed the duties of the headmaster while he retained the title. Now you can have both."

"I don't see why not," said Abberline. "We'll need someone to quickly pick up the post until the matter is settled."

"I—very well." The woman tried to conceal a smile of delight and failed. "Shall I take the girls back to their quarters?"

"If you would be so kind."

A tip of his hat and Miss Hulda escorted the girls through the not-so-secret entryway. I frowned. Jason and his sister were nowhere to be seen. And neither was the alchemy book.

I mentally swore. Jason must've taken it.

"Thank you," Abberline said, turning to me with a grumble. "For single-handedly rescuing them. If the Yard were notified, you can be sure we would've assisted."

"I didn't." I didn't have to correct him. But it would be blasphemous not to say anything. Especially now. I looked at Sebastian, his bruised face and tired eyes. "I couldn't have done it without my butler."

"Oh, is that so? You have my gratitude." Abberline shook the butler's hand, as though just remembering his presence. Then he paused, mild surprise registering in his face. His mouth twitched. "Your butler has an interesting taste in fragrance."

What...? Oh. Oh.

"Pardon my interruption, sir. Young mistress, I shall retrieve the carriage." Sebastian bowed his head and tactfully excused himself. The movement of air wafted his scent towards us.

A distinct floral fragrance—my scent—over him and mine over him.

I inhaled a breath to dissipate the flush my cheeks must've shown.

The inspector cleared his throat and inspected the diadem on the floor. It was bereft of the twelve gems. He picked up a spark of white.

"A diamond." Abberline scrutinized the cracks and chips on its surface. "How peculiar for one of the hardest substances on earth to be broken in such manner." He raised a brow at me. Waiting for an explanation.

For a flicker of a moment, I teetered on speech, on the brink of revealing what really occurred. He would never believe it.

"Perhaps some things cannot be explained rationally."

The inspector casted a skeptical glance at the broken gem in his hand and then me. An unreadable expression framed his dark eyes.

"What of Irene Diaz?" I said, changing the subject.

"Her case will be cleared...once we find her to tell her that."

Oh. The silly man still thought she was on the loose.

I smiled pleasantly. " I will inform Miss Diaz right away."

He blinked. "You know her whereabouts?"

"Yes, she's somewhere on the premises at my residence."

"So you housed her this whole time." He flushed with irritation, his thick brows almost touching. "Of course, you would."

* * *

A blur of reunions at the academy, things resumed to normalcy. Almost. Parents came to collect most of the girls. Mr. Ashton with his twin daughters Arwen and Astoria, Angelica and Alice with their parents.

Angelica and Alice stiffly nodded at Sullivan as they exited the academy. As close to a thank you as they'd give anymore below their 'station.'

I sighed. Lizzie, happy to the point of tears, clutched my arm the entire time.

"Isn't it wonderful, Cielle?"

I nodded, though the sentiment didn't warm the chill inside me. We had solved the case, returned the girls, and eliminated the cult leader. Everything propelling me to the contract's completion.

"Lizzie, will you excuse me? I need to pack my belongings before leaving."

"Of course. Do you need any help?"

"No," I said immediately, and then coughed. "You carry on. I'll see you later."

My door laid halfway open, the tip of the parasol keeping the door from closing completely. A long strip of curled paper containing various words lay next to the parasol.

Another bloody cipher. And this time, in a form of a Scytale.

I snatched the long strip, wrapped it around the parasol, and the message revealed.

‘A worthy opponent. The book safe in my possession. look forward to playing our game again. next time without your butler. until then. truly yours Jane Jason Greyling.’

"Hardly safe in those hands," I muttered.

A knock on the door. Could it be...?

"Young mistress, I've retrieved the carriage."

I sighed. "About time. Took you almost an hour. Like a normal butler."

"My apologies for my normalcy." He gave no explanation to his delay.

I finally sat in the curricle and let out a worn out mumble. I was too tired to argue about his whereabouts.

Quietly we sat, and I looked through the window. Through the reflection, I caught Sebastian staring at me. A thin smile framed his mouth.

I narrowed my eyes. "This isn't the usual route to the manor."

"We are taking a small detour before returning en route. Pay no mind." He changed the subject. "You must feel relieved now that everything is solved. Miss Elizabeth and the other girls returned safe and sound, the cult-leader no more, Irene Diaz's name cleared. And we will soon have the manor to ourselves once more." His voice dipped.

I sat up straighter. "Not everything is solved. There is one small irksome matter that is still unresolved." My voice grew thick. "And a bigger one."

You know it, don't you?

"Think nothing of the trivial one," he said. "It is but trivial after all."

"That's not the point. I promised to hand the director an exceptional manuscript days ago. And for the first time, I didn't deliver." I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes. It was much too easy to concern my mind over something else. Anything else. Stalling. "I suppose even if FunTomes spirals downhill because Mr. Noble retracts his generous funding, it is a small price to pay to have Lizzie and Sullivan back."

"There might be a possibility that Mr. Noble might increase his funding."

I eyed him warily. "What are you playing at?"

"You'll see for yourself soon enough."

I peered outside the carriage window. The familiar cobblestone pavements and building disappeared.

"The coachman isn't heading to the manor..."

"Astute observation." Sebastian stuck his hand outside the window and signaled the coachman to stop. Amidst a bustling crowd.

"What on earth—"

"After you, young mistress." Sebastian opened the carriage door and offered his hand.

I stepped outside and stilled. Stalls upon stalls of colorful books. Children running around while the adults were seated in front of a modest sized table. A panel of well dressed men and women behind it.

Mr. Noble caught my arrival and rushed to greet us. The man appeared uncharacteristically in a good mood.

"You've arrived just in time for the judging."

"The what...?"

"And now," announced one of the judges, "In third place, we have the delightful The Talking Tabby represented by Harper & Co." A round of claps sounded. "In second place, a poetry book—Moon Tea and Biscuits—by Rabbit House." More applause and when the lingering clap disappeared, the man paused for dramatic effect. "For first place we have a last minute entry - a mystery-romance novel titled Book of Cipher. The publisher FunTomes shall receive the royal warrant as a mark of recognition by the royal family."

Shock paralyzed my limbs until Mr. Noble nudged me to go on stage and accept the royal warrant. I mechanically smiled, accepted the token, and glanced at the winning manuscript in hand. Its author was S. Michaelis.

Sebastian smiled discretely at me from the crowd and my breathe stilled. My legs walking of their own will, I somehow found myself back in my seat. Like an automation, my fingers flipped page after page. It was the case. Our case. Told entirely from the butler's perspective. So this was the reason behind his brief periods of absences. Because of me. My throat grew thick.

The rest of the affair flitted by like a strange dream. Handshakes, trivial conversations, business proceedings with Mr. Noble, and then I found myself back in the carriage. Sebastian beside me. The book in my lap.

I curled and uncurled my fingers. "You were working on the manuscript in your spare time."

"Under your behalf, I handed the director arcs of the story in increments. Initially the first arc and after Mr. Noble seemed pleased with it, I submitted the second arc a few days later, always following your progression with the case. I was pressed for time, but finally finished the last chapter today—two hours shy of the judging, granted under special exception."

"You managed to do all that...?"

"Well, what would you expect? After all, I'm simply one hell of a ghostwriter."

"Very punny. I wish I could disagree, but your ego deserves some praise this time."

"I am exceedingly humbled. However..." His eyes ensnared mine. "To be fair, I wouldn't have a story to write if it weren't for my mistress"

I fell stupidly silent. What could I say? How could I even find the words? I flipped through the pages quietly, reading an excerpt from the butler's point of view. I skimmed the paragraph and felt myself growing flush at the intimate details. I closed the book firmly.

The butler raised a brow. "Is it to your liking?"

"No, I don't like it." I pressed the book to my chest as the carriage rattled along. Unable to maintain my restraint any longer, I threw my arms around him, straddling his lap, and my lips touched the side of his face. "I daresay I might love it."

"I did not think that word in your vocabulary."

"Don't make me change my mind."

The butler reached to close the window curtain. A whirl of fabric, and the whispering bystanders disappeared from view. "Imagine if someone you knew saw your forward display."

"Let them," I whispered In a brazen voice. "I don't give a fig."

Sebastian sighed and adjusted me on his lap, spreading my thighs far apart on his. He carded his hands through my hair. Warm, safe. Fleeting, all this I knew. Inside the carriage, sheltered away from the world. From the contract. Just the creature and I. For a bit longer.

"Your finger," he said.

A pomegranate-red coloured the tip of my ring finger.

"Allow me, mistress."

I regarded him with skepticism. "Are you sure that is a good idea?"

"Only one way to find out." He took my finger and wound a ribbon around the cut. "It will suffice for now." He worked deliberately, his outward disposition appearing normal. But his eyes gave him away. They glowed unnaturally, a wild iridescence to them that could be described as feral even as he bandaged the skin. Finishing, he released my hand and politely averted his eyes from me. And gazed at the window in quiet thought. As if he were prim and proper.

"You're managing rather well." I tilted my head. "Has your control returned?"

"Something like that," he said.

You're not getting off so easily.

I pressed him. "How, exactly?"

"I found something else, a much more powerful substitute that is holding me off for now."

"And that is...?"

"I myself cannot put it into words," he said after some time.

"Well, bloody try."

"Very well." A deep sigh. "It's something undefinable. Powerful, all-consuming. This bond between us, and I am not talking about the contract. It has an absolute nature—infinite, boundless." His words made me shiver. "This feeling is as close as a demon can get to feeling. I suppose this is what is overpowering my need to revert to my true form and ravage you right now as my true being calls me to." His eyes sharpened. "I believe I found my control in you."

My mouth went dry. "Is that so?"

"Additionally, it also emphasizes the merits of delayed gratification. I suppose it's synonymous with preferring to indulge with a lover for an entire night, satiating oneself so absolutely that the affair is forevermore engrained in one's mind versus a short session at the local brothel that would be forgotten by next week. Simply put, I want to ravish you. For myself. I have come to realize it—whatever, it is—is a rare elusive thing to possess and to let it slip within one's grasp like wisps of London fog would be a mockery and—" Sebastian's brow twitched. "You're smirking."

"You really are hopeless. And obliviously stupid."

The creature's nostrils flared. "Beg your pardon?"

I kissed him.

His eyes flared this time before his arms wrapped themselves around my waist. I moved my mouth against his parting lips. Slowly, he stroked me with his tongue, winding them around mine. His taste coated my mouth, and I wanted more of it. To be marked by the beast in every way possible. His scent to claim me, his bite marks to blemish my skin, to be tainted by him. No, to be cleansed and purged by him. Sebastian kissed me with such an intensity unlike before. A kiss that nearly made me forget my own name.

I pulled away from him, breaking the thread of spittle connecting us. He licked it away and dabbed his mouth. "My, that was rather...unexpected."

#black butler fanfiction