Chapter 24
Clang!
"Oh"
'That was close'
I thought. Thankfully I positioned the half-breed at my right, or else I'm dead. I then controlled the Beastkin to attack Butler Kim, as the half-breed locked his Katana with her Nagamaki, as she stretched its blade to cover the distance between me and Butler Kim, and brought his katana down, after she skillfully slid her weapon's blade on the Butler's Katana, then raised it up and brought it down to locked it
Swoosh
The Beastkin then swung her arms, and tried reaping Butler Kim apart with her sharp claws, but only cut his after image
"Not bad"
He stated as his afterimage disappeared
"Tch"
I clicked my tongue. I then controlled the Beastkin again to scan the perimeter with the help of the Elf, while the half-breed guards me up.
"The full strength of a Puppeteer could be scale on how efficient it could control its puppets, and its puppets power"
He spoke
"Which is also one its weakness, isn't it?"
From my right to my left, back and front, the 4 of us keeps our guards up as we scan our perimeter.
"It's too dependent. A Puppeteer is too dependent on its puppet"
His right, as the time I activated my blessing, I already disregard my independence, and fully relay on them, its means I am dependent on them. But even do so, how I handle my ability, my skills, and myself, is not about what class you are on, but how can you play that class on.
I ignored those annoying words from Butler Kim, as he used those filtered and irritating voices, as a distraction to keep me away, or to keep me at bay.
'I need to focus'
I thought. As I took a deep breath to calm myself down, I then turn my head to right-
"Ughh!!"
Clank!
I suddenly yelled, as my half-breed servant then hurriedly pulled me down, unexpectedly, while the Elf then clashed weapons when a sudden short Katana swung, aiming at my neck. I then swiftly narrowed my vision, and saw Head Maid Clae, clad in abyssal black like a phantom killer in the night sky (note: she's still bending)
Clang!
"!?"
I then turned my vision above me, and saw Butler Kim clashing with my beastkin servant, as he out of nowhere appeared above me, trying to decimate me from such height, aiming to slice me in half (note: still bending)
'Their fast!'
To not waste any more time, I then flipped myself back, as I used my left hand as an anchor, then stomp my right foot as I crouch. I then moved my left foot behind, and stretch my right hand towards the left, as I command the Elf to attack Butler Kim, as I bend my ring finger, slightly down.
Like a theatrical play, the Elf followed its own script, as I swung my left hand and dash forward. She then appeared before Butler Kim's side, and stretch her Nodachi to the top right, and swung it diagonally, aiming at his two vital spot – spine and kidney – while the beastkin locked his Katana between her gauntlets
Clash!
The Elf's Nodachi then clashed with Head Maid Clae's short Katana, after she appeared at Butler Kim's left. I then jump back and swung my right hand, as I commands the half-breed, who fought the Head Maid a while ago, to attack her. The half-breed then dashed forward with great speed, holding her Nagamaki at her left, she then spins it. After she arrive at Head Maid Clae's right side, she then swung her weapon, aiming to slice the Head Maid's neck
Head Maid Clae then kicked my half-breed servant head, after she blocked my servant's weapon with her short Katana, and sliding it up while bending down, stretching her left foot towards my servant's head, causing my servant to be pushed back. While Butler Kim then released his grip on his Katana, and grab hold on my beastkin servant's head, and flip himself up, while in the process, kicking my Elf servant's chin. He then hold with both hands the Beastkin head, before turning it to the right with great force before landing, causing my servant to stumble down
I then stood up after Head Maid Clae vanished, then bend my right index finger commanding the fallen Beastkin to rise up. If the Beastkin was still alive and breathing, then what Butler Kim did would end her in an instance. The Beastkin then stood up, turning her head back to the center while making a cracking noise, then bumping her fist with her palm with rage, as she grit her teeth in ferociousness
'Its 4 against 1, but I'm still at disadvantage, what a joke'
I irritatedly thought. It might be exaggerating, but it still indicates the lack of skill I have, and the battle wits they own which led us to this situation, where numbers wouldn't tip the scale of the battle between me and them.
'Not just once, neither twice, that I almost lost my neck to them. And it still not yet an hour came when we started'
I frowned. I then took another deep breath
"Speed me up, [Acceleration]"
"Embrace me, [Darkness]"
"[Sense Buff]"
After I uttered skills after skills, I then shared it towards my servants, as I used my thread as a channel. All of them then turned into a dark beauty silhouette, with their senses greatly increased, and speed and flexes multiplied.
"Hoh"
"Ara~"
The two then exclaimed with anticipation, and expectation. Butlet Kim then took a Katana from his storage ring, while Head Maid Clae prepared herself as she stared at me. Both were like devils, watching their modeled clay to make its play.
I then stretch my right hand, and raise it up to the left, as I controlled the half-breed to attack Butler Kim, while the Beastkin assaulted Head Maid Clae, as I swung my left hand to my right. The Elf then stood beside me, holding a bow on her hand, and an arrow to the other, after I made her alter her weapon as she used [Weapon Alter], one of her skills that I brought back with her.
[Weapon Alter] is a skill use to change the weapon you have in-hand –in the get go - to the weapon you stored inside your soul.
Clank!
As the Nagamaki of my helf-breed servant, clashed towards Butler Kim's Katana. She then spin it on her left, then turn herself from the right, and slash the her weapon diagonally, aiming at the Butler's chest
Clatter!
Butler Kim then blocked her attack as he used his Katana, vertically receiving her Nagamaki. My servant then spins on her left - after her attack was blocked - then griply hold her weapon's hilt, and swung at Butler Kim's side.
Swoosh
Clang!
Butler Kim then turned his head towards us, as he avoids the arrow my Elf servant fired, while blocking my half-breed's attack. He then thrust his Katana on the floor, after he blocked my half-breed's Nagamaki, then kicked her on her face with great force, as he flipped himself up using his right arm strength, causing the half-breed to stumble down – after losing his body's weight. After he landed a bit distance from her, he then bended down to the right, and swung his arms to his left, as he throws Kunais at us.
My Elf servant then altered her bow to her Nodachi, using [Weapon Alter], then blocked and parried all the 6 Kunais that was thrown at us, as she stomp her right foot forward. She then turn to her left, and took hold of her bow after switching it to her Nodachi, and fired an arrow towards Butler Kim. The Butler then took a step back, avoiding all 3 arrows that was fired at him
While those was happening at the right, my Beastkin servant who was dealing with the head maid, made clashes after clashes as her iron gauntlet keeps blocking, and parrying all the Head Maid Clae's assault. From her right to her left, she keeps avoiding all her attacks, her lethal and frontal attack. With each dangerous swing she made, my Beastkin servant could only grit her teeth, and receive all her attack that are pack with great force and power, with all her strength.
I then commanded my Elf servant to change her target towards the Head Maid. She then placed 4 arrows on her bow – as she materialized it – and fired them towards the Head Maid's direction. The Head Maid then blocked most of the arrows, while avoiding some of them as she evade my Beastkin's strike, which synchronize with my Elf's arrow. She then bends down and strike a fast deadly blow, towards my Beastkin's neck, decapitating her in an instance.
I then brought my right hand down, causing the Beastkin to avoid the swift strike of the Head Maid, as she bend down. The Beastkin then took her ground, as she use her right hand as a pillar, then turn herself to the right, kicking the Head Maid as she stretched her right foot forward. Head Maid Clae avoided her quick strike, as she move her head back a bit, but as she turn her vision towards us, 4 arrows were then appeared before her, aiming at her face with deadly strike, aiming to finish her off with great strike.
The Head Maid then jump back, leaving her afterimage pierced with arrows on its face - 2 at its eyes, 1 at its forehead, and the other on its jaw. The Elf fired another 4 arrows towards Butler Kim, as my half-breed servant slash with great force, diagonally, at the Butler's chest, intending to cut him in half with her weapon's sharp edge. The Butler then jumps back as he sacrificed his clothe, causing it to rip from his waist to his right shoulder, while avoiding his body to be slit. The two then stood just a distance from us, staring at us, at me, with focus and strife.
While the battle was going on between them and my servant, I was standing just couple of distance from them, as I waved my hand from my left to right, like a conductor to a play, my hands swiftly played its role in the play. Swiftly it danced in the air, glamorously waving like a peaceful tide on the evening sea. My hands move as I beautifully as I could, making my servants assaults and strikes precisely quick, deadly, and harmoniously.
The two dark silhouettes that stood infront of us, stared at me with stoic and cold gaze, as they took their stance, and took a deep breath. I could only grin to their sudden decision, that I made sure they will make. They do understood that if they could overwhelm one of my servants in the fight, I could just switch them off from the other, and let the other be their opponent with the Elf as relief aid.
In this battle, my defeat is of course already laid, completely bared to be seen, if they could kill me, that is, especially that all my servants can't die as they already dead. If they cut their head or arm, or even their legs, or maybe chopping them to pieces, I could easily bring their missing pieces back together, by switching them off from the other, and me joining the fray.
[Restoration] is a skill which will bring a puppets body that was cut, chop, slice, and decimated to its original state. It takes full 30 seconds to repair, and reconstruct its damage limbs back to normal, 1 full minute if it was greatly ravage, and 10 seconds if it just one small part like arms missing (note: having 30 seconds delay is enough for an Assassin to kill, and wreck its enemy)
'To target me than my servants'
I thought, as I prepared myself
'But it was quicker than what I anticipated'
As I tried to hold my ground, as sweat rolls from my forehead, I quickly tried to ascertain which place should they appear, which limbs should I sacrifice, which action should I take, and which of them will attack me first.
Minutes came as second flow, sweats rolled as it drips down the floor. As the silence deluge us, the atmosphere in the [Grand Room] took a grim change, as the 6 stood with stoic and single glance look. The air breeze with cold touch, touch us as it passed. The whisper of insect, and the darkness sang their melody to us. And only the antique wooden clock, rang its rhythmical chime
Tik
Tok
Tik
Tok
Tik
Tok
Swoosh
The two abyssal clad silent killers then vanished in the old clock chime, leaving only the place they stood, as their self can't be seen no more.
Sssshhhhsssshhh
Slash
Chop
'Wha-'
In an instant, both then appeared at my side, already swung their blade, as they lurch their sharp blade at my throat, chopping it into two, as both swiftly and perfectly cut it, as both took half of my neck. (note: average woman's neck is 14 inches, so half of it is 7 inches, so the two took 7 inches each when cutting her neck into two).
Shshhhhrrreaaap....
"..."
Bewildered expression was painted on my face, as a baffled look could be seen on my chopped head. Seconds came as my head fell down the floor.
Thud
Ringing the bell of the winners triumphant sweep
(Author's POV)
"That's 3:0 then"
Butler Kim spoke, as he swung his Katana to the right, before putting it back to his storage ring, in a sheathed motion.
"...….."
Head Maid Clae could only look, downcasting her gaze towards the beheaded woman. She then turned her head away, trying to bury and forget, the person who she once called her own.
Sigh
The Head Butler then sighed up, as he looked at the ceiling, then towards the opened door of the mansion, and spoke in mourning tone
".... I hope my lady will forgive us. I really-"
"She will"
"!?!"
Both then hurriedly took their weapon out, and about to make their stance, as a sudden voice of the woman they once took her life, spoke in a charming tone. But before they could jump back, black tentacles then wrapped around them, chaining them up, and locking their very motion from a simple kick to their finger movements, making them stood still, before they bend down and kneeled.
Both then looked up to face the person that was supposed to be lying down, cold and dead. Both were aghast, confused, and overwhelmed, as the person stood before them, place her cut head back to her neck, like it was nothing - after she stood up, and grab hold of her fallen head. She then gently put her head back to where it should be, to where it was before it was cut.
"..... {Dulla-"
"No"
"?"
Crack Creak
(Cecil's POV)
Before Butler Kim could continue his assumption, I then stopped his abrupt Ness, after I made a cracking noise of my neck, as I placed it back to my head
"[Haka no Ito]" (note: either grave thread or thread of the grave. I'm not really Japanese)
"….. what?"
In confusion, Head Maid Clae asked, as her eyes glued at me with her displeased, astoundment expression. I could only smile with pride of pleased achievement
"It's a skill where I could put a string of death on my own. If cut, it could give me a 15 seconds to be in a state of coma, rather than facing death. My heart will stop beating, my blood will stop flowing, my body will stop moving, and I will no longer breaths during that time"
Both then made a questioning face, as they look at me
"I will not die but neither alive, so I guess I'm like a walking dead, or a {Vampire} in a simple sense"
I said with amusement
"But I could only use it once a year. But having a skill that let me walked between life and death, is already great enough wh-"
"Pfftttt"
"Hmmm…?"
"Hahahahhaah"
In surprise, Head Maid Clae then suddenly laughed in delight, which greatly confused me
"Oh my~, for an old lady like me to be played like this? Pfffttt ahahaha how funny"
Head Maid Clae spoke in enjoyment
"Indeed. For an old chunk of bone like me to fall in such, it's truly amusing"
Butler Kim spoke, as he smiled as he closed his eyes. I could only looked at them, as I smiled with a carefree grin
"And for these chains?"
Butler Kim asked, as he stared at the black chains that was wrapping him, not letting even the simple flinches out
"It's a binding ritual that needed a sacrifice to be activated, [Death's Embrace]"
I spoke, as I looked towards the skull like figure, with a star that was drawn at its center, that was overlapped at the skull side, with a 2 spheres encircling the skull that was draft just a centimeter below the star edges, which were engrave where the two servants were kneeling.
[Death's Embrace] magic circle will be activated according to the one whom will be sacrificed, died. The one who will be sacrifice, has the binding ritual magic circle engrave on her chest.
Snort
"?"
"My apologies"
I was greatly baffled, as it was my first time seeing Butler Kim laughed, and I can't help but smile at him, and trying to hold the urge to laugh
"Pfffttt! Ahahhahhahah"
Head Maid Clae then couldn't hold it in, as she started giggling
"What the- what the hell was that!? AHahhahahaha!"
"Aahhahahaha"
I then couldn't hold the smile I was trying to hide, as I finally let go the emotion I was trying to bury deep inside, and laugh as the 3 of us burst in chuckles. Noticing the very wall I tried to create, crumble to that sight I once wish to look back and protect, made me laugh in the most hilarious state.
Tik Tok Tik Tok
"Oh my~, I didn't felt such laughter for decades!"
Head Maid spoke
"Oh please, you are not that old yet, you know?"
I uttered, as I giggle to her remark, as I wipe the moist in my teary eyes
"Indeed! ….. Indeed, I am"
She spoke in the distant tone. Head Maid Clae then looked towards the unclosed door, staring outside of the mansion ground.
"How unfortunate that, even so, we can't..... still be able to..... sigh"
She then shakes her head off, and looked back at me
"It's been a while since we have gotten this reunion, but look at you, the little chick that we once have taken care off, has grown to such exquisite, beautiful swan"
Head Maid Clae spoke, as she smiled. I then clenched my fist in frustration, regret, and disgust, as I looked at them with sourness and bitterness
"Oh my~, please don't give us that look, Cecile"
Head Maid Clae spoke in a tinder and soothing voice, which didn't wipe the longing face I wore
"Come now, let's not be too touchy~. We are happy enough to see you grown splendidly!"
I then bit my lower lip, as I saw her unwavering smile, and just smiled as I spoke to her
"Indeed I am"
"Oh my~! Come now, hurry! Before this wrinkled eyes, and old soggy tears will flood this whole mansion!"
I don't know what expression I'm making right now, but I could only smile at her. My Elf servant then came at me, kneeled as she present a Katana towards me. I then hesitantly grab the Katana on my hand, feeling the cold breeze and the touch of the wooden sheath, made me realize how silent and heavy the night was.
I then looked towards Butler Kim, and saw him smile at me, as he then raised his chin up and waited. Gritting my teeth in frustration, I then took a silent breath, and bend down as I place the sheath on my left waist, and took my stance as I move my right foot forward. Feeling the silent whisper of the cold wind, I then unsheathed the Katana from its sheath, and swung the Katana with great speed and force, cutting their defenseless neck swiftly, and silently.
"Goodbye, our sweet child"
Thud
Their chop head then fell down, ringing the floor of their beheaded body, as it rolled. I then stood silently, not knowing where to cast my gaze as I just looked down, staring at the cold floor with grievance and guilt. I then bend and kneel down, took hold of the Katana and place it upfront, and bow as I place my forehead down the cold floor. With my heavy breath and sluggish muttering, I spoke
"T-th-thank you, for everything... mom, dad, thank you"
And let my lonely tears drip down the floor, and let the empty mansion howl its silent prayers.