Blood, blood is the foundation of life, good and evil is the foundation of all morality. In this world there are those who are called demons that are born with supernatural strength, speed and some even having abilities that can rip apart armies and nations, these demons are extremely rare and are called Commandments. In the year 1340 a group that called themselves the ten commandments appeared in the country of Japan, taking the country in a matter of days because of there unimaginable strength and abilities. Over the years they have taken country after country taking the entirety of the east and starting a war with the west that doesn't seem to be slowing down. But there are those who are born with the will and bodies to take on the blood of these demons and they are called, Crows; the Crows take the blood of demons through an act called transfusion, giving them a fighting chance against the demons and there incomprehensible power. But even though these who give up there bodies, freedom, lifestyles and even their lives are looked down upon by the people they are sworn to protect and serve because of the vile act of sharing blood with a demon.
Year: 1837 22nd September.
As the sun sets over the vast smoking city of London so does the eyes of a young man, a young man who has come home from what seems like a lifetime of hunting. As he passes through the bustling streets of London that smells like a cyanide city and unknown amounts of alcohol, he thinks of all the people he's lost protecting those who will never know his name and the names of his comrades that have died fighting the demonic threat. As he reaches his family home he sighs at the sight of it through his rickety carriage windows, upon reaching it the driver opens the door for the young man, showing a set of maids and butlers that are eagerly awaiting for their master who has been away for so long. The young man left the carriage to show his long since hidden face to them; he had long deep Crimson red hair tied into a ponytail that looked like it had been dipped in a pool of blood, eyes so blue that comparing them to the sky would be like comparing a fine blade to a dull kitchen knife, skin so smooth and pale it was like snow that had been set for a hundred years upon the top of the world's highest mountain, a muscular build that suited him finely at 5"10 in his formal clothes that he hadn't to wear in a while and a look across his face that had a sense of calmness to it even though he seemed rather nervous.
"It's good to be home!" He said with a sweet voice to his servants as he smiled at them approaching the large doors that were giant pieces of wood compared to him, as he reached for the doors they opened as if by themselves but as he looked up he saw two butlers holding them open with shaking hands. He sighed for it was strange to him after so long of doing everything himself. As he entered the mountain like mansion he looked around and saw old memories like ghosts of the past; his mother telling a younger version of himself off for playing in the trees, his father laughing at his silly childish jokes and his elder brother hugging him tightly with pride as that's what his brother once was like. He looked around to see an old and friendly face; his eyes was a cold grey that looked like polished iron, his hair slicked back with a white tint of grey, his skin old and rugged as to be expected, his smile so soft it could bring a hoard of beasts to calm and his name was Sebastian. Sebastian was the oldest butler of the house and someone that still felt like family to him. The young man ran at Sebastian hugging him with tears in his eyes and a face of relief to see him, Sebastian started to hug the young master like he was his own child with tears rubbing down his old and puckered face.
"I'm happy to see you too, master Ornstein" Sebastian said with a strong voice and yet so happy, as he looked down at the young master that was clinging to his chest like a child, he sighed seeing not a man, not a crow but a young boy who has seen his fair share of terror and hell. "You must be tired, let's get you into a bath and then some clean clothes master." Said Sebastian persistently clapping his hands together for the giant doors to close. As he lead the way for Ornstein being that he hasn't been here in many years, he measured the height noticing of himself and his young master. "You've grown master, I'd say your about the same height as your elder brother from oh so many years ago." Ornstein chuckled at his comment and sighed looking at the old and clean halls of the house.
"Brother would have liked this..." He smiled sadly to himself. "The maids and butlers ready for his command, the house of so many stories, heroes and the titles of father. That I'm willing to take on now" he sighed reaching the master bedroom and stopped in front of it.
"Yes... master Aldridge would have liked it a lot" said Sebastian with a face of sadness looking at the door that Ornstein now faced. "Allow me master" said Sebastian as he opened the door to the master bedroom, it was so silent the bedroom with a red bed, a dresser of fine wood and its wardrobes. Ornstein entered the room looking around with a face of sorrow "can... I... be left alone... please, Sebastian" said Ornstein trembling in his voice and so that's what Sebastian did for he couldn't disobey his master. As he closed the door his weeping could be heard from the other side; Sebastian did nothing for he couldn't help his master with what he was going through but only wait for his master to become stronger from it. As he left his master's door he heard his name be called from a maid at the front door, he rushed to the door for keeping a guest waiting would be an insult. Approaching, the corner he saw a maid standing waiting with two people in uniforms, a man and a woman and from their uniforms it looks like they were government officials. "Can I help you?" said Sebastian reaching the top of the stairs and descending them.
"Yes, we are here to speak with Ornstein Lothric, we heard that he's returned home" said the woman to Sebastian with a cold and demanding voice. Her hair was long and black reaching her shoulders, green eyes were like daggers, her puckered lips red with lipstick, and her skin white and pale like that of Ornstein's and her physique like that of one of the models like one would get in a dirty magazine and standing at 5"6. The man was tall and had a strong build with a stern face as he looked around with his brown eyes, his skin was dark and covered in all sorts of what seemed to be freckles. "Yes he has just returned so he's resting, I can pass a message on for you" said Sebastian to the two.
"No! this is a matter that must be sorted straight away."
Sebastian tilted his head at her words. "I'm sorry but you cannot see the master at this point in time, he is resting" said Sebastian with a look of confidence to the woman. She looked at Sebastian with a look of anger knowing she wouldn't be able to see Ornstein unless she forced her way in and she didn't have a warrant to do so with.
"Fine, give this to him straight away!" Said the woman pulling an envelope and holding it out to Sebastian. He took it reluctantly and held it seeing as there was an emperor's seal upon it.
"I'll be back tomorrow afternoon for his reply" she said walking out the door that had been opened as soon she turned her back to him, the man followed her, nodding to Sebastian in a polite manner. As they left Sebastian looked at the letter in fear of what this could mean.
As the next day arrived so did Sebastian to his Master's room with a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, the way Ornstein liked his breakfast when he was but a child. As he opened the master bedroom he saw the bed was empty and in a panic he dropped the plate to the ground, making a crash on impact, "Master Ornstein" he thought, thinking the worst might have happened. He looked to the bedroom window, noticing it was open and ran to it, upon looking out of it. There he was the young master Ornstein in the gardens training grounds with what could seem to be a sword of some kind, as soon as he saw him he ran as fast as he could to the gardens. Upon getting down to the gardens and reaching his young master he took a deep breath and stood up straight as if nothing had happened. "Master Ornstein, please notify me or one of the other servants next time you wish to take a stroll. As the last member of the Lothric family your safety is top priority." Sebastian said to his master with a stern voice and manner. Ornstein sighed at Sebastian.
"You don't have to call me Ornstein all the time, just call me Orn. In fact you have to call me Orn from now on", Sebastian nodded at his command.
"Master Orn... if you don't mind me asking, what happened to your hair... you had brown hair when you left." Orn stamped his sword into the ground and walked over to the bench that was conveniently there sitting down on it.
"It's from the transfusion, as you know crows share blood with demon's but it's not as simple as that... the blood is filtered through several holy metals and purified several times as taking the blood from a demon and putting it into a human body is just making another demon underlying for them. But that's not the worst part; after the transfusion we start to get the memories of the demon it's from and it's horrific the things the demons are put through to obtain the blood" Orn gritted his teeth in anger and was giving off such an intense feeling of hate that even Sebastian could feel it from 2 meters away. Sebastian gulped at the feeling but spoke anyways.
"That... doesn't explain the hair, Master Orn". Orn ran his fingers through his hair feeling it.
"Sometimes a Crow's hair changes colour depending on how intense the feelings are towards the memories gained... my blood was from a little demon girl, no older than 8 and what... what the government did to her was inhumane!" Orn curled into a ball upon the bench gripped his own head, drawing blood from himself, "Are the demons the monsters or are we!?" Tears and blood ran down Orn's face as he looked up at Sebastian.
Sebastian walked over to his master sitting down next to him and putting his arm around him. "That is something I can't answer Orn, there are no lines with good and evil in this world of ours there is only one thing to survive and that is fate, so do not run from fate but break it, break fate and keep moving forward." Sebastian pressed Orn's head against his chest and held him there, hugging him as he cried and cried. "To have suffered so much at only 18, I'm sorry Orn but it seems our government still needs you and from someone so vile." Sebastian thought to himself thinking of the letter in his breast pocket.
After a few minutes Orn sat wiping away his tears and whatever blood got into his eyes. "Thanks for that, I needed it" Orn said standing up, Sebastian stood up with his master hesitant to give him the letter.
"Master Orn... why don't you take a shower?" Sebastian said with a smile so worrisome, Orn nodded
"Yeah, I haven't showered since yesterday morning" he picked up his sword from the ground and continued to the house, Sebastian continued behind him holding his hand to his chest in reverence against the letter and if he should even give Orn the letter.
Later that day as Orn ate his dinner, Sebastian hands him the letter with a face of terror of what it may contain. Orn takes it noticing the emperor's seal upon it, he looks at Sebastian then back to the letter. Orn opens the letter reluctantly and begins to read it out loud. "Ornstein Lothric of house Lothric has been summoned by his excellency Charles G-Britannia in order with decision of the disappearance of Aldridge Lothric of house Lothric..." Orn looked back at Sebastian. "So where are they? Normally a royal escort brings this and then takes one to the emperor" asked Orn to Sebastian.
"They came last night as you was resting, so they'll be back this afternoon" Sebastian replied to Orn.
Orn put the letter aside, "ready a carriage." Orn said standing up and heading up to his bedroom to get changed for a meeting with the emperor.
"Are you sure you want to do this master Orn?"
Orn turned to Sebastian slightly. "It's either I go or I get court-marshalled and I like my head where it is." Orn then turned and continued to his room, Sebastian turned to another butler telling to ready a carriage for the Master's departure. As the sun sets Orn leaves his room in formal clothes that which did not suit him, as he descends the stairs there is a knock at the door.
A maid opens it letting the guest in, it's the woman from yesterday but without the giant of a man, "are you Ornstein Lothric?" she asked to Orn as he reached the bottom of the stairs,.
"I am" he replied kindly. "Can I help you" he asked her in return.
"I am lieutenant Rose of the sins team and I am here to either deliver you to his excellency or sanction you to arrest, depending on your answer, sir" she answered Orn with an expression so cold it could kill, "I'm on my way to meet the emperor now, would you care to join me?" Orn asked her walked past and out the door as Sebastian stood and watched from the balcony, knowing nothing he could do or say would convince him to not go for the name of his brother had been brought into the matter and that was something Ornstein couldn't let go.
As he exited the mansion, the woman followed suit after him into the carriage, closing the door behind her "thank you for allowing me to travel with you sir" she said in a polite manner to him. As the carriage set off it was obvious that she was nervous due to her sweating, gripping her hands tightly and her slightly red face.
"Is something wrong lieutenant Rose?" Orn asked noticing all three signs.
"Well the truth is... I worked under your elder brother, in fact I owe him my life" she said gripping onto her right arm that made a clunk as she grabbed it. "He saved me from a commandment but I lost my arm."
Orn sat there looking at her arm and said, "I'm not my brother, I'm not the Crow he is... but I am happy you're alive, because right now you're the only connection I have to him" he said to her with a kind and sweet smile.
Her cheeks lit up red as he said that to her "thank you sir" she replied holding her robotic arm closely to her chest. As the night continued so did their conversations about Aldridge and the amazing man he was, all the way to the gates of Buckingham Palace.
As Orn and lieutenant Rose dawned upon Buckingham Palace the gates that looked as if made by giants opened with a legion of red coats just beyond them, looking at the palace from the carriage window that made Orn's home look as if like a shack made by children. He thought about what could await him in there. Once the carriage had stopped in the courtyard that looked as long as the country itself, upon leaving the carriage it was like a circle of death was looking at Orn with more than three hundred red coats surrounding him as if like a moth in a spider's web. "What is the meaning of this? Ornstein Lothric has been summoned by his excellency himself" lieutenant Rose shouted the red coats that had surrounded them.
"It's simply a safety precaution" a butler said approaching them. He looked sly with his peeled hair, oily skin, saggy eyes and clumsy skin. "His excellency can't ever allow danger to enter his abode" as the butler stepped aside to show Orn to the emperor, so did the legion of red coats but in their turn they pulled back their spears. Orn walked past the snake like butler walking straight into the palace with the lieutenant staying back at the carriage with a nervous face clutching her prosthetic arm.
Frustratingly, entering the palace Orn knew where to go for he had been here many times with his father who visited on business occasionally. Briskly walking through these halls of past monarchs made him he think of his brother and about how he'd love to be seeing the art upon those walls; as he reached the throne room door he stopped at the doors that looked as if titans had forged them with their bare hands with dragon steel. He pressed his hands upon the rough and adherent doors; he pushed them and as if like paper to him they flung open slamming against the stone walls that encased them "uncle!" Orn shouted seeing now he was the one occupying the throne.
"Ornstein..." he said looking down from a throne that looked as if like a pedestal meant for a God, his eyes was a cold brown that looked as if made by the wood of the ancient gedo tree, his hair was long and brown that flowed to his shoulders like a river, his face covered in many a scares from many a battles and just as deep as those battles and a posture that stood him above the room like that of a lion over his territory. As Orn made his way into the middle of the room that looked as old and as ancient as the story of dragon steel; he stopped looking at the emperor with a face of disgust and hate "you summoned me" Orn said clenching his fist at the sheer sight of the emperor, like a hawk and a lion staring at each other with the wanting to kill.
"It's been a while hasn't it Ornstein, when was the last ti-" before the emperor could finish his witty remark Orn shouted from the top of his lungs "when you sent Aldridge off to die! Now tell me why I'm here already!" As Orn stood there it was obvious he was filled with rage that he wished to realise at the emperor, so much that even the royal guards who stood at then foot of the throne started to shake in fear of what felt like a mountain on top of there shoulders. The emperor stood up clapping his hands together "just like your mother aren't you" he said chuckling at Orn as he descended the throne. "Don't you dare talk about my mother" Orn said looking at the emperor who he longed to see dead, as the emperor reached the bottom of the stairs he struck Orn "your mother was my sister so don't you dare tell me, your king; who I can and can't talk about!" Orn stood there with a face that did not even blink to the emperor's assault appon him. He walked around Orn clapping his hands together "you have been called appon to investigate the ten commandments... there has been a sighting of someone who looks like Aldridge travelling with one of them" as Orn heard those words he turned to the emperor "do you have any proof?"
Orn asked impatiently before turning to the emperor, As Orn's eyes met with the emperor so did an envelope meet Orn's chest "your proof is in there and you've been assigned to a new team the seven deadly sins, you'll be working along side your cousin, Artorias" Orn snatched the letter from the emperor's hands; walking past him "your putting your own sons life at risk!" Orn stated as he pushed past the emperor with a frustrated face.
Later that night Orn sat in a small room reading what seemed to be a book; there was a nock at the door and a familiar voice "sir Ornstein, can I come in?" A feminine voice asked, "come in" Orn answered closing the book in his hands and placing it down on a desk, it was Rose baring what seemed to be a small sword, the hilt barbed in gold and silver like that of vines, the sheath made only from a reddened like wood.
"As a member the seven deadly sins it is mandatory for you to..." before rose finished the sentence she held it out to Orn with a face of reddened blush "it was your brother's... it was all that we found after the battle" Orn hesitated just before taking the sword and nodded his head to Rose. He placed it down next to the desk and same with himself "is there anything I need to know about this seven deadly sins?" Orn asked rose with a face of ponder, Rose walked over to the bed sitting down appon it's red covers "well with you joining it will be the seven deadly sins again... your brother was one of us before..." rose closed her mouth before taking one of the beds pillows and hugging it as if like a child. Orn looked up to the roof then back down at rose "your report said... it was a commandment who... killed Aldridge?" Orn looked away just after asking that question, Rose looked over to the candles over by Orn, pressing her head side ways into the pillow and began to tell the story of what happened that dreadfully day from her point of view.