Vierne... butterflies can't see their wings, they can't see how truly beautiful they are... but everyone else can. People are like that too.... Beauty is not in the face, it lies in the light of your heart.
"Vierne?" Akagi said as he walked towards Vierne who was standing in the balcony.
"You didn't sleep yet?" Akagi said as he stood beside her.
"I can't sleep..." Vierne said.
"Why? Excited about tomorrow? You are gonna fight Lict tomorrow, I can totally understand it." Akagi said as he lit a cigarette.
"Rather than excited... I'm worried.... What if... What if I fail or make things worse? Everything's depending on me... What if I mess up?" Vierne said.
"You won't." Akagi said.
"Why do you think that?" Vierne said.
"Why? Can't I believe you?" Akagi said as he smiled at her.
"Un... I'll try my best!" Vierne said.
"That's reassuring. By the way Vierne, you never told me anything about yourself. How did your parents die?" Akagi said.
"Un... I don't wanna talk about it-"
"But I wanna talk about it...Or, you don't feel like telling because it would bring back some sad memories?" Akagi said.
"...You're totally enjoying it." Vierne said.
"You bet."
"I'm still not comfortable talking about it....and they say time heals you." Vierne said.
"Time doesn't heal anything. It just teaches you how to live with the pain. It only makes your heart numb." Akagi said as he looked at the stars while Vierne looked at him.
"....My mom," Vierne said "Mom was nice and kind. She always used to sing and dad used to play the piano for her. There was no song in the world which she couldn't sing."
"That's quite a music loving family we've got here." Akagi said.
"Yeah, mom and dad loved music. We used to play and sing in the rose garden all day. Mom hated violence and luxury. She wanted to live away from all the hassles of royalty but unfortunately, dad was an Earl, so ignoring royalty was not not an option.
However, he never forced mom to attend royal parties.
Mom taught me how to sing...
"Ask the clouds, give us a white dream~" Laura Obolensky sang. She had a soft and melodious voice.
"Mama, you always sing this song. What does it mean?" Vierne said.
"It's a lullaby, Vierne." Laura said.
"What's a lullaby, mama?" Vierne said.
"It's a sleepsong." Laura said.
"A sleepsong?" Vierne said.
"You're confusing the young lady, Laura." Avgustin Obolensky said as he sat beside them.
"PAPA!!!" Vierne said as she hugged her father "Welcome home."
"Papa's back, Vierne. Did you do the homework I gave you?" Avgustin said as he picked up Vierne in the air.
"Yes! I've solved all the math problems you gave me." Vierne said.
"That's my girl!" Avgustin said with a bright smile.
"Mama, Papa, what are you gonna sing today?" Vierne said.
"Say Laura, what should we sing?" Avgustin said as he leaned on Laura's shoulder.
"Stop flirting in front of Vierne!" Laura said as she pushed him away.
"Oh? So is it fine if it's not in front of Vierne?" Avgustin said.
"It's not!" Laura said with a flustered face.
Avgustin laughed and said "Vierne, why don't you play the piano today, mama and papa will dance to it."
"No!" Laura said.
"Yes!" Vierne said and sat on the piano.
"Shall we, Milady?" Avgustin said as he moved his hand towards Laura.
"You're inevitable." Laura said with a smile and took his hand.
But, just before I turned seven, I was hit by a fever. It was quite an unusual fever.
It was painful to see my parents so worried about me. Mom didn't leave my side even for a second. She used to sing for me all day. I asked her to sing me the lullaby again and again.
My vision got more and more dull each day. My parents were worried that I may not be able to make it but they didn't give up on me.
"How's Vierne doing?" The doctor said as he entered the mansion.
"She still has high fever." Laura Obolensky said.
"Doctor, please save our daughter. My wife had a child after 5 long years and we don't want her to die." Avgustin Obolensky said.
"Well.... I'll try my best but please don't expect a lot." The doctor said.
He used to visit me everyday...
Until finally one day.....
"Alright Vierne dear, now breathe in." The doctor said as he kept his stethoscope on Vierne's chest. The nurse stood beside him with an injection.
"Does it hurt?" The doctor asked.
"Da (yes)." Vierne said and grabbed the doctor's stethoscope in her hand.
As soon as her right hand touched the stethoscope, the stethoscope broke into pieces.
"V- Vierne?" The doctor said as he moved a step back from her. The nurse ran out of the room.
"What happened, doctor?" Vierne said as she kept her hand on the bed and the bed broke into pieces and Vierne fell on the ground.
"GAH!!!" The doctor shouted.
"DOCTOR??!!" Vierne's parents said as they reached Vierne's room.
"MONSTER!! THIS GIRL IS A MONSTER!!" The nurse said "THE DOCTOR JUST TOUCHED HER AND LOOK AT THIS!!!"
The walls of the room were covered with blood. Not even his bones were found inside the pile of chopped flesh lying in front of Vierne.
"V- Vierne?" Avgustin said as he moved towards Vierne.
"Dear! No!" Laura said.
"It's okay. It's my sila. It won't hurt me...Come to Papa, Vierne." Avgustin said as he reached his hands towards Vierne.
"Papa.... Vierne is... scared. Doctor uncle... He- He-..." Vierne said.
"It's okay. Papa's here. You're papa's strong girl, right?" Avgustin said.
Vierne nodded.
"Then come to papa. It's alright now, okay?" Avgustin said and Vierne hugged him.
"Vierne is scared." Vierne said.
"It's okay. I'll protect you, Vierne." Avgustin said and picked Vierne up in his arms.
"Clean this up." Avgustin said and left the room.
"Mom! What is this?" Vierne said as she brought her left hand forward which had turned black.
"This is your sila"
"What's a sila?"
"It's a gift of God."
But you know what.... rumors spread like fire.
Once people found out about me, they rushed to the mansion to kill me. They decided to set the mansion on fire.
Mom and dad decided to hide me away from those people.
"Fiana, hide Vierne. People are coming for us." Laura said as she kissed Vierne's forehead and handed her to a maid.
"Yes, lady." The maid said and ran inside the basement of the mansion.
Mom and dad decided to run away from the mansion so that all the people would follow them and Fiana could get the chance to take Vierne away.
But...It's funny how the people you'd take a bullet for... Are the ones behind the trigger...you find out a person's loyalty in bad times.
She threw Vierne inside the burning flames and ran towards the royal treasure room of the mansion.
"Where is the lady, Fiana?" Zay, one of our most loyal servants of the Obolensky family, asked Fiana.
"Who cares about that monster? Loot everything and run while you can!" Fiana said.
"DRIVE FASTER, IFTON! THEY ARE JUST BEHIND US!!" Laura said to the driver.
But he suddenly stopped the car.
"What happened?" Avgustin said.
"My Lord, my Lady.... I'm sorry." He said and turned towards them.
"What?" Avgustin said.
A conspiracy.... by the Medvediva family to get rid of the Obolensky family so that they could become the most powerful family of Russia.
It was against God's law to use your powers or your sila on humans. So, mom and dad couldn't protest using their powers. The number of people attacking them was huge....
"Please don't kill me...* Sob* M-My daughter *Sob*.... my Vierne, she's very young and she's ill.... she needs her mother's care *Sob*... please leave me.... please-"
"SHUT UP, YOU MONSTER!!!"
They were both brutally killed by those scavengers. They were stabbed to death and their dead bodies were mangled and thrown in the gutters of Moscow.
They never had a funeral...
"THE MANSION IS ON FIRE! EVERYBODY RUN!!!!" People shouted as they ran out of the mansion.
"Lady!!" Zay said as he reached towards Vierne. Half of her leg was burnt.
"DON'T TOUCH HER! YOU'LL DIE!!" Fiana said.
"Hump! That's just a rumor. Our cute little lady isn't a-"
He didn't die. He lost his memories and broke. His body was now just a puppet...his brain couldn't think anymore….
Don't fear an enemy who threatens with a gun to your face...
"Shall we go?" Fiana said as she looked at the driver. Her bag was filled with gold coins.
"...Yes" the driver said.
Fear the friend who sneaks it behind your back and smiles.
Mom and dad trusted them... these people....these humans...
Is this their price to pay for their kindness... for their selflessness.…for their trust.…
Their love....
Shortly after that, I was declared dead and the mansion was left behind to perish.
Since this tragedy took place inside a high ranking court official's mansion, people called it the 'Red Carpet' or the 'Red Floor' tragedy. Many people were burnt to death in this tragedy.
People started believing the mansion who was inhabited by a monster like me must be cursed and decided to never even bring the Obolensky name on their lips.
Meanwhile, I decided to cut my contact with the world and divert my mind to books so that I could.... forget everything.
"CHEERS!!!" The Medvediva household's members said.
"LISTEN UP, EVERYONE! With all members of the Obolensky family dead, we are here to celebrate our victory. It was a very unfortunate accident but oh well- Who can go against God's will. Finally when they had a heir....so sad...." Mrs. Medvediva said.
"That's it! The Obolensky family ends here!!"
"Sorry, Obolenskys.... but I couldn't stand you anymore" Mr. Mordashov said.
"Now, we are the most powerful family in Russia."
Just for a little power and money,
People can be brutal.
Revenge?
What should I weep over?
What should I cry for?
We cry about friends we will never have back, people we once loved, bridges that have been burnt...
We have so much room in our life, save it....for people who deserve it. Chances are...if someone is in the past, they deserve to stay there.
Revenge can't bring them back.
Temporary people give permanent lessons.
A Sila is a gift of God...
Really?
This thing?
A gift of God?
I don't want it!
I just want a normal family.
I want my loving parents back!
This sila took my parents from me! I hate it!! It's a curse!!
Once I recovered from the fever, I realised that I couldn't feel anything anymore. ...I tried to kill myself but I couldn't die...
No matter how much wounded I am, I heal instantly...
It's like I can't die nor can I live....
As days passed, I wondered
Just what am I?
Why am I here?
I made few mistakes.
I regret them...
Cause once you lose someone...
That's when regret begins....
Of not loving them when they were alive.
Of leaving them alone and making them feel lonely....
"Waiting is painful, forgetting is painful. But not knowing what to do...Is the worst feeling.
But I can't feel, I can't die. I can just stand here...and watch... but not anymore. I will not follow these lines on my hands!" Vierne said.
Akagi threw away his cigarette and said "Vierne, sometimes good people make bad choices and mistakes....
It doesn't mean they are bad...
It means that they are trying."
"Huh?" Vierne said.
"No matter how tough things get. I want you to know that I'm right here." Akagi said as he brushed her hair.
Vierne blushed as she looked at the floor.
"...I almost forgot that you're my favorite author…." Vierne said.
"Guess I am." Akagi said as he rested his face on his hand and looked at Vierne with a smile.
-To be continued