Sebastian's Inferno

Don't you know that high-pitched, ear-splitting noise you'd hear on rare occasion? Ya'know the kind. It happens when you hear a gunshot or... when you hear and explosion or... perhaps most likely when a desk or other random object falls. Perhaps the worse ear-splitting noise that can occur, is the kind that happens when there's nothing around. That loud noise that sometimes rings into your ear, making you think that there's something wrong with you. Yeah, that kind; makes you second-guess things, doesn't it?

Boy... what he'd give to hear that noise for a little while...

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

“Hugghh... wh... what...?”

It rung in his head, bouncing from one eardrum to the other and back again. At the same time, he felt an incredible pain in his body. Not exactly the soreness he should be feeling, but instead this impeccable weight. It drug him down to the floor of his bedroom, his brown eyes struggling to open. And when they did, all he saw was... red...

“Huh?”

Slowly Sebastian pulled up, his hazy vision finally correcting himself as he felt power return to his body. Sitting first on his butt, he rubbed his eyes, trying to clear them out so he could see properly. He was still in his bedroom, but there was this ominous red light gleaming through his closed curtains. Struggling up to his feet, the young earl walked towards said curtains, pulling them apart to see...

“What the?”

The moon, yes. A very big, no... impossibly big moon; it was as if it came down from the heavens to hover only a few miles above his opulent home. Oh, and it was red, as if bathed in a sea of blood rubies. It's brightness shined like the sun, casting a crimson hue over the lands beneath it. Eyes wide and mouth agape, Sebastian could not believe what he was looking at. Had he not gone to bed last night under a normal, silver-colored moon? Was this just some freak lunar eclipse?

No... and he'd be childish to even think such a thing.

“Katherine...?” Sebastian muttered as he got to his feet, clinging to his drawer to prop himself up, “Katherine? Katherine!”

But... Katherine was nowhere to be seen. In fact, when he looked around towards his bedroom, he saw that the various candles Selene lit were all blown out, the only light coming from the carmine moon outside. Not only that, but this eerie silence permeated the air. Sebastian heard not the drum of his air conditioner, not the beat of his heater, nor the various moans and groans all houses give from time to time. No, it felt as if he were standing alone within the void of space itself.

Now, look, he likes to consider himself levelheaded most of the time. Hell, Igrene being a dragon woman didn't bring him to hysteria like it would do to someone like his Aunt Rita. But this? The silence? The cold air? Katherine's vanishing? And of course, the red moon? Yeah, his heart was racing! He could accept everything else – dragon maids and all – but this was somehow taking things to the extreme.

“This... I must be dreaming,” Sebastian said to himself as he returned his gaze to the crimson moon outside.

Placing his hands upon his window's seal, the young earl got a better look at the moon above him. He's seen lunar eclipses before, but never to this intense a level. It wasn't just red; it also seemed to permeate this sinister miasma like wisps on a flame. However, the night sky around the moon was completely devoid of anything. No clouds, no stars, no blinking lights of distant Schonheit; no nothing! Just complete blackness, save for the rays of red from the carmine moon.

Sebastian heard himself breathing; the only noise to sound out against his silent room. Not only that, but he swore he heard his heart pounding in his chest, like a basketball bouncing in an empty court. Just what the fuck was going on here?

“I must be dreaming!” he cried, as if repeating this would suddenly make it true.

Gripping his hair and closing his eyes, he huddled in, trying to wake himself up form this strange nightmare. Yes, he'd wake up in Katherine's arms, or perhaps he'd wake up in Selene's arms. Hell, maybe he'd just wake up on a calm, beautiful morning, being delivered breakfast in bed thanks to his sore body.

But of course, that never happened. When Sebastian's eyes reopened, he was still in his bedroom, the air was still silent, and the moon was still red. This... this was really happening.

“Haaah! What is...? Hmm!?”

Shaking his head as he launched back on his feet, he palmed at his drawer in search or something, anything! But all he found was shattered glass, broken gears, and bent metal. Was that... his watch? Yes, he remembered now what happened last! He grabbed his watch and it was burning, then he saw numbers on its surface, and then it suddenly... exploded? Yeah, it exploded! Right in his hands, like some tiny little bomb! And when it exploded, he remembered seeing...

Darkness...

Fuck! Shit! Okay... where's his phone; he could call one of his maids! Igrene! Yes, he could call Igrene; she'd know what the hell was going on! Maybe this was just some weird, random shit that happens at the Faust Estate. Considering he has a gateway to other realms resting in his basement, he could say crazier things have happened!

So Sebastian grabbed his smartphone and lit up his screen... where he saw that its timer was no longer working. He'd surmise it had to be sometime after 10 o'clock since that's when he usually goes to bed, but he couldn't tell with how deranged his timer was. It was blinking between various times: 11:47, 13:09, 22:22, 34:51, 78:19; what the fuck was going on!?

These red numbers on his phone... they were the same red numbers he remembered seeing on his watch before it exploded.

Despite his phone's deranged actions, Sebastian was fortunately capable of opening it up to make a call. Having already plugged in all his drachenmagd as contacts, he searched to the top of his list; Igrene, naturally. He called her...

And got nothing back.

No, not a dial tone, not even a 'this caller isn't around to pick up your call right now', no... Sebastian got nothing. Literal silence flowed through his phone, much like his bedroom. Was she even receiving his call? No... he wouldn't bet on it. Honesty, Sebastian didn't know what to do.

There had to be some answer to this mess, some reason for it all to be happening. And though he didn't know what the answer was, he knew his watch – or what remained of his watch – was the culprit behind. Why else would he see the same red, flashing numbers on his watch as he saw on his phone? And with the red moon as well... this all couldn't just have been some coincidence. Something was going on, someone was doing something to him. Was it the man who gave him the watch in the first place, or was it someone else?

But one thing at a time! He still didn't even know what was going on yet! He needed to figure out first what was going on here; he'd figure out the culprits later! But where does on even start searching first? Well...

He looked out his window again, gazing all around his estate to see if anything else was amiss. Everything looked normal aside from the blood-red shine cast by the moon... but wait, there's more! Snapping his eyes down to the center most statue of his courtyard – the one of Katherine – Sebastian saw that it was open.

Someone was in the estate's bunker. That's impossible! The only people who have access to the bunker were his maids and himself, and only if he had the Dragon Key. Were any of the drachenmagd down there? Maybe that's where he'll get his answers from. If so, then so be it; he was going down there right now! But first... he'll need to change his clothes; he was still naked following last night's tryst.

At least his wardrobe was where it should be; nothing was amiss there.

The slightly cold air pushed Sebastian to put on more warm clothing; jeans, a long sleeve shirt, boots, and a hoodie. He then made way for the door, his hand touching its knob where he began turning it to--

“NYYAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!”

Where he began to do... nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Sebastian's blood chilled, his eyes widening as the roar echoed from outside his door. To say it sounded monstrous would be an understatement; it sounded downright demonic. The young earl immediately felt his heart start racing in his chest, pounding to the point that he feared he may suffer a heart attack. His hand even pulled away from the door, hesitant to return. When he did regain the courage to touch the door's knob again... that sound echoed out again.

“NYAAAAARRRRGGGHHH! SNRRRGGKGHKH!?”

THWAK! THWAK! THWAK! CRACK! THWACK!

“NYAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!”

The roar once again shook him, the sound of breaking wood following it. Something was out in his halls, and that something was destroying his home. The fear of such a monster kept Sebastian rutted in place, his eyes quivering. This was like his trip to the prison all over again; he was envisioning that rabid wolf on the other end. But, no, that wolf was an animal, a beast! He knew what wolves sounded like!

Whatever was in his hall was something far, far, far worse. Which means... it could be a danger to his maids, couldn't it? And, sure, he had no doubt that all his maids were by in large far stronger than he was... but did that change anything? He was their Master, and he promised he'd become stronger... he'd promised he'd protect them. So scared though he was, he couldn't let that fear hold him back. He's Sebastian Milieus von Faust! And Faust earls know no fear.

That's what he told himself, and that's what he believed.

First he made way to the desk in his bedroom, opening up one of its shelves to reveal a pistol. It was primarily black, with a long, thin barrel, a box-shaped internal magazine, and a grip shaped like the handle of a broom. It was a Mauser C96, and was the pistol of choice when it came to Sebastian's firearm training. Resting beside the gun was its shoulder stock that could also be opened to double as it's holster, and a box of Mauser rounds meant to load it. He wasn't sure if he'd need the entire box of bullets, but having a few extra extra rounds never hurt anyone.

Click!

Sebastian... still didn't feel that much safer around guns. Sure, they're mighty and powerful, and in the hands of skilled individuals they could do wondrous things. But whenever he held a pistol, it didn't make him feel safe or protected. And as he faced his door with his loaded Mauser in hand, Sebastian definitely didn't feel either of those things. Danger was all around him... how could he possibly feel safe?

Eeeaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrr!

Damn, his door still sounded loud, sending its ear-splitting crack through the cold halls of his estate. And, damn, the red light did not do this place any favors. Gazing through his window, the carmine moon showered his home in its crimson hue, further increasing its ominous vibes. Darkness on one end, red on the other, both backed up by an eerie silence that encapsulated it all. His hand on his pistol's grip as it laid safe in his holster, Sebastian took the first few steps out of his bedroom and into the halls outside.

He know longer heard the monster's vicious roars, something that only made him feel worse. If he did hear screaming, at least he'd know what direction to head towards... or avoid. Without the beast's bellows, Sebastian may end up walking right into its awaiting arms. For now however, he focused on getting down to the basement, and whatever else happens... happens.

Slowly... apprehensively... Sebastian began walking down the halls of the estate, his brown eyes reading his surroundings as he kept his hand at the ready. He felt himself fidgeting, something he scolded himself over. How many times has Emiline told him not to do that; he could shoot himself with this much twitching! Pace yourself, Sebastian, pace yourself...

Coming around a corner, he looked over its edge to see... nothing. Well, nothing save for a few broken tables. Furniture placed in his halls had been shattered, the carpets ripped, the curtains too, and even a few windows shattered. Gazing at the walls in particular, he saw lines scratched into it, as if a jaguar twice its usual size was somehow set loose within his halls.

Walking up towards one of the shattered and overturn pieces of furniture, Sebastian brushed his fingers along their splintered edges. Something seemingly struck this with enough force to break it into pieces like this, leaving him to wonder who or what. Naturally, his maids came first but... no, that's... no... no... no...

But I do know that when the moon turns red during a lunar eclipse, that's when we all feel the most at home! I think it's because the world we come from always has a red moon... or... or something like that.

Those were Nadine's words, replaying in his head again like an ominous missive. Now he was slowly putting things together, his eyes cutting towards the window to once again gaze upon the red moon. And now that he thought about it... that roar he heard sounded oddly familiar, didn't it? It was a bit different – the scream was certainly monstrous – but he noticed a certain sense of femininity to it as well. A cat-like 'nya' noise... and there's only one person in the estate who makes sounds like that.

“No... oh no no no...” Sebastian said weakly, his brown eyes quivering as he gazed down the hall...

Just in time to see a translucent shadow cutting around the corner.

Locking up in place, Sebastian questioned if he had enough willpower to chase after the shadow. If his thoughts were proven right, he wasn't sure if he had it in him to face what he thought was down there. He should turn around and take a different path to the courtyard... but what good would that do? The estate was more their home than it was his; if he took this hall or another, he was bound to run into one of his drachenmagd. If they were primal... well... there's no telling what would happen.

He started walking down the hall, heading into the direction of the shadow he saw. And as he did so, he hoped beyond hope that he was merely being overly cautious; that his maids hadn't slipped into some regressed state of mind, and that they were all okay. If he could find one, they'd help him. Yes... yes... yes...

Sebastian pushed on.

Gripping the edge of the nearest corner, he slowly rounded its edge. His brown eyes cut down the immediate hall, staring into the distance where his eyes befell the middle of the hall... and the hunched over girl who sat on her knees there.

She was writhing and groaning, her hands on her head as if she were suffering an intense migraine. Usually her long, greenish-blonde hair was immaculately done up, her twintails acting like tassels which flow through the wind. Now however, only one of her twintails was done up, and even it looked mad and frazzled. The other twintail had been loosened from its bindings, causing one half of her hair to flow in a messy, long waterfall of green and blonde follicles.

Her uniform was a mess; the skirt was split in various areas, the back straps torn to cause the bodice to slump slightly, and even her stockings were shredded. Whipping and lashing like it had a brain all its own, her tail thrashed at the ground with no restraint. The strikes were so mighty, they forged little dent in the splendorous wooden floors of the estate. Such power... if that thing were to strike him, it would... no, he just needed to avoid such a thing.

It was... Mylene. Yes, he knew his maids enough to know who was who! The blonde-green hair, the cute maid uniform, her twintails, the tail itself; yes, this was Mylene, through and through! But... what happened to her? She looked to be in pain, but also surrounded in the throes of madness. Random, twitch movements would jerk through her body every now and then, and these mournful wails escaped her lips, all as she continued clutching her head in this huddled over position. Concerned for her well-being, Sebastian took a step forward, only to stop.

This... this seemed like a really bad idea. Concerned for the Parlor Maid though he was, he'd be foolish to assume nothing was amiss about her. Even if she didn't mean to hurt him or even didn't want to, she clearly wasn't in the right state of mind right now. But he still wanted to check up on her, to make sure everything was okay! She was his maid; it was his duty to look out for her as much as she looked out for him! And if one of his maids are in such distress, he'd be wrong to abandon her.

Fuck, dammit! What does he do? His heart was racing at an insane pace, his mind struggling to come up with an answer. Ironic then, for it was ultimately his heart and not his mind that won out. While his head told him to turn and head into another direction to avoid Mylene entirely, his heart told him to check up on his maid.

So he began walking towards her, one hand still trained on his Mauser, his other hand reaching out for her. Realizing it would probably be stupid for him to just spring up and touch her (as if any of this was smart), Sebastian called out to his Parlor Maid, saying,

“Mylene...?”

Her cries immediately came to a stop.

“Maaass... terrrrrrkkkghhh...?”

All of time slowed to a crawl as Mylene arose to her feet. Her hands fell from her head, her tail stopped its lashing, and her once rampant cries were replaced with restrained pants. But it was her head Sebastian's eyes were attracted to the most, watching as she turned to face him.

The madness on display was without equal. Her hair was messily strewn along her body, falling in a mob of shear chaos. Her nostrils were fairing like a rabid beast, and her mouth was agape, flaunting her sharp, clenched teeth and her drooling maw.

But above all, there were her eyes.

Mylene's eyes were a golden-yellow, typically bright enough to light up the room, much like all of her sisters. But they were still eyes, still those reptilian slits that. But this...? This? No, this was... was... this was something else.

Mylene's eyes lacked pupils or irises or anything discernible that you could call them 'eyes'. In the shadows and crimson light of his halls, all Sebastian saw were lights. Glowing yellow lights that shined where her eyes should be, standing in stark contrast to their surroundings. It was akin to the way Rodeline's eyes glowed in the prison, or Larsine's eyes glowed when she was primal. But, no, this was ten-times worse. They were like iridescent flashlights in the way they illuminated her surroundings, their constricting glow falling atop Sebastian's body to pin him in place.

“Mylene...?”

“Hrgkgkghh!?”

She hunched over and Sebastian took a step back, immediately regretting his decision to call out to her. The Parlor Maid's screams began kicking back up again, her head shaking left and right as her body started shaking. Unable to look away, Sebastian watched as her horns started growing longer, extending from her head where they reached two feet and length. Then her face began morphing as well, with scales appearing upon her soft flesh, and her nose elongating into a reptilian snout. Her arms and hands too began gaining a fresh coating of verdant scales, while her fingers grew thicker and stronger, with sharper, deadlier nails to boot. And to finally bring her demonic transformation to a close, from her back...

RIIIIIIPPPPP!!! TEEAAARRRR!!!

Two membranous wings emerged, shredding through her uniform. Yes, Mylene had wings, ones not too dissimilar to Rodeline and Emiline's wings. Hers however were thinner, their shape more smooth, reminding him of the petals of a leaf. When they a flap, they sent a powerful gust of wind in the area which nearly knocked Sebastian off his feet.

Mylene's transformation was complete, revealing a being that looked like the perfect middle ground between a human and a dragon. Her wings were spread and ready, her tail was long and slender, her eyes were bright and strong, her fangs sharp and deadly, and her height easily towered above his own. However, Mylene's hair remained, spilling from her head and along her horns, her figure too was the same, with her perky chest she was proud of and her tight midsection. It was all just marred by her newly gain dragonian appearance, and the bright lights she called 'eyes'.

Monstrous beauty. A delicate behemoth. His Parlor Maid, Mylene. The Green Serpent.

“Hrrrggghhhh!!! SNYAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHH!!!”

“MYLENE, WAIT!!!”

Did she hear him? Could she even understand him in her frenzied state of mind? Did it even matter?

Her wings flapping once again, the raging reptile threw herself at Sebastian, taking to the air. Astonished, Sebastian could only watch in horror, unable to parse together what was happening. Mylene had transformed, and she was coming straight fo--

“OOF!?”

Tackled to the ground, the young earl felt a surge of pain rush through his body. When his gaze jerked back up to meet Mylene's, he struggled to understand what could bring this transformation out of his maid. This wasn't just going 'primal', this was something far beyond that!

“Mylene, stop!” he shouted in an attempt to reach her... but it clearly didn't work.

Pulling back her arm, the Parlor Maid pinned her Master to the floor, still growling like a hungered beast as her drool slobbered upon his body. Fighting back, Sebastian realized he had no other choice than to palm for his Mauser, less he be crushed to death. It took a bit for him to finally get his hands on his gun, but by the time he did, he began to think...

Could he really do it? Could he really shoot Mylene? Sure, she didn't look like Mylene, but it still was her! Still his cat-like, mischievous Parlor Maid. The mere thought of pulling his gun out on one of his maids made his blood turn cold, but to actually pull the trigger was something else entirely.

He just... couldn't do it!

“NYAAAAAARRRGGHHH!!!”

Fortunately, he wouldn't have to...

“RRAAAAAAAAAWWWHHHHH!!!”

Another roar echoed over the hall, making Sebastian's blood turn twice as cold. Mylene too came to a halt, her hand pulling back as she peered over her shoulder towards the vicious screa--

FWOOSH!!!

THWAK!!!

“ACK!?”

It all occurred so fast, Sebastian wasn't even sure what happened. He just knew Mylene was suddenly off of him, and the force of speed was enough to knock him over on his stomach. Winded, he laid there with his hand on his chest, panting for breath while his eyes leered up the hall towards a tumbling mass of scales and body.

The red lights from the carmine moon made it difficult for him to ascertain who was there, but Sebastian noticed a few key details. Mylene was pinned to the ground, struggling against another being of dragonian origin. A being in a torn purple suit and clothing, with violet scales, white, curves horns that appeared longer than usual, and wings that extended from its arms as oppose to its back.

It was a wyvern, a violet wyvern. It was--

“Larsine?”

“RRAAAAAAHHHRRRRRH!!!”

Pulling back her arms, Larsine slammed them down into Mylene's shoulders, thrusting her into the ground and triggering a quake that rumbled through the area. Sebastian shook, the red light and shadows casting his Valet in an ominous, murderous light. Her mouth was pulled back in a vicious snarl, her teeth bare in full, while spit and saliva oozed down their ivory surface. And of course there were her starlight eyes. They were bright, they were white, and they were pinned on Mylene below. That's all Sebastian could see from this position; her more specific details were lost to the darkness and red lights, not to mention the...

THWAK! THWAK! THWAK!

Over and over again, Larsine slammed Mylene into the floor like some sort of ragdoll, the Parlor Maid struggling back against her sister. Any semblance of intelligence were lost to the two; they were struggling against one another like beasts in the wild. Sebastian feared what may happen if the two continued their deadly war, but what could he do? He was but one mere man among giants! Giants who already showed no reluctance towards injuring him as well.

“RWWAAAAAAARRRRRHHHHH!!!”

WHAM!!!

One final, mighty thrust with all her strength, and Larsine caused the floor beneath them to give way. It shattered into pieces, creating a hole that the two fell through. Sebastian once again shook from the mighty quake, his eyes quivering with disbelief as the rampart roars of his drachenmagd continued echoing a floor down.

Should he check up on them? Why the hell would he do that!? His Mauser offered some modicum of protection, but he was sure they'd do nothing against dragons! And even if they could, did he have it in him to attack his drachenmagd? He may be defending himself, and they may be beasts, but that doesn't make Mylene any less Mylene, or Larsine any less Larsine.

And that's just those two... who else was roaming these halls?

No, this had to be a joke, right? Not all of his maids could be like... that, right? At least one of them had to be sane still! Shit! He just needed to focus! Get into the basement and see what's going on, which meant making way for the courtyard.

Standing back up, Sebastian took a step towards the hole in his floor, pondering if he should check through it... but he declined. Turning away, he rushed down the hall, making way for the nearest staircase. It didn't take him long to slip down their rungs, coming down to another hall.

One equally as messy as the last.

Sliding to a halt, Sebastian's eyes bawked in shear disbelief. The beautiful and opulent halls of his baroque estate were all ruined! Had a miniature tornado formed during his brief unconscious spell? Heh, he'd be so lucky. The slash marks in the walls showed that yet another of his maids had caused this, but who and where, he did not know.

But... no... wait... do you smell that? Sniff sniff... yes... it smells like cinnamon.

“Urrrrmaaarraaaah! Urrrrmrraaaaah! Nein! NEIN! This isn't happeningrrrrgghghrraah! Urrrrmrraaaah! Urrrmmm! RURrrruurrmm! Noooooh!”

CLASH!

Suddenly a piece of furniture flew into the wall, shattering into pieces. Sebastian shook, then clung to the corner, his brown eyes peering over its edge just barely. The screams, the voice, the smell: it could all only belong to one person.

Rodeline appeared through a doorway, clutching her head with her hands much like Mylene did before. The typically kind, silent and demure Pink Dragon, now looked to be on the edge of insanity. She hollered, mixing German with English, all the while failing to contain her baser instincts. The worry in Sebastian's eyes as he stared upon her was palpable; he wished he could do something – anything – to take this pain away from her. All of this came to a halt when she stared in his general direction.

The Nurse Maid's eyes were much like Mylene's and Larsine's; devoid of any detail save for their bright, pink lights. She hadn't become that strange, half-dragon, half-human being like the other two had become, but it seemed as if she'd become one sooner or later. At the very least – and unlike the other two – he could hear her speaking full sentences.

Didn't stop her from appearing absolutely horrifying. In fact, it was quite the opposite; Rodeline's bare grasp on her own sanity made her even scarier. He could hear her voice clearly against her wails of despair, sounding as if a raging beast was reverberating through her throat. The sinister feeling of his own Nurse Maid struggling to retain her own mind was...

Disheartening, to say the absolute least.

“Rodeline...” he whispered.

“WhAt wAs tHAt!?” she suddenly snapped, her pink eyes jerking in his direction once again.

Fortunately, Sebastian just barely pulled himself back, escaping her line of sight as he hugged close to the wall. His hand even fell on his mouth and nose, covering himself so that no noise may escape him. Then he waited for Rodeline, wondering if she'd move in to investigate or continue her mad ramblings.

She did the latter...

“No! NOOOOH! Stop it!” she roared, shaking the hall around her, “NEIN! NEEEIIIN! UMMRRAAAH!”

Peering over the corner yet again, Sebastian watched as Rodeline's wings began flapping, allowing her to hover in the air. She then began floating down the hall, still growling and roaring as her hands clutched her head. Deeper and deeper into the red and black halls she fled, until the shadows finally swallowed her whole.

Even Rodeline was affected by whatever was going on... huh... if all the drachenmagd truly were under its affects, then that would explain why he couldn't call Igrene. Which... no... if Igrene was also acting crazy and primal, then what would he do? Even after all of his growth, he couldn't handle his own against the drachenmagd; he was but a human! And even then... they were his maids...

He needed to get into the basement. If the answers weren't there, at least he'd be safe to think up some sort of plan... as if someone could plan for such a thing.

Pushing down an adjacent hall, Sebastian kept his hand trained on his pistol while his brown eyes leered into the distance. It would take a little bit longer to get to the courtyard taking this path, but there wasn't much he could do with Rodeline blocking his other path. So he kept pushing down this hall, only to stop when...

“Ah...”

Faline was standing in the center of this hall, her back aimed towards him. She wasn't moving, wasn't yelling, wasn't doing anything. She was just... standing there. But... yes, Sebastian could hear growling from the Librarian. They were low – almost to the point that they were inaudible – but they were there.

“Fffffhhhhgghhhh...! Ffffffhhhhhhggghhhfffh!? Fffffrrrrrrgghhhhfffrrrhhh!!!”

Drool clicked from her maw as well, where it fell on the ground to create little sizzling droplets. Was her spit so hot that it was burning? Never once had the drachenmagd appeared so 'dragon-like' before.

But with Faline in front of him, how would he get to the courtyard? He could double-back and take the opposing hall, but that would only take longer. Besides, what's stopping him from running into another drachenmagd?

Wait, there was a door in this hall, one leading into a side room. He could slip through this door and cut through to the other side; that should help him get to the courtyard quicker. He could only hope that there wasn't another drachenmagd on the opposing end.

Silently, he pushed and nudged on the door beside him, being sure not to make too loud a noise whilst keeping his eyes pinned on the still Faline. She still didn't notice him; good. He kept pushing on the door, a bit faster, but retaining his silence. The Libarian didn't hear him, and thus, she remained as rigid as a statue. Okay, a tiny push forward and--

Crack!

“What?”

“FUAARH!?”

Something... something was on the other end of this door, something he struck to create a noise. Whatever it is was no longer relevant; all that mattered was that both Sebastian and Faline heard it. It caused the Brown Wyrm to jerk her head up, which then turned slowly to leer in the young earl's direction.

He saw brown lights peering back.

“FUAAAAARRRRRAAAAHHHH!!!”

Her roar shook Sebastian; it's like her bellows created a shockwave that nearly knocked him off his feet. The adrenaline of the situation instead pushed him, making Sebastian force his way through the door he was prying at. Leaping through its entryway, he landed on his knees, entering a room he could only describe as a meeting hall.

There was a desk at the front of the room, sitting before a screen which would hold a projector's image. Before this lead desk were longer, thinner tables, which could house upwards to twenty, maybe even thirty people. What? Was this where Faust earls would plot their world domination schemes in the past? Heh, Sebastian could use a joke like that to help lighten the mood.

“FURRAAARRAAAAHH!!!”

Okay, mood lightening over!

Quickly Sebastian bolted inside, diving beneath the tables to hide himself. Immediately after, Faline barged her way into the boardroom, her sinister sounding growls filling the air while her glowing eyes darted left and right in search of him. The brown lights of her shining eyes clashed against the reds and blacks of the room around him, while also telling him where exactly she was searching. Instead she brought gaze along the walls, the tables, even the ceiling, but never the floor. But she wouldn't give up her chase, and even snarled as if to prove it. Sebastian could only remain silent, praying she'd give up and leave sometime soon.

Fwoo! KA-THUNK!

Instead Faline leaped upon the tables in the boardroom, her eyes gazing all around in search of her Master. He could hear her boots pounding on the other side of the table, her every step making it shake. In turn, Sebastian finally withdrew his Mauser, clutching the pistol close as he gazed up.

THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!... THUNK!

“FUAAAAARRRAAAAHHH!!!”

THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!... THUNK THUNK! THUNKTHUNKTHUNKTHUNKTHUNK!!!

THRAAASSHHH!!!

Suddenly her tail tore through the table, slamming down just a few inches shy of Sebastian's leg. He jerked down towards said tail, eyeing the pincer-like appendage at the tip of it. He always saw Faline's pincer as being nothing more than an unique attribute of her tail. Could she actually use it as a claw, grabbing and pulling things close? Has she done it before, and he was just never around to notice it? Well, he was getting those answers now... he just wished it was under better circumstances.

Faline's pincers clawed viciously at Sebastian's body, failing to grip his leg. Raising his foot up, Sebastian kicked back at the Librarian's tail, trying to stop her. That only served to prove that he was down there, causing Faline to pull her fist back where she--

WHAM!

Punched a whole straight through the table! Jerking his head up to meet her, Sebastian's eyes met the glow of Faline's brown ones, as well as the vicious snarl she emitted from her lips.

“FRRRAAAAUAAAAAHHH!!!”

Launching her hand straight through the table, Faline grabbed Sebastian by his jacket's collar. He thrashed and kicked about, but there was nothing he could do against her superior strength. With one pull...

KRASH!!!

“GAH-HAAH!?”

Sebastian tore straight through the thin wood of the table, feeling a powerful thumping against the back of his head as splinters were sent flying about. It dazed and confused him, but he somehow held his grip tight on his pistol; instincts honed by his firearm training. Something else honed by his training? The ability to quickly recoil after a blow. Hey, Uncle Jack's not the only person Carmeline has gotten overzealous with.

Slowly Sebastian looked down, meeting the Librarian's snarling visage. Faline was usually so quiet and demure, to the point that her lustful, horny face was typically weak and submissive. But this? This raging beast? He couldn't believe she was the same person.

“FURRRAAAAHHHAAAAAARRRRRAAAAHHHH!!!”

Her ear-splitting scream returned him to reality. Having himself watched Mylene and Larsine go to blows with one another, it was clear to him that the drachenmagd cared very little for things like family, meaning there was no telling what she'd do to him. While Faline may not want to cause him pain, in her primal state of mind, she could no longer control himself.

So why why why did he still try to reason with them!?

“Faline please, stop!” Sebastian shouted, only to suddenly be jerked back and tossed through the air, “KUU!?” CRASH! “Ahhaaah!?”

Slamming atop the table parallel to her, Sebastian groaned in pain as he tried to gain control over his senses. He did so quickly, for the sound of Faline's boots pounded into his ears. She leaped clear over the room, slamming into the ground right in front of her Master. He stared back, but this time he had his Mauser at the ready, aiming straight towards her.

“Hrrrgh! Nnnghhaa! L-Last chance, Faline!” he shouted, “Please! I don't want to do this!”

His words fell on deaf ears... or – more accurately – his words fell on ears that could no longer understand him. Snarling still, the wild Brown Wyrm threw herself at Sebastian, the sight of which caused a twitch movement and--

POW! POW!

The sound of his Mauser... he knew it well. It bounced off the walls of the boardroom, returning to his ears where he realized what he had just done.

He shot Faline... and his heart sank.

“Fuah!?”

Immediately she reacted, pulling back as her hand palmed her chest. That's what Emiline taught him; when targeting, always aim dead center. But he was skilled enough to shoot clay pigeons out of the air with a flintlock shotgun; surely he'd be skilled enough to merely shoot Faline in the arm, right?

Right?

Perhaps... but in his terrified mind, he merely fired foolishly. Guess he didn't have the right level of mental restraint.

But what of Faline? Her hand was still rubbing her chest where she had been shot, checking herself over to see if she had suffered any grievous injury. That's when her hand tore into her shirt, ripping it asunder to reveal that... nope; nothing. Sebastian had shot her – his flattened bullet even fell from the ground. But as for injury? All Faline suffered was a slight scratch.

It would take much more than that to harm a drachenmagd!

“Oh no...”

“FFUUUURRAAAAAWWRRRRRRRHHH!!!”

Faline's roar once again pushed Sebastian back, though he kept his eyes trained on her body. Faline was gearing up for yet another attack, her hands raised up high but... there was a shadow looming behind her. A tall shadow. A tall shadow with wings. A tall shadow with one singular horn. A tall shadow with glowing teal eyes.

“Ooooh... Ooooohh!!! OOOOOORRRAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!”

“Fuah?”

GRAB!

A vicious and large claw grabbed Faline by her head, taking both her and Sebastian aback. But before either of them could say another word, the Librarian was swung around and over, being slammed face first into the wall with so much force, it caused the entire room to bounce. Sebastian's eyes quivered with disbelief, only for Faline to be pulled back and--

THWAM!!!

Slammed into the wall yet again! And then she was pulled back and...

THWAM!!!

Slammed into the wall again! And as if for good measure, the tall beast that held her pulled her back one last time and--

THWAM!!!

That last blow broke the wall, sending Faline careening through it while Sebastian sat there, immobile and in utter disbelief. His hands even came over to his mouth, fearing that he'd lose his lunch having witnessed all of this. But... who was the beast that so thoroughly thrashed his Librarian? Well... he already knew the answer.

Those teal eyes slid back over towards him, the shaded figure taking step after step towards him. Her every stomp shook the room, and Sebastian slowly scooted back. Finally she took a step into the red light of the blood moon, illuminating her body.

She stood well over nine feet, her half-human, half-dragon form having exacerbated her already statuesque height. Much like Mylene before, her snout was elongated, though hers was more curved. Her body was adorned in fine, smooth indigo scales that mixed against the red light, making her look ten, no, twenty-times more dangerous than normal. Sebastian always felt as if the Marshal could easily break him if she ever so chose, but also knew that – no matter how excited she'd become – he'd never have to fear such a thing.

But as he looked at a being that was more monster than woman, more dragon than maid, Sebastian began to question everything he thought he knew about her.

“Emi... Emily... please, I know you're in there... d-don't do this!” Sebastian pleaded, praying his words could reach her.

He wasn't just begging for his life, no... he was begging for her life as well. Whatever his maids were going through, they were suffering as well, and Rodeline's words implied that they had some modicum of sanity left in them...

Somewhere...

“Emily...?”

“Maassshhh...”

“FUAAAARRAAAAHHHHHH!!!”

Tensing up, Sebastian looked past Emiline as best he could, his eyes falling on the hole in the wall where he saw... something. The young earl recognized those roars as belonging to Faline, however the figure in the hole looked nothing like his Librarian. She was mostly covered in darkness, the red light of the moon just barely illuminating her body to the point that Sebastian could see a creature that was wholly serpentine in nature, lacking arms, wings, and anything else. He could see horns however... and he could see it move with such speeds that it defied his senses.

FWOOM!

THWOOOMM!!!

“OORAAAHH!?”

“FURRRAAAHHH!!!”

Faline slammed into Emiline, the two colliding into a wall where they were drenched in shadows. Sebastian could not see them, but he heard their combined roars as the duo traded invisible blows with one another. Once again, he could not see them, but he could hear the impacts of their strikes, and feel the earth shake every time a blow connected. Much like Larsine and Mylene before, the two were warring with one another, almost to the point that Sebastian feared they'd kill one another. But, no, even in some wild, primal state, they'd never go that far!

He hoped they wouldn't...

“I've got to go...” he whispered as he struggled to his feet and rushed for the hole in the wall.

With Faline and Emiline dealing with one another, he was given free access to the hall outside. And there it was in the distance; the doors to the courtyard. Rushing without caution, Sebastian quickly threw himself through the doors, entering outside beneath the carmine moon.

Usually he'd love the smell of the night air in his courtyard. And even in these later seasons, its cool air was never too cold or chilling. But now? Oh no... oh no no no. The air was so cold, he felt as if his blood was freezing in his veins... he hated it! But there it was; Katherine's open statue to the basement! He took a step forward... only to stop.

All around him were roars. He heard them coming from behind, he heard them coming from above, he heard them coming from his right, he heard them coming from his left. He recognized Faline's roars, Emiline's roars, Mylene's roars, Larsine's roars, and Rodeline's roars. He also heard Carmeline's roars, Adeline's roars, Nadine's roars, and Selene's roars.

His drachenmagd... all of them were at his estate, suffering beneath this big red moon. It regressed them to a primal way of thinking, and their cacophonous roars sent shivers down his spine. He hated it! It angered him! How dare this moon – how dare someone – do this to his maids! His drachenmagd! And what was he doing? Struggling to survive it all!? He was going to find them... and he was going to... to... to..!?

He didn't know what he was going to do... he'll figure it out when he gets there.

Locking his eyes upon the pathway to the laboratory, Sebastian steeled himself with resolve. Yes, whoever did this to his beloved drachenmagd would surely pay! But with the moon hanging impossibly over his head with such a crimson color, could his meager human abilities actually harm someone of such capabilities? Maybe... he'll see when he gets down there!

Sebastian's Mauser was trained on the doorway upon his arrival. Already he could feel the chilling cold air of the basement below flowing out through its wide open doors. Trailing his eyes about, he saw that the clock dial which activated the doors had been correctly answered: its 'time' was on 20:13. It wasn't forced open, it wasn't tricked open either, no... whoever put that moon in the sky knew the cold necessary to activate its gates.

But going by Heinrich's words, the only people who knew the codes were Heinrich himself, Zeit, and Oskar. But... Zeit and Oskar were dead, right? But, wait, no, that's not right either! Shit! He didn't finish Heinrich's Records before all this nonsense happened, so he didn't know who Zeit and Oskar were! But he could remember what he read last, what that mysterious voice that spoke to Heinrich said of them.

Zeit. Oden. They have mislead you, Faustus. They used you to come to me. They wish to destroy me. I need your help.

Who was that voice? What was that voice? Who were Zeit and Oden? Who was Oden? He knew Oskar, but he'd never heard of 'Oden' before in his life! Just what the fuck was going on!?

You know what? Fuck it! He wasn't getting anywhere trying to decipher the words of a long-since dead man! His drachenmagd were suffering now; that's all that matters! And he was going to get to the bottom of it.

Finally Sebastian began to descend into the laboratory below, his Mauser trained on the distance as his heart began racing. Deep down inside, he saw a glow that wasn't red. He saw lights... genuine lights; the candles within the laboratory had been lit! To see lights that wasn't either red from the moon, or the lights of his drachenmagd eyes felt elating, but this feeling was short-lived.

Yes, the culprits were here, and he could even hear their voices...

“It will take a while to activate everything, Zeit.”

“I've waited centuries... I can wait a little while longer.”

In his hand laid a clock, one that endlessly ticked and toiled. He loved clocks; their flawless design, their immaculate features, their ever turning gears. Something about them was just so... peaceful. Inherently, life is chaotic; there is no telling what may happen at any given moment. But time? Time is consistent. It always moves forward; never backwards, never side to side, always forwards.

It's nice, don't you think?

Zeit Heinlein... heh... was 'Heinlein' even his real last name? Or was that an approximation he came up with upon his arrival here all those centuries ago? Truth be told, he could no longer remember. Once a long time ago, he remembered going by a different name among different people. But, unfortunately, such a name was forgotten to him, just as the faces of those he wants knew.

Time is consistent... but it is also very, very cruel.

“I haven't changed this clock since we departed Mordredus, Oden,” Zeit claimed as he turned to face his subordinate, who was rushing around to check all the switches in the laboratory, “Even after all these centuries on Earth, my clock has never malfunctioned.”

“Heh heh! That's because you made it, Zeit!” Oden said as he flashed him a smile, “Whenever you make a watch, you make it to last! Haaah...” he stopped his exacerbated running, his hand resting on a console, “I cannot believe we're almost there... almost there... how long has it been?”

“Four hundred seventy-nine years, eleven months, fourteen days, nine hours, fifty-seven minutes, twenty-two seconds since arrival, and counting,” replied his boss, to which Oden nodded.

“Yes yes! I... I knew you knew,” the portly man replied, before frowning in a demure manner, “Ahaah... well... better late than never. We may not have slayed Mephistopheles as we were told to do, but I have no doubts that King Draygon will welcome us back home with open arms!”

“If King Draygon is even still in power...” Zeit replied, “Time here and time in Mordredus work differently, Oden. Though... I wouldn't blame you for forgetting that fact considering how long we've spent here. Nevertheless,” he smiled and nodded, “I'm sure King Draygon will welcome us back too.”

“I am curious, however...” Oden muttered before cocking his head, “What of the drachenmagd? What will happen to them?”

“Either they'll kill each other, or kill their Master and lock down. Regardless, they'll be dealt with.”

Click!

“I don't think so!”

That... wasn't Zeit speaking, nor was it Oden.

The portly man's eyes widened and he turned to face the voice, his eyes befalling Sebastian. The young earl had both hands on his Mauser, his finger disciplined and his grip sturdy. In his eyes was so much anger, so much rage, so much malice! Hell, even his teeth were clinched as he aimed his Mauser at the two! He couldn't bring himself to aim his gun at his maids, but these intruders? It's like he was begging to shoot them!

Perhaps there was a tad bit of delirium brought on by the madness he endured upstairs, but Sebastian had an uncharacteristically cold look in his brown eyes. But Zeit? He was unimpressed.

“Put down the gun, Master Sebastian. Don't do something hasty,” he said, his voice imposing and calm as if a gun wasn't aimed at him.

“FUCK YOU!!!” Sebastian shouted back as he held his ground, “Who are you to tell me to put down my gun!? You! You're the ones who put that moon up there! You're the reason why my maids are acting crazy!”

“You have no idea what you are entangled in. Just how cursed your bloodline is,” Zeit replied as he shook his head, “How ignorant... I almost pity you.”

His words flew straight into Sebastian's ear... and right out the other. He couldn't give a damn about anything he said; his mind was rushing as he enveloped himself in anger. But he was smart enough to keep his mind straight; if he shot this man now, would that get rid of the moon? Would his maids go back to normal? Until he had concrete answers, he wasn't going to pull the trigger quite yet.

“What is that moon doing to my maids!? Get rid of it! Now!” Sebastian shouted, causing the man to cock his head.

“Oh? You're not even going to ask for my name?” he replied, though the young earl shook his head.

“I don't need to ask... because I already know your name. Zeit!” Sebastian replied as he got a good look at him, “The black hair... the blue eyes. The fact that only three people knew the code to the laboratory, or the fact that the laboratory is even here! Yes, you are Zeit! I can't believe you were so brazen that you revealed yourself at the home improvement store! You're immortal! Just like my maids!” he then brought his eyes to the portly man beside him, “And if he's Zeit... that must make you Oskar!”

Hearing that name brought a forlorn, pained sigh from Oden. He even frowned, his eyes closed as he seemingly thought of days past. Where as Zeit showed stoicism and control, he was far more emotional. And even though a smile spread out upon his lips, it was hapless and mournful.

“Yes... I am Oskar,” Oden said as he reopened his eyes, “Though... Oskar technically died centuries ago. Right in this very basement in fact. Alongside all the other scientists who worked here, save for Heinrich Faust himself. Unlike Zeit, I had many friends who mourned my 'death' in this room, forcing me to change my name. I've gone by many names throughout the years, though I believe the one I was born with is 'Oden'.”

“How could you betray Heinrich like you did!? He was your friend!” Sebastian shouted, though it was Zeit who answered his call.

“Hmph! Oden didn't betray Heinrich; Heinrich betrayed us! Heinrich betrayed all of mankind for his own selfish desires!” he shouted back, “The mother of those monsters upstairs showered him with promises! Promises of riches, promises of servitude, promises of knowledge that his simple human mind couldn't even quantify, no matter how intelligent he thought he was!”

“He created all of this!” Sebastian shouted back, defending his ancestor, “And while you may have paid for it, he was the brains who broke through the realms of reality! I don't know where you come from, or even what you are, but it's clear that you haven't been able to return to whatever realm you call home. What did you say before? That you've been here for over four hundred years? If Heinrich was as foolish as you claim him to be... then what does that make you?”

Silence befell the basement. Oden was genuinely surprised by Sebastian's retort, while Zeit remained... aloof. The Watchmaker didn't even say a word... though after a few moments, a smirk broke out over his lips. That smirk widened into a smile, which broke out into a laugh. Not a loud laugh, not a boisterous or hardy one, it was... just a laugh.

A laugh that ended just as soon as it quickly a it occurred.

“Perhaps you're right, Sebastian,” Zeit said, “Perhaps I am a fool. Heinrich's intelligence at the time – and even until now – is unparalleled. Your scientist of today are far more interested in the art of making more money. But in his youth, Heinrich was already a wealthy man; money was of no object to him. He also had this desperate desire to meet God; thus making him the perfect storm. A wealthy genius with a pension for religion... truly, there were none like him before and since... but alas...” he took a step towards Sebastian, despite his gun being trained on his chest, “I will not be deterred, Master Sebastian. I will return to Mordredus, and I will right the failures I've committed. Mephistopheles must be destroyed!”

“Mephistopheles?” Sebastian repeated under his breath, though he was quick to dismiss it, “So that's it then, huh? You kill me, the drachenmagd lock up, thus leaving you with complete, unbridled access to Gottheit. And then what? You leave, just like that? You'll reveal Gottheit's existence to the world when those towers go up!”

“Tch... do I even care? You mortals are going to run this planet to an early grave anyway.”

“Rrrgghhh! And what of you, Oskar!” Sebastian shouted whilst leering at him, “You're just going to do it!? Heinrich was your friend! He spoke highly of you in his records!”

“Of that... I have no doubts,” Oden said in a defeated manner, a piteous smile adorning his lips, “And I so truly do hate to condemn a man as young as you to death, before he's even understood what life is like. I've lived over a hundred of them in my time here on Earth alone, so I know what I mean when I say this... but desperate times call for desperate measures. And if we must slay you in order to return home... then so be it...”

Oden appeared regretful in his decision, but ultimately, his mind was made. Hell, his mind was probably made decades before Sebastian was even born. The young earl quickly came to understand this, his eyes even looking down. He frowned, groaned, before finally nodding in an accepted manner...

Then he pulled the trigger.

POW! POW!

It's a horrible thing, killing a man. To aim your gun at them, to pull your trigger, to take his life. Heh... when he squeezed the trigger of his gun, he didn't think much about it. He just... did it. Zeit and Oden were intruders; they brought danger to his house and family. To put it bluntly, they deserved to be shot; he was defending himself!

So why did he feel so wrong on the inside? Why did it leave him feeling gray? This was different from shooting that wolf; it was a wild beast. These were living, breathing human beings. And he shot them.

Or at least... he thought he shot them.

Sebastian did not hear Zeit wailing in pain, nor did he hear the sound of his body dropping. He heard nothing. So he brought up his gaze and... he saw it...

Zeit was standing tall and firm. Oh, Sebastian shot him – there were bullet holes in his shirt – it's only... being shot did nothing to the Watchmaker. In fact, he looked more annoyed if anything.

“How did you...?” Sebastian murmured in disbelief.

“Do you... wish to try that again?” Zeit retorted in an almost cocky fashion.

“Please, Zeit, don't drag this on any longer; put the boy out of his misery,” said Oden, as if a quick death was some act of charity.

Whether it be out a genuine desire to please his assistant, or just the need to get things over with quickly, the Watchmaker nodded in agreement and then walked in Sebastian's direction. His every step shook the laboratory, the young earl desperate to figure out some sort of escape. Just shoot him again, right?

POW! POW! POW! POW!

Each bullet struck Zeit's body, and each bullet did absolutely nothing. The Watchmaker continued his approach, flinching when they struck his chest, his stomach, his neck, but each one bounced and wobbled off as if striking concrete. There was nothing Sebastian could do, and before he even realized what had happened, his assailant was standing directly before him.

“Goodbye, Master Faust,” Zeit said as he raised his hand, his nails extending until they became sharp, vicious claws, “When you're suffering in Hades, know that this is all your ancestors fault.”

So this is it, huh? This is how he meets his end? In his family's laboratory, dying to two people who... honestly, should have been dead themselves? For years, Sebastian always figured he'd die like a Milieus. What does that mean? Well, dying in some hospital bed somewhere as an old man, like his grandfather did. Would he be a grandfather then? Would he find love? Sebastian used to ponder these things in his youth, being the fretful man he was before coming to the estate.

Hah... jeeze... you really do start to question your life when you're about to die, don't you? Well... at least he wasn't crying. He wanted to cry... but he wasn't crying. Or... well... he was tearing up a bit. But he held firm. He couldn't be weak, he couldn't show defeat. He was a Faust. The last Faust. He was the last Faust. He was the...

Brown eyes reopened; why was he still alive? Wasn't Zeit going to make this quick? Why had he not stabbed him yet? In fact, looking down at the ground as he did, Sebastian could see that Zeit was still a few feet away. What? Why?

Bringing his gaze up, the young earl stared towards Zeit and Oden with a perplexed expression on his face. The portly man was shocked however, and the Watchmaker was angry. A shadow stood behind Sebastian. Tall, looming, but warm and nurturing. It was a shadow he was more than accustomed too, a shadow that instantly brought a smile to his lips, and tears to his face. God, he was already crying? He must have been so pathetic! But how could he not when...

“Igrene...”

An arm wrapped around his chest and shoulders, pulling him in close to the point that his head rested against her bosom. Her warmth was transcendent, her odor calming, and the strength she held over his body showed she would allow no harm to befall him. He had never felt so safe in his entire life.

“As you can see, Master Sebastian has had quite a harrowing evening,” said the Head-Housemaid as she glared icy-cold daggers towards Zeit and Oden, “I believe it will be in the interest of all parties if I removed you from the estate premises. Permanently.”

“Igrene...” Zeit replied as he took a step back, “Hooohhh... the moon... why aren't you affected by it!?”

“It may have worked on my sisters, but the draw of the red moon only excites me, it does not control me!” Igrene replied, “To put it lightly, I'm stronger than that. You have failed, Watchmaker. Just as you did centuries ago!”

“I have not failed yet, Igrene!” Zeit roared, once more shaking the room with his voice, “And your hasty belief in your own superiority has blinded you. There are two of us, and only one of you.”

“Two indeed... but still not enough,” Igrene retorted whilst hugging Sebastian even closer to her body in a defensive manner, “You desecrate my home, Zeit, you drive my sisters to madness, and you threaten my Master with death! I will use every ounce of my vast power to reduce you to ashes!”

“Not unless I do so first,” the watchmaker replied as he readied in his hand... a watch, of course.

Yes... yes! A watch! That watch! The one that exploded earlier and knocked him unconscious! That's the reason why he was here in the first place! If the onyx stopwatch given to him was what trapped him in this hellscape, then what strange abilities could the watch in Zeit's hand produce?

And quite the elegant watch it was, much like the one he was obsessed with. It was white and gold, not to mention reflective, with these swirling shapes carved upon its surface. And tying it together with the onyx stopwatch, there was the imprint of a dragon-like creature upon its top.

Fwip!

“Master Sebastian... it's a shame you had to meet your end in such a way,” said Zeit, this strange, black, wispy miasma beginning to pour from his watch and all over his body, “But I'm afraid that is the price of extravagance: an early grave!”

“Igreeeneeee...!” Sebastian stammered as he clung closer to his maid, with her continuing her protective hold over him.

“It's okay, Master,” she said reassuringly into his ear, the two of them watching as Zeit's growing darkness began to encroach upon them, “Know that I will keep you safe; forever and always!”

“You are nothing more than her little monkey, Sebastian!” Zeit roared as the darkness began covering the young earl's eyes, “The source of which she and her sisters derive their lives from! And once I eliminate you, there will be nothing to stand in my way!!!”

FWOOOOOSHSHHH!!!

Suddenly... wind? It blew all around Sebastian like he was standing in the middle of a cloud! He flinched and closed his eyes, but Igrene's grip on him never faltered. He was safe in her arms, he knew that! And whatever may happen, he knew he'd come out on the other end.

So he allowed the wind to do as it pleased, all as he clung close to the Red Serpent. And she in turn clung close to him, huddling her body over his in a protective manner. The winds were strong but Igrene was stronger, not breaking or budging as she kept her Master safe.

How long did it go on for? A minute? Two minutes? Maybe Sebastian's mind was playing tricks on him; it was only fourteen seconds at the most! But when the winds stopped, he felt Igrene's grip grow loose on his body, no longer being as protective as she once was. In turn, his eyes slowly opened... then doubled in size.

They were no longer in the laboratory. In fact, they were no longer anywhere!

Together, Sebastian and Igrene stood on a floating platform in a sea of darkness. Blinking and flickering lights sparkled in the distance, but upon closer inspection, he realized they were all actually numbers. Much like his watch and phone before, numbers blinked in the distance; some were the Arabic numbers, some were Roman, but all were red. And that's not even the end of it.

Like a patchwork quilt stitched together without rhyme or reason, Sebastian noticed various locations of his estate floating around in air around them. Over there was a part of the library, over there was a random hall, over here was half of the dining area, and over yonder was a quarter of his courtyard where a gazebo laid. And that's just a few areas; there were even more floating alongside one another!

And then there were the gears. Unlike the gears that maintained his estate's laboratory, these gears were more typical to an antiquated watch. Large and metallic, they twisted and turned through the air, floating alongside dials, small hands and big hands. It was like they were in a giant clock that itself had been sucked into a vicious black whole.

They all floated alongside one another; a maddening swirl of chaos and confusion. How could his home even be split apart in such a way? Had Zeit done this? Was he really that powerful?

The Red Serpent herself didn't appear surprised, instead coming off as more tense and alert. She was here alone with her Master, for her sisters were still frenzied thanks to the red moon.

“Igrene, what's going on!?” Sebastian asked, though his Head-Housemaid shook her head.

“Do not be alerted, Master; keep your mind straight,” she replied, “We've merely been trapped in a world of his creation! If we can get our hands on Zeit and his watch, we can free ourselves of this madness!”

“As if I'd let you...” the watchmaker's voice boomed.

Floating in front of them was another platform, this one containing Projekt Gottheit itself. And standing before the contraption along with his assistant Oden, was Zeit. He was still holding the white watch in his hand, triggering its power which created this 'pocket world'. His chilling blue eyes were also locked on Igrene, whose own gaze exploded with righteous fury.

“I would bid you 'auf wiedersehen', but we both know that would be a lie. And I am no liar,” said Zeit as he stuffed the white watch away.

“I wouldn't accept such a thing regardless,” Igrene retorted as she bared her fangs at him.

Both Zeit and Oden approached the edge of their platform, eyeing Igrene and Sebastian up. The earl's own eyes darted between the two, feeling the malicious intent behind their murderous gazes. The Red Serpent however remained ready, waiting for their first move.

It was like a standoff at dawn, only replace the gunslingers with beings of otherworldly origins, and the damsel in distress with a frightened young earl. Perhaps he himself would have thought this was cool... if he wasn't currently living it. Instead Sebastian's heart beat faster than that of a hundred racing horses, all as he waited.

And waited...

And waited!

He wouldn't have to wait much longer.

FWOOSH!

SWOOOSH!

They darted like shadows; blackened bodies against blackened backgrounds that made it hard for his human eyes to keep up with. One moment they were on the platform opposite of them, the next moment they had leaped over several yards to land right beside them. Sebastian gasped, while both Zeit and Oden struck with pit point precision.

PAT!

PAT!

Only for both of their blows to be blocked.

In her right hand Igrene caught Oden's fist, in her left hand she grabbed Zeit by his wrist. Sebastian was astonished by this, his brown eyes wide as he looked towards his assailants. Igrene's ability to hold them off was immaculate; this was something he thought only Emiline or Carmeline could do!

But... wait... Zeit and Oden. Though they were not human, they at least looked human. But now? Not anymore. Something was wrong with their eyes; they were getting longer. And their ears too; they were increasing in length. Mouths opening wider and wider, the two men began sporting drool-covered fangs! And from their heads, horns appeared!

Wait... were they also... dragons?

“KUURRAAAHHH!!!”

Igrene's roar cut Sebastian's thoughts short, and with her arms thrown out wide, she knocked Zeit and Oden away. This was only temporary; they'd bounce back soon. But Igrene wouldn't give them the chance too.

KKRRRIIIIPPP!!!

Tearing out from Igrene's back were two amazing, grand, red wings. Wings that were... unlike the wings of her sisters. Rodeline, Emiline and Katherine both had wings that were very much appropriate for a dragon. Even Mylene's revealed wings – while being rounded like leaves – still were membranous as one would suspect of a reptile.

But Igrene's wings? They were the wings of an amazing bird. The plumage of her wings were red as befitting her title as Red Serpent, yet also a golden-yellow to match with her hair. Bright and vibrant as well, they lit up the air around them like a source of light all its own.

Yet even the shape of Igrene's wings were unique. Instead of the typical way wings emerge from a bird's back, Igrene's wings instead spiraled out from her backside in rows! A smaller pair of rings at the top, large and mighty wings at the bottom, and smaller wings once again at the bottom. That's not getting into the multitude of feathers that covered from like scales.

How did she hide this? In fact... how did Mylene hide her wings? Of all the times he's seen his maids naked, their smooth and lovely backs, you'd think he'd see their wings at least once! Was it under their flesh then? Does it even matter?

Grab!

“Hold tight, Master!” Igrene warned... as if it was necessary. If he wasn't holding tight before, his grip was certainly vice-like now!

With one mighty flap of her magnificent wings, Igrene sent out a gust of wind that blew Zeit and Oden away. It also launched her skyward, the Head-Housemaid flying off in the distance with her Master in tow.

Sebastian was thrown for a whirl as wind and reality came screeching along his ears. He was flying! He was flying with Igrene! Do you know how many times he'd thought about asking Emiline if she could fly around with him! But he was far too shy to ever go through with asking for such a thing... despite the number of lewd things he's asked of her, but that's besides the point. The shear exhilarating feeling of flying in Igrene's arms was almost enough to take his mind away from the fact that they were running for their lives!!!

Down below, Zeit and Oden watched as Igrene retreated for another platform, one holding the Faust Estate's grand ballroom. Refusing to give up their chase, the duo launched themselves towards Sebastian and Igrene, shooting off like black blurs once again. They could not fly, forcing them to leap from one end platform to the next with inhuman speed and precision. Of particular note was Oden, who – despite his portly appearance – moved with just as much grace as Zeit did.

They landed on the ballroom floor shortly after Igrene did, the Head-Housemaid turning to face them. Placing Sebastian down on the ground, she faced her attackers, realizing she could not run forever. It did not matter; the ballroom was far more congruent for a battle anyway.

“No more games, Igrene,” Zeit snarled, “You'll tire yourself out if you keep trying to escape.”

“Escape was never my gambit,” she replied as her wings spread out wide, stuffing Sebastian behind her as she acted like his shield, “Only relocation!”

“Do you truly intend to battle the both of us? Your dedication to the Faust family is as persistent as it is slavish! Mephistopheles will be destroyed, Igrene! Whether you wish for it or not!”

“You... YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY MOTHER!!!”

“Mother...?” Sebastian repeated.

But Igrene gave no one else a chance to speak. Her hand raised up high, she bawled it into a tight fist and looked down, a loud reptilian grunt roaring from her lips. Her fist slammed against the ground, triggering a wicked, loud,

THOOOOOMMM!!!

Noise that shook the entirety of the platform. And from her thunderous punch, a wave of red light permeated the ground. It resonated beneath the fine, varnished wood planks of the floor beneath, causing them to rise and quiver like a rushing wave of water. They flowed towards Zeit and Oden, forcing the duo to leap up in order to dodge them. That's exactly what Igrene wanted however, for with the the two trapped in midair as they were...

FWOOSH!

She took off as a red blur, darting towards Oden first where her foot slammed against his belly. The blow knocked him away, sending him careening into the shadowy depths of this pocket dimension... though neither she nor her Master figured that would be the last of him. Nevertheless, her eyes quickly snapped onto Zeit, who's demonic visage glared back.

“RAAAAHH!”

He darted back, his arms slamming into Igrene where he tackled her to the ground below. Once more the seemingly brittle floor rumbled, jerking Sebastian and knocking him upon his knees, though he kept his eyes locked onto the two of them. Zeit had Igrene beneath him, but that's okay, right? His maids were nothing shy of invincible! He shot Faline earlier and that did nothing to her! Hell, Faline then got slammed through the wall by Emiline, and she still got back up! So there was nothing for him to fear!

Yeah, even Sebastian knew he was merely tricking himself.

Pulling back his hand, Zeit caused it to be showered and covered in a multitude of scales. They were mostly black, though the tips appeared to be white. His entire hand however took on three digits as oppose to five, and each finger was thick and powerful, with sharp nails jutting from the end. But he wasn't aiming to slash at the Head-Housemaid, he was aiming to--

WHAM!!!

Punch her!

To describe the way Sebastian's heart sank upon witnessing Igrene being punched in the face, would need the use of a word that does not yet exist. Was he sad? Yes, but that's far too weak a word to describe it. Despondent, then? Yes, but once again, even that wasn't strong enough to explain how he felt. Maybe vomit-inducing? Closer still, but even that vulgar description wasn't enough.

Every word in Sebastian's head just wasn't strong enough to explain it. Well... aside from inconsolable rage that is.

POW! POW! POW! POW!

The wicked sound of Sebastian's Mauser echoed above all, each bullet striking its target, and that target being Zeit's head. He was so quick to disregard his hesitance to shoot a man, now trying to actively murder the Watchmaker who pinned Igrene beneath him. He cared not if Zeit was of flesh and blood; he brought harm to someone he loved, and thus was more than deserving of death.

However – and much like before – though each bullet struck him, none caused him any pain or injury. They merely pelted him like stones thrown by petulant toddlers, garnering nothing more than an annoyed groan from the devilish man. He turned to face Sebastian, his demonic hand taking aim. Sebastian didn't care; he was far too busy reloading his pistol in order to shoot Zeit once again. He wouldn't get the chance.

FWOOOOM!!!

From the watchmaker's palm, a mighty stream of wind came flowing out. It slammed into Sebastian's chest, winding the young earl and thrusting him back, whilst also rending his Mauser from him and nearly knocking him unconscious. Groaning as he laid upon his back, Sebastian palmed his chest and wailed out in pain, his eyes closing though they did not stay closed. The pain he felt was immense enough to keep him down, but he still brought his head up to gaze defiantly at Zeit.

“No...” he groaned as he desperately and pointlessly reached out for his pistol, “Stay... stay away from Igrene!”

“You're an ignorant boy, Sebastian!” Zeit roared, “I would lecture you on your own foolishness, but I've had enough of Fausts over the centuries! Ending your bloodline would give me nothing but joy for the rest of my days!” CLINCH! “Ah!?”

Looking down, Zeit's eyes befell a red tail that had swirled around his waist. His eyes quickly jerked down to Igrene, whose green eyes were glowing much like her sister's did, and her teeth were bare in full. Monstrous growls escaping her barely clenched mouth, the Head-Housemaid arose slowly and used her powerful tail to callously fling Zeit into the distance. He twisted and tumbled through the air, only to land safely on his feet some distance away, while Igrene arose to her own.

“How... DARE YOU LAY A HAND ON MY MASTER!!!” she roared, her rage-filled voice being strong enough to shake the very foundation of this pocket dimension.

She quickly dashed for her enemy, her body like that of a red blur. Such amazing speeds, ones that took both Sebastian and Zeit off guard. One would think that with wings so large and cumbersome, she would be slowed down. One would be wrong.

THOOM! THOOM! THOOM!

Three blows; one after the other, each one shaking the ground beneath them, and each one being so fast Sebastian couldn't even see them. Igrene's attacks were savage, her fists mightier than the hardest of steels. And when they landed upon Zeit's body, he was blown away as if an entire freight train slammed into him. However, the Watchmaker was a far stronger man than that... though, calling him a mere 'man' was no longer accurate. Screeching to a halt in the ballroom, he roared back at Igrene, his bellow being much like hers; shaking the foundation of the pocket dimension around them.

All around Zeit, blinking white lights suddenly appeared. They floated and danced around his body like fireflies in the distance, but then they began expanding and growing in size. The watchmaker was guiding them, strengthening them, and after they reached a suitable size, he launched them towards Igrene like dazzling missiles.

FWEEEEEEE!!!

For something so dangerous, they were truly so wondrous! Sebastian watched as these streaming lights stroked through the darkness towards Igrene, who stood her ground. Would she blocked them with her wings or arms? No, she dodged them.

The blasts were fast, but she was faster, easily capable of dodging them by turning left, juking right, twisting her body one way, leaping the other. A frenetic dance to dodge these blasts, showing how graceful she could move even with her dress on and wings out. All the while, the Red Serpent got closer to her opponent, clearing the distance even as she dodged his attacks. And right when she was just a foot shy of him...

“HAH!”

She lobbed a punch straight towards Zeit's face.

WHAM!

It struck him, dazed him, caused him to stumble back. But Igrene was not finished yet.

“KAH!”

She threw a kick straight into his side, triggering a wicked 'CRACK!' noise that echoed out into the shadows. But still so, Igrene was not finished.

“Hmmmm... HAAA!”

She spun her entire body around, her tail extended. It flew at sonic speeds, where it--

KRACKED!

Straight against Zeit's head! The blow was mighty, strong enough to lift the Watchmaker off the ground and send him tumbling through the air, where he collapsed upon the floor into the distance. Igrene was many things; beautiful, kind, professional, and ever so deadly.

And her assault wasn't even finished yet.

With Zeit writhing on the ground in a nearly defeated heap, Igrene raised her hand. He laid some distance away after her final strike, but that mattered not to the Head-Housemaid. Her reptilian eyes seized on him as it pulsated with hatred and rage, a green glow matching those of her sister's over taking it. Igrene was summoning her deep dragonic powers for this, desiring nothing more than to rend Zeit into pieces. And with her power... well...

“HMPH!”

Igrene stroked her hand through the air as if slapping someone invisible. And that's the perfect way to describe it; an invisible force. It came tearing from her hand, carving a swath of destruction along the ground in the shape of a claw mark. The smooth wood of the ballroom floor was uprooted and thrown all about... along with Zeit's body.

“HRRNNNGGHH!?”

His clothing was torn asunder by Igrene's strike, and his flesh was too. But instead of being reduced to nothing more than an eviscerated corpse, the watchmaker remained complete and whole. However, the areas where his body had been torn into did not show blood, but instead scales.

Despite taking a beating that quite literally shook the ground and split it in two, Zeit arose to his feet. He was panting terribly though, his hand grabbing at his shredded clothes to remove them, tearing them from his body and revealing his broad chest.

“I was... haaah... trying to avoid this,” Zeit said as he tossed his hair up, “Annoying wretch...”

It took a while, but Sebastian was finally able to regain his strength, raising up to his feet in a hunched over position. And though his body roared with pain, he witnessed the watchmaker begin to shake and quiver. In fact, the platform they were on started shaking as well; his body was a tremor all its own! But as it continued to shake, he began producing more and more scales all along his body.

They appeared first on his shoulders; black and silver, much like the scales that adorned his reptilian hand. More and more scales started appearing on his form, while his entire body began to expand and grow. He was getting bigger and bigger, much to the young earl's surprise. Igrene – realizing what was happening – quickly rushed towards Zeit in order to stop him from finishing his deadly transformation. However, he prepared for this, producing those same glowing lights from before. Only this time, instead of sending them after Igrene, he caused them to explode outright! Said explosions further tore through the floor beneath them, causing the already weakened platform to start breaking apart fully. Igrene's eyes widened as the ground shook apart, her gaze immediately traveling towards Sebastian.

Though Zeit's transformation was deadly, her Master's safety was her top priority! So swooping over towards him, she scooped him up into her arms, taking off once again for an nearby platform. He gasped, though his eyes gazed over Igrene's shoulders to watch the Watchmaker.

He was still shaking, still quivering, still transforming. Next were his legs, his pants being torn asunder as the flesh beneath turned to scales and further grew. His shoes exploded soon after, for his feet were no longer human, but instead the thick, three-pronged toes of reptilian being. Much like Mylene, his face began growing longer as it too was adorned in scales. Taking the shape of an crocodile-like being, it was long, flat, and adorned in teeth.

How long did it take for Zeit's transformation to finish? Sebastian was not sure. All he knew was the aftermath, and the titanic being the Watchmaker became. He was tall, about 20 to 25 feet tall, Sebastian would say. His masculine physique remained somewhat, with a broad and mighty chest that was mostly adorned in white scales which went against the onyx color of the rest of his body. His horns were ivory, jutting from his head in the curved manner similar to a satyr. His tail meanwhile was longer than the rest of his body, and there was a thick, club-like appendage at the end of it. Alas there was his face, curved like a crocodile's, with eyes that were bright and blue. Such a calm color... yet so sinister as he looked at it. Against his black scales and crocodilian face, Zeit truly became a demon worth fearing.

The Watchmaker was a dragon, a drake if you wish to be specific. Closely resembling a western dragon, their key difference would be the lack of wings. In a void land where platforms floated in manners that did not obey the laws of gravity, having a lack of wings would be seen as a debilitation. But when Zeit's head tipped up towards them, and his blue eyes met Sebastian's brown ones, the young earl felt his blood freezing in place.

No... Zeit's grasp ranged farther than any place her wings could take them.

Together, Sebastian and Igrene landed on a nearby platform that resembled of one of his halls, meaning it was incredibly long. Touching down safely in the middle of it, the young earl gazed up into the Red Serpent's eyes. When she looked back, it was her time to have her heart drop. Sebastian looked tired due to all the running around he had done throughout the night, the trauma of having to fend off his drachenmagd, and of course having suffered a blast from Zeit's hands. But he still stood, which was more than what many could say.

“I'm so proud of you, Master,” the Head-Housemaid said as she dragged her hand down his cheek, “You are so strong.”

“Igrene...” he whispered back.

KA-THUMP!!!

The platform they were on shook, drawing their eyes towards the distance. Just as Sebastian feared, Zeit had made his way to their platform without any difficulty, his blue eyes peering straight towards the two in the center of it. Once more Igrene placed herself between Sebastian and the Watchmaker, shielding her Master with her body. However...

KAAA-THUUUNNKK!!!

The ground shook again, this time coming from behind. Turning around, she saw that yet another beast had joined the fray.

Where as Zeit was mostly black with white scales adorning him as highlights, this beast was mostly white with black scales adorning it as highlights. Its physique was far more bulky than the watchmaker's however, who was more lean in comparison. But it's wrong to call its bulk fat, instead it would be more accurate to say it was shear muscle. Its bulbous body extended to its arms and legs, which were all as thick as tree trunks, and as powerful as them too. Its tail was far shorter than Zeit's, and lacked a club of any sort upon, however its head held a crown-like shape to it, being rounded and smooth and only broken by its jet-black horns which pointed upwards like an ox's. Alas, there was this beast's eyes, which were bright and blue, much like the master it served.

If Zeit was like a bipedal crocodile thanks to the shape of his head, this beast was like a reptilian rhino! Perhaps its strength was even greater than that of the Watchmaker's, for its every step caused not only the platform to shake, but the entire dimension as well! Where had this other drake even come from? No... wait, was it Oden? Yes, it had to be! Oden had returned, his body transformed while he was away in order to aid Zeit in this battle.

Pinned between the beasts, Sebastian swallowed his spit in trepidation. Two drakes had he and his Head-Housemaid pinned, with no escape possible. Even if they were to fly away, to what end? They were trapped in Zeit's dimension; he'd just catch up with them sooner or later. And even if they escaped this one, what of the red moon? It was still there, no doubt. The only way to escape Zeit's menace would be to defeat him, and Sebastian didn't know if it was possible.

But... no, what kind of way is that for an earl to think? Even if his mere human strength could not harm such great beings, he held nothing but absolute belief in Igrene's abilities. When she said she'd keep him safe, he knew it to be true; there was no hesitation in her dedication to him. Even with her sisters going wild above, she kept him as her top priority. He could never doubt Igrene, would never doubt Igrene.

Pulling his head up, Sebastian gazed upon the Red Serpent's face. Her eyes were glowing green.

All around them Sebastian felt the ground beneath them shake, much like before when Zeit was transforming his body. Did that mean...? Yes! It did! She was! Igrene was transforming! Her wings grew longer and more divine, the air around them was shifting about, and this brilliant red glow began overtaking her form. Red lights like dancing embers even started sprinkling from her form, which itself turned so bright he could no longer see her features. Her body however was growing longer and longer... and longer... and longer! And longer! And longer! AND LONGER!!!

She slithered about, a serpentine goddess with seemingly no end in sight. Her length was titanic, her size monstrous, her physique... ever so elegant. A reptilian and snake-like creature whose length could easily strangle an orca to death... and then some. She had no hind legs, but did have two arms which were so slender yet strong. From her back extended those amazing, grandiose wings, which continued to shed its red and yellow feathers in a brilliant show.

And then there was Igrene's head. It was sharp and angular, coming down to a fine point like a bird's beak. Her horns had grown in size and looked even more devastating in shape, but in spite of her reptilian form, her amazing blonde hair remained as if in spite of itself. But it did not clash with the rest of her body, instead adding that much more majesty to Igrene's serpentine form.

Covered from head to tails in red and yellow scales, the Red Serpent finally began to live up to her amazing title. She was tall, she was elegant, and she looked to have more than enough power to destroy any force that stood their way. His eyes wide and his mouth agape, Sebastian gazed upon her with such extreme awe, as if he'd never seen something so amazing before in his entire life.

And then she roared...

“KuuuurrrrRRAAAAAAAAAWWWHHHHHHH!!!”

Once more the dimension shook, for Igrene's roar was not merely strong to shake it, but shake the heavens itself! And even though he was right there behind her, Sebastian did not wilt with pain, for Igrene's roar sounded like the most beautiful music he had ever heard.

Her tail coiled around Sebastian, his hands gently pressing against her to feel her smooth scales. Despite how unique their reptilian features were, Sebastian very rarely took the time out to actually touch and explore them. Sometimes he'd grab them during sex but... he never just sat there to touch them. He always figured it was an invasion of privacy, despite his role as their Master.

But now... oooh... Igrene's body felt flawless and smooth, not to mention so very, very warm. If they weren't currently fighting for their lives, perhaps he would have decided to explore more of it. Not in that way mind you, but more so to satiate his childish curiosities. But, right, right, focus!

With Zeit standing one way and Oden standing the other, was Igrene's increase in power enough? Could she defeat these foes who appeared so titanic in strength and in nature? While apprehensiveness, Sebastian held nothing but absolute faith in his maid. If she could retain her mental state despite the crimson moon above, then she could handle these two drakes. It would be difficult, but Igrene is Igrene; handling her sisters is harder than this!

Her green eyes leered at the two drakes as she sized them up, and her wings even fanned out, showing she was not to be trifled with. In turn, Zeit and Oden roared at her, a message of their own letting her know that they too were no simple foes. Soon the air was filled with all their bestial growls, like they were animals in the wild preparing to strike. It kept building, and building, and building, until one roar silenced them all.

“SSKSKKKKAAAAAAAHHHHHHNNNNNN!!!”

That roar did not belong to Zeit, nor Oden, nor Igrene. It belonged to another.

A majestic flash of light suddenly appeared from above, illuminating this dimension of darkness. It was bright, it was white, and it glittered with an almost angelic glow. Drawing their eyes skyward, they all watched as a being emerged from this brilliant light,

It touched down behind Igrene; a dragon that roamed about on all fours. The amazing scales it owned were less like scales, and more like plates of sterling armor. It covered its body entirely; a vicious being with a slightly avian look to it. The curved head that was like a beak, though its was far smoother than Igrene's sharper, fine point. Quills that jutted back from its head in a symmetrical pattern, each one being incredibly sharp and deadly. Clawed hands that could easily grip its foe like talons. A lack of horns, but it more than made up for it in the sharp, fang-like tusks that jutted from the top of its jaw. Its tail went on and on and on, extending down to a fine-point tip not unlike a certain Marshal.

And alas there was this being's wings. They were silver and white, and when spread out wide, they easily dwarfed the size of Igrene's wings. Coated in immaculate silver scales, its wings looked strong enough to rebuff any attack, just as the rest of its body did. They also glowed with a brilliant light, drawing a sigh of relief from Sebastian's lips.

Much like the Red Serpent, the White Dragon stood in protection of Sebastian. Where as Igrene stood in opposition of Zeit, the Housekeeper faced off against Oden. The odds were now even.

Katherine had joined the fray.