Rumble in the Under

What goes on within the mind of beasts? It's one of those questions that's... hard to quantify, isn't it? Like... what do animals think? Can animals think? Of course they can! After all, what are humans but slightly more intelligent animals? If we can think, then surely they can think too? They can feel, hate, love, lust; all sorts of things. It may be heavily restrained to the raw emotions humans can feel, but that does not mean they are not there.

It's one of those things Sebastian never cared to question before. It's not like he was planning on becoming a veterinarian or something like that... even if he was slightly unsure of what his academic future holds. But, right, that's animals; animals aren't quite the same as beasts. Beasts would be more accurate a description for that wolf in the prison, the rabid one. Yes, that's a beast, and Sebastian knew it could not feel anything but rage. So perhaps beasts can feel... even if its minute.

But what of monsters?

“SSKSKKKHRRAAAAAWWWWHHHNNN!!!”

Katherine's roar shook the pocket dimension around them. How had she managed her way in here, and fully transformed as a dragon no less? Was she not affected by the same red moon that afflicted her sisters? No, much like Igrene, the red moon only served to excite Katherine as oppose to hinder her. And now – fully transformed into the White Dragon – she stood in defense of her Master, protecting him from Oden as Igrene protected him from Zeit.

It was daunting, and unless you were a monster, you'd fear them where they stood. A Red Serpent and a White Dragon, back to back, looking more than ready to destroy any foes that come their way. And who did they have for opponents? Two drakes; one of black and white, the other of white and black. One was tall and bipedal, the other a bulbous quadruped with a thick hide. They too looked viciously dangerous; the type of monsters who'd easily level and entire city if given nothing more than an hour.

And in the middle, you have Sebastian. Weak, sore, and even a bit emotional considering what he'd been through that night, but still so very, very alive. And as he clung to his protective drachenmagd – his brown eyes peering first towards Zeit, then over towards Oden, and back towards Zeit – he began to question what is the true nature of monsters. Are they nothing more than unintelligent beasts, desperate only to continue their own wretched survival, no matter who or what they injure in the way? Or were they instead cognizant of their reality, and may even indulge in the pain and misery they bring upon others?

In the halls before, his maids were nothing more than wild beasts, trying and failing to fend off their impending madness. He heard it in their voices, saw it in their eyes. But when Sebastian looked at the Watchmaker and his assistant, he did not see primal fury or madness. No, they were completely cognizant, like true monsters.

But then he gazed up, his eyes falling on Igrene and Katherine beside him. They weren't monsters. One who glittered bright and silver like a knight in shining armor, the other burning red with flickering feathers like the setting sun. He felt safe between them, knowing he had not monsters nor beasts to protect him... but dragons.

Everything was going to be okay.

“GRRRRRGRRAAHHHAAAARRHAAAAHH!!!”

Oden's roar shook the platform and darkness around him, his thick feet slamming upon the ground. Without hesitation, he rushed headlong in Katherine's direction, caring not for anything in his pants. His every step uprooted the fragile wood of the platform beneath them, his blue eyes glowing like lights in the distance. And when he was only a few meters away from his sterling opponent, he leaped clear in the air.

Katherine's counter was as swift as it was deadly. Her claws glowed, she raised her hand, and with a mere stroke of her fingers...

JEERRRKKWH!

This... painful noise echoed into the darkness. Sebastian jerked his head over, just in time to see the White Dragon's claws cut and tear into Oden's flesh, right along his chest in fact. Blood streaked through the darkness, coating his Housekeeper's flawless arm and claws, marring her. But there was no hesitation on her end; she cared not for the red stains. The force of her slash was even enough to knock Oden clear over the edge of the platform, sending him tumbling upon another platform far below. Sebastian could not see his fall, but he heard the impact.

THUNNNNKKKK!!!

Katherine was not yet done.

“SSSKKSKSKSRRAAAAHHHH!!!”

Her wings flapping like mad, the White Dragon took to the heavens, her eyes aglow as she shot over the edge of the platform. Diving down into the shadows, she descended to continue her battle with Oden far below. Sebastian – desperate and curious to see – made way to the edge in order to see their battle, only for another roar to make him draw back.

“HUUUUUUUURRAAAAWWWWWWW!!!”

The deep, guttural roar came from Zeit, snapping the earl's eyes towards him. He could just barely see over the edge of Igrene's body, but her wings suddenly moved down, shielding him from whatever it was the Watchmaker had planned. Her green eyes locked on his eyes in response, awaiting his attack.

It took the form of a wispy white power, one that flowed over every faucet of Zeit's being. Sebastian could not see it, but he felt the heat in the air, rising higher and higher and higher! It was distressful, causing the young earl to groan as he clung to Igrene, making her stiffen up further. Such heat was nothing to her, but to a mere mortal like Sebastian, it was downright killer!

So she moved on the offense.

“KUURRAAAHH!!!”

Hunkering down, Igrene slithered towards Zeit like a true serpent. Her body contorted and wiggled at speeds thought impossible for a creature of her size and length, but the Watchmaker kept up. Still summoning his awesome power, his blue eyes locked upon Igrene and his mouth opened up wide. No hesitation, he just--

“HURAH! HURAH! HURAH!”

Blasts of pure white energy roared from his splitting jaw, slamming down where Igrene should be. She was the same as a serpent as she was in her human form; completely flawless and devoid of any imperfection. Dodging his blasts, she caused his attacks to harmlessly strike the ground, triggering explosions that shook their platform but did not outright destroy it. His feet pressing to the edge of the platform, Zeit let out one more monstrous roar, right as Igrene launched herself straight towards him.

It looked as if she were aiming for his head or neck, but when he struck in retaliation, she quickly dove to his left. Her speedy movements allowed her to work quickly, her body coiling around and around Zeit's body like a python. There was no hesitation; once she seized upon him, she began clenching hard with enough strength to bend metal!

But Zeit was tougher than metal, and it would take more than a squeeze to make him submit! At the very least, the squeeze brought to an end his charging heat, allowing the temperature to drop, but not fully. The white wisp, or fire, or aura, or whatever that exuded from his body remained as well, just to a lesser extent than what was there before. He was still a threat, and this hold was only temporary.

Roaring back at Igrene, Zeit attempted to bite and lash at her face, but she kept darting just out of view. That's okay; he'd merely shift his target! His jaw splitting open yet again, he quickly latched his fangs down upon the Red Serpent's hide, triggering a wail of pain from her as he visibly drew blood. The odorous smell of copper filled Sebastian's eyes, his eyes quivering from the sight.

Zeit... hurt Igrene. And unlike that punch before where she quickly bounded back, this time he visibly injured her. The young earl, his heart dropping, reached out for his Head-Housemaid, her name leaving his lips. Did she hear him upon her own pained cries and Zeit's growls? He wasn't sure, but that didn't matter.

With a twist of her body and a jerk back, Igrene threw both herself and Zeit over the platform's edge. They fell through the shadows, the Red Serpent eventually releasing her hold over the Watchmaker's body in order to drop him. He fell and fell, and fell... and fell... and fell... until finally--

THUNKNKNKNKN!

His body hit the grainy, metallic surface of a large floating gear.

Groaning briefly, Zeit's blue eyes locked above, meeting the ghastly image of Igrene's body as she descended towards him. Her wings were spread out wide, showering him with the flickering red lights of her glorious feathers. It was a beautiful display... that is, if you were anyone but Zeit.

One by one, the feathers began pointing towards the Watchmaker, their quills first. Just what was Igrene's gambit?

Zooooooooo!!! ZWIP!

Oh... that's her gambit!

Like little red bullets, Igrene's feathers shot towards Zeit. They streaked through the darkness, leaving crimson lights in their wake in a deadly collision course for the Watchmaker's body. And when one of those feathers touched him...

“HRRRKGH!?”

It didn't just penetrate, it shot straight through him. One of those feathers tore through his arm, drawing blood where it continued down towards the gear beneath his feet. And then it tore through the metal too, going on and on until it eventually vanished into darkness. That was just one feather, and there were thousands heading his way. If one struck his head...

NO!

“HURRRAAAWW!!!”

In a wondrous display, Zeit struck the ground beneath his feet, causing an orb of white light to appear around his body. It was slightly reflective, whilst also appearing like some sort of optical illusion. Peering over the edge of his platform, Sebastian both could see the white lights of the orb, Zeit beneath... and even his own reflection. But that's all he could see before Igrene spread out her wings once again, blocking his view of the two. From her wings rained more of those deadly fathers, each one striking Zeit's orb but to no avail. Each feather bounced off harmlessly, much to the Head-Housemaid's chagrin.

Roaring at him, she darted forward, her head slamming into the orb in a savage headbutt. Not only did the orb shake and the gear beneath it, but the entire pocket dimension quivered as well. Just how strong were these titanic beings that in this reality – no matter how small – their colliding bodies were enough to destabilize it? Witnessing their strength was both awe-inspiring and incredibly terrifying.

Thank the heavens the drachenmagd belong to him...

KLASH! KLASH! KLASH!

Over and over again, Igrene slammed her hands and head upon Zeit's barrier, attempting to break through it. Every strike caused the barrier to shake, but none were strong enough to penetrate its surface. However, each strike allowed her to see just a flickering image of Zeit, right up until she struck his barrier one too many times. It quivered, then suddenly turned off, and on the other end was the Watchmaker's tail.

THWAK!!!

The club-like appendage at the end of his tail struck Igrene, jerking her head to the left as she recoiled from the powerful blow. Sebastian's eyes widened as the Red Serpent slithered away, but Zeit was not yet finished. Roaring, he lunged at her, pinning her beneath his body. His face was to her face, his jaw split open, and--

SKOOOOOOSHHHHH!!!

Fire... black fire, came roaring out of his mouth. It doused Igrene's body, coaxing more wails of pain that only made Sebastian's heart drop further... and his rage explode. Where was his Mauser at? Sure, it wouldn't do anything, but damn if he didn't feel like shooting either of these bastards! Looking around, his eyes eventually dropped on the shredded remains of the ballroom in the distance, and the holstered pistol resting upon it.

Bingo.

Perhaps he was foolish for even thinking such a thing. They were all dragons; monstrous beasts of monstrous abilities and monstrous proportions. He was but a mere man and a young one at that; normal in all aspects of life save for the Faustian blood that pumped through his veins, and even then, was that enough?

No. But Sebastian didn't care. He wasn't about to stand idly by while his maids fought tooth and claw for his survival; he'd do everything he could to help!

So as the platforms floated through the gaps of reality, he waited for a bridge to form. A piece of the garden here, a gear there, the hovering bits of his personal study; all floating in a near line straight towards his destination. His heart began racing, fear flowing through his veins. He jerked, pulled back, bit his lip, then blocked his head with the rushing wind. His body was still aching; sore from all the abuse he's taken thus far. But despite that, his drive to move numbed the pain, if only a little bit. Besides...

“GRRRAAARRRALLLL!!!”

KA-THUMPNK!!!

From behind, Oden's thick hand suddenly slammed upon the platform Sebastian stood on, causing him to turn around. Was he not battling Katherine? How had he managed his way up here like this!? He couldn't hear the White Dragon, but Sebastian didn't think for a moment she had been defeated; not in the way Oden's body was incredibly injured.

Scars lined him from head to back, to stomach, to legs, to everything. From these gaping wounds sprayed fresh blood, a pain that no doubt added to the frenzied look in Oden's eyes. He leered desperately at Sebastian, blue eyes aglow as he took step after step towards the stunned earl. In turn, he looked ahead, his eyes gazing towards the floating platform of pieces that led back to the shattered ballroom. If he was on the fence before on making the leap, he had no choice now! With Igrene battling Zeit, and Katherine somewhere else, Sebastian looked towards the gap, gauged if he could make the distance, pulled back, and--

“HAH!”

It's an exhilarating feeling to jump for one's life, tossing himself over an abyss of shear nothing where he'd no doubt fall for all eternity. The nearest platform was a soft patch of stone and grass from his garden; just a couple yards away. As gravity took hold over him, he watched as it came screeching towards his face and--

Thump!

“Ah!?”

Hoh... feels completely different from landing on a trampoline, that's for sure. But... no worse for wear; his legs buckled, but he didn't hurt himself. He needed to remember what Emiline taught him with his training before; roll on the impact of a landing. If he kept landing on his feet like this, he'd only serve to break his legs.

“GERRRAAAA!!!”

But Oden did not give up his chase so soon. Rushing towards the the young earl, he too leaped over the shadows, chasing after Sebastian and forcing him to move once more. Bolting towards the edge of the platform he was on, he once again launched himself over the edge, heading towards the gear he saw as his blood pumped with adrenaline. This time upon landing, he had enough wherewithal to roll upon landing, transitioning back into a run as his body didn't roar with pain nearly as much.

Once again, Oden's chase continued on without hesitation, leaping towards the gear and slamming upon it with so much force, it jerked Sebastian and nearly knocked him off balance. He needed to keep running though, less the monstrous drake snatch him, and then what? If he dies, the maids either lock up, or cease existing altogether. Both were fates he wasn't going to put them through.

But then a silver light streaked overhead, relief instantly washing over Sebastian as the odor of vanilla descended too. Her body like a bullet, Katherine suddenly struck Oden in the side, knocking him clear off the gear while she came to a halt. He tumbled into darkness far below, but the White Dragon was not yet finished. Her mouth open wide, she summoned her amazing might as a ball of wispy white energy formed in her gaping maw. It expanded in size, growing larger and larger and larger before her roar split across the dimension itself.

“SKKKSSRRAAAAAAAWWWW!!!”

And from that roar, the ball in her mouth exploded into a beam of energy, one that streaked through the darkness towards Oden in the distance. It struck him, causing a sea of amazing white explosions to rock the darkness, no doubt obliterating anything in its path. Assuming, of course; Oden may have been tougher than that. Katherine seemed to agree, for even with her devastating assault, she darted in his direction, aiming to make sure he was either dead, or dying. And if not, well, she'd gladly continue the fight.

And Sebastian would continue his path, rushing towards the edge of the gear as Katherine flew off. Ahead of him was the floor of his private study, along with his desk. He leaped, he landed, and rolled to a stop, before continuing his rush past his desk. Just one final leap, one last jump towards the shattered remnants of his ballroom and--

SKOOOOOOSHHHHH!!!

Looking to his right, Sebastian watched as Igrene's body was flung towards a nearby platform, one that looked like the wall of his estate. She slammed through it with so much force however, it shattered and broke upon the impact, leaving her dazed and confused. His mouth split wide and he called out her name, but Zeit's bestial roars drowned him out.

Leaping towards her, the Watchmaker slammed his body into hers, crashing the Red Serpent through the wall fully where they landed upon a nearby platform. Just how much abuse would his maids suffer on his behalf? Zeit's assault was brutal, as he slammed his head down into Igrene in an attempt to gored her with his horns. Her serpentine movements made this all but impossible however, and soon she slithered around his body to clinch him in a coil yet again. But with one strike into her body, Zeit forced Igrene back, causing her to release him as she darted through the air. Her body zigzagging one way and then the other, she quickly snapped her green eyes upon her enemy, the air filled with their vicious roars and growls.

Until a red ball of energy formed in Igrene's splitting jaw. Much like Katherine before, she started summoning her great power in a red sphere in her jaw, making all of reality shake and shiver. In response, Zeit did the same, summoning his raw strength into his jaw in a sphere of white light. The two kept building and building and building, the auras resonating from their bodies, and--

“KURRAAAHH!!!”

“HURRAWWW!!!”

“Oh shit...”

Two beams of white and red slammed into one another, triggering an explosion that shook reality. Sebastian was nearly blown back himself, needing to cling to the platform so that he wouldn't be knocked over its edge. Even his ears popped, nearly breaking from the splitting roars and blistering explosions.

But for as fast as it was to happen, it was all gone, with Sebastian opening his eyes and gazing around. What he saw staring back at him was cracks. Giant, multicolored glowing cracks had formed into the edges of reality, making the young earl wonder just how much abuse this dimension could take. Any more, and their battle would rip out into reality itself! And it probably doesn't take a genius to know what troubles could arise if dragons went to war in the moonlight of Schonheit.

Shit, shit, focus! The ballroom's right there; your Mauser's right there! He pulled back, readied himself, rushed for the edge and leaped!

Falling... falling... falling still! And...

THUNK!

“Gah!? Urgh! Shit... mmmph!?”

Okay, that landing was a bit rough. He was really aching now, but the platform remained sturdy beneath him, and his Mauser was there for the taking. Making way over towards it, he grabbed the pistol and its holster, a calming sigh leaving him.

The holster of a Mauser is an amazing thing. While, yes, it's mostly the place one puts their gun, for a Mauser in particular, it can also work as the gun's stock. So attaching it to the back of his pistol in order to help stabilize his aim, Sebastian cut his eyes over towards Zeit in the distance.

Igrene's movements were flawless, darting both in and out of the Watchmaker's attacks constantly. Being constantly led on like this was annoying for him, but in turn, it's not like Igrene could manage an attack on him in response. He was too defensive, she was too elusive; they'd need something to break the barrier between them.

POW! POW! POW!

Even in the strange existence that is this pocket dimension, Sebastian's bullets flew straight and true. The first two struck Zeit's shoulder; merely pebbles thrown at flesh. The last bullet struck his eye. It bounced back, his body stronger than that... but the irritation was felt nonetheless. Quickly his eyes jerked towards Sebastian in the distance; the one action providing the perfect opening for Igrene's attack.

“KRRAAWWW!!!”

Igrene rushed forward, her head stabbing straight into Zeit's chest, and pushing him through the platform he stood on. Blood dripped from his fresh wounds, his voice crooning in pain, but the Red Serpent did not let up. She pushed into him, harder and faster, diving through the shadows as they came to another platform. Slamming atop its surface and uprooting wood, Igrene finally pulled her head back... but only so she could headbutt and gored him on her horns again. And again. And again! And again!

The dazzling display of brutality sprinkled blood everywhere, allowing it to cascade along Igrene and her body; red dripping along red scales, horns and even in her hair. Igrene rested her hands upon Zeit's chest as she pinned him, her head tipping to the skies where – in her bestial, primal need – she roared to the heavens above.

“KURRRAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

More cracks began to spread out over the dimension's fragile existence. They split, wiggled and nearly shattered the pocket world as a whole, but somehow it all remained together. Just a bit more shaking however, and Sebastian had no doubts they'd be freed of all this madness.

But the battle was not over yet, nor did it look to be finishing anytime soon. Though downed by Igrene's assault, Zeit's will for victory arose, exploding in that white flame along his body. It forced the Red Serpent back, making her wings flap as she pulled away from him, her green eyes leering at his body beneath. From Zeit's mouth roared another explosion of white and black fire, forcing Igrene to retreat. However, his eyes did not remain locked on the Red Serpent for long, instead snapping upon a new target.

Sebastian...

His brown eyes met the bright blue eyes of the Watchmaker, realization dawning upon the young earl. If the drachenmagd only exist because he's still alive, then all Zeit has to do is kill him to end this battle. Perhaps the Watchmaker was now just remembering this, or maybe he was only annoyed by being shot at. Regardless, Zeit shifted his entire body towards Sebastian, where he let loose a roar strong enough to knock the young earl on his back.

With Igrene dazed and Sebastian scrambling, the Watchmaker immediately rushed down the platform he stood on, leaping over its edge to land on the shattered remains of the ballroom. Sebastian scooted back, while the heavy stomps of the Black Drake's approaching footsteps continued shaking the lands around them. His eyes nearly bulging out of his skull, Sebastian readied his Mauser in his hand, realizing it would do nothing to the monster standing before him. But be it from stubbornness, the desire to protect himself, fear, or just shear desperation, Sebastian aimed his pistol up towards Zeit's head.

POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

Every bullet stuck its target, and every bullet did nothing. Zeit did not flinch, did not budge, only growled with increasing annoyance. Soon enough, a telltale clicking noise echoed from Sebastian's Mauser; he had run out of ammo. Eyes widening further, the young earl palmed for his pistol ammo, while Zeit raised his hand. He took aim to strike...

“SKSKSKSRRAAAAWWW!!!”

GWEAAAM!!!

A beam of white suddenly screamed overhead, slamming into Zeit's body and pushing him back. He lifted his arm to defend against the blast, but the force of it was too great, and his footing was too brittle. The ground cracking away beneath his feet, he roared back defiantly, while a certain White Dragon walked up behind Sebastian.

Her mouth split open as she acted as her Master's sentry of protection, Katherine sprayed a beam of white-hot energy upon Zeit. He was a resilient opponent however, standing his ground and eventually pushing back against her assault. Realizing this, Sebastian tugged upon Katherine's foot, shouting out,

“THE GROUND! BREAK THE GROUND!!!”

Even while fighting to defend him, Sebastian's command met her ears, making her jerk her head down. As he suggested, the White Dragon's mouth split open once again, this time firing a blast that shattered the ballroom floor into pieces, truly destroying the platform and causing Zeit to drop. Sebastian would do so too, but Katherine's tail scooped him up, placing him safely upon her back. She then took off, flying high above the ground below in search of a safe place for her Master to reside.

This brief respite from the horrors of the battle... it lulled Sebastian into a sense of security. Up here on Katherine's majestic wings, the terrors of the night felt so far, far away. He knew it was only in his head, but that didn't make it feel any less good.

But it all came to an end as they landed up on the platform containing Projekt Gottheit itself. Could Katherine speak as a dragon? Sebastian wasn't sure, but he could read her face nonetheless. Leering into the distance, he knew she only held the desire to rush back into the neck of things, for Zeit and Oden were not dead yet. But as he dismounted from Katherine's back, his hand tugged at her gently... before he moved in to rub his head against the warmth of her side.

“I don't know what it is you and Igrene argue about, but I'm happy you can put aside your differences to work together...” Sebastian whispered as he nuzzled against her, “Haah... I must sound like an idiot; you two are sisters. No arguments you have can be that intense...” he pulled away, “I wish I could be of more help to you two, but I'd only just get in the way,” regardless, his eyes grew intense, “Give them hell, Katherine. That's an order from your Master!”

The White Dragon turned to face Sebastian again... and she nodded. Without hesitation her wings began flapping, allowing her to take off. Her mouth opening wide after, she let loose a roar that once again shook the boundaries of reality. Katherine's roar was then met by another, this one belonging to Igrene. Writhing through the air like a snake, the Red Serpent joined her sister, their mighty roars continuing to make the edges of reality crack and split.

They would not go unopposed.

“GRRRAAAWWWWW!!!

“HURRRAAAWWWW!!!”

Matching against them on platforms all their own, Zeit and Oden arose to face them. Of all of them, Oden was far the worse looking. Scratches and scars adorned his body, leaving him dripping red along his white and black hide. In a way, it also made him look twice as ferocious, appearing like a truly savage and brutal being.

They all looked battered however, be it the extreme like the Oden, or the merely scuffed and scratched like Katherine. The odor of blood continued permeating the air however, a reminder of how visceral this fight was. They weren't merely battling to dominate, they were aiming to kill. Sebastian wanted to say something, but all that came out were half-finished sentences. Yes, he needed to accept this fact; there was no negotiating things. Zeit and Oden had to die.

Together, Katherine and Igrene rushed their opponents, though they switched it up from before. Instead of the Red Serpent taking on Zeit, she dove towards Oden, her superior speed and lithe body taking the White Drake off guard. In turn, Katherine barreled towards Zeit, her claws meeting his claws as they clashed.

She was strong but he had strength to match, the two tumbling upon their platform as it shook beneath their feet. Blue eyes meeting white, the Black Drake attempted to topple his opponent, but Katherine would not budge. So he swung over his tail, only to have said tail be caught by the White Dragon's very own, keeping him pinned.

While their battle hit a stalemate, Oden struggled to set himself loose of Igrene. So fast, so flighty, she easily coiled around his body. And despite his thick hide and muscular fat, the Red Serpent was more than capable of squeezing the air out of his lungs. It was his neck she applied the most pressure too, squeezing and squeezing and squeezing until she could audibly hear his flesh and bones crack under the pressure.

His eyes bulging as wails of desperation left him, Oden finally mustered enough strength to flex, tensing his body hard enough to break free of Igrene's constraints. She relented, pulling away and releasing him, but the damage had been done. Oden was struggling to stand now, gasping and mewling as blood began pouring from his mouth. He even clenched at his throat, his blue eyes leering at Igrene in the distance.

Despite his failing body, the White Drake's malice and hatred towards the Red Serpent only continued to build. Flames spouted from his mouth, ones that bubbled uncontrollably due to the multiple injuries his body had sustained. He cared not! Only driving himself to try harder to strike down the dragoness before him. He formed a beam as best he could, one of a deep, dark blue. And once it hit its zenith, he fired it out, streaking it through the darkened skies in a beautiful display.

But the beam was weak and pathetic.

From her own mouth, Igrene fired back a red-hot beam of energy, one that slammed back into Oden's. There was no struggle on their end; she completely dominated the White Drake. Her blast knocked his back, the beam of fire and energy slamming into his body. Scales were burnt away, the intensity of her attack even pushing him straight through his platform and tumbling into the darkness below. This time, there was no other platform to catch him. This time, he was free to fall and fall and fall...

Sebastian watched his body descend into the void of cracks, blinking numbers, and darkness. And... guess that's how he meets his end, huh? As something... so very, very far from human. To think he was once Heinrich's trusted friend... should Sebastian be angered by his betrayal, hurt by it, or disappointed?

Hmm... Sebastian didn't know...

Ultimately, he shook his head, dismissing these thoughts as his eyes shifted towards Zeit and Katherine. Perhaps this was their plan all along. Get rid of Oden first and then focus their attentions on the Watchmaker. His assistant was clearly the weaker link, and now that he had been dealt with, the two sisters were free to inflict whatever punishment they deemed fit for the Black Drake. Sebastian wished he could read the faces of beasts, just to see what he was thinking. Alas...

“KURRRAAAAHHH!!!”

Igrene darted in straight for Zeit's back. With Katherine keeping him pinned in place, he could do nothing but accept what was to come his way.

“HURRGGHH!?”

It penetrated his back; horns of red and yellow that belonged to Igrene. Zeit stood his ground however, viciously roaring against Katherine as he tried to jerk his body back. However, she continued keeping him in place, allowing Igrene to once again pull back and--

“HRRRRGGHH!?”

Another headbutt full of horns, but this time she added onto the pain, dragging her horns down his back to cleave lines of blood against his black body. Finally the weakness in his body began to take hold over him, causing Zeit to bend a knee before Katherine. She continued holding him in place however, allowing her sister to perform her deadly coiling maneuver. Wrapping around him tighter and tighter, she clenched upon his legs, his hips, his chest and his neck. He growled back, and even tried to use that white fire on his body to burn her... but it didn't do a damn thing.

Let it be known, that for as kind and affable as his maids can be, they can be ruthless and dangerous, as Sebastian was learning now. Igrene was not pleased with just clinching Zeit, she also began to viciously slash and tear into his body with her bladed talons. Each one drew lines of blood upon his face, reducing it nearly to mush, and rendering it unrecognizable. But it was Igrene's clenched that sealed his fate.

Just one, mighty, powerful squeeze, and...

CEERRRAAAACCKKK!!!

The barriers of this reality shook, for the cracks which spread out upon them had reached their end. It would take nothing more than a few final roars to finally free them from this jail, something both Katherine and Igrene realized. The Red Serpent released the hold she had on Zeit, her green eyes meeting her sister's white ones. And then together, they tipped their heads to the skies, letting loose twin roars.

“KUURRRAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

“SKSKSKSRRAAAAAAAWWWW!!!”

Just as before, their cries shook the very foundation of this reality, the cracks splintering further through the seams. Sebastian watched it all, smiling as the cracks shattered the darkness of this world, giving way to more light, more colors! It was brilliant, a sight he never thought he'd miss, but what was so happy to see. And once the world could no longer maintain itself following their roars, the cracks... shattered.

SKEEEEAAAAAAAAMMMM!!!

Yeah... that's what it sounded like. Sebastian didn't know what a waterfall of light would sound like... but he'd argue it would sound something similar to that. The multicolored lights bathed him, and a relaxed sigh leaving his lips. It was warm, it was inviting, and he smelled Igrene's sweet scent mixing with Katherine's vanilla one.

It was flawless... that is until the rancid odor of blood seeped into his nose.

Sebastian's eyes snapped open, falling upon the ceiling of the underground laboratory. When he brought his eyes down... he saw Oden's corpse. The portly man laid a few feet in front of him. Dead, immobile, resting in a pool of his own blood. Sebastian grunted from the sight, his hand falling over his mouth and nose to fight out the desperate need to puke. Somehow, Oden had returned to his human form, making the sight of his corpse that much more shocking.

But if Oden was there... then... ah...

Slowly his eyes slid over, moving towards Igrene, Katherine... and the Zeit. All of them were naked, their transformed bodies having reduced whatever clothing they wore to shreds. What made things worse was the fact that their injuries carried over towards their human forms. Katherine being the least damaged, had nothing but light scratches and bruises upon her. Igrene suffered more injuries than she did, having visible burned marks along her flesh, along with the bruises she endured through more blunt strikes, and a bleeding bite mark on her shoulder.

But it was Zeit who appeared the worse. Resting on his knees, blood poured from his face, chest and back, along with burn marks, and all sorts of other injuries. He was choking on his blood; Igrene's squeeze having broken something in his mouth, but not enough to kill him outright.

“Urgkh... grrkgh... urkgh... kkrrgh...”

God... it sounded horrible.

Both Katherine and Igrene gazed down upon the dying Watchmaker, their expressions still intense and their eyes still aglow. That is until they looked upon one another, their eyes returning to normal... and a smile spread out upon the Red Serpent's lips.

“Katherine,” Igrene said, her tone heartfelt, “Hah... I'm so happy you're here. Everyone was afraid you were in pain... and since you kept trying to avoid us.”

“Apologies, sister,” Katherine replied as a smile spread out on her lips, “I had my reasons to avoid you all, but when this occurred, I could not stand idly by. Now then... what do we do...” their eyes shifted down towards Zeit, “With him?”

Even now, pinned between the two of them with blood and viscera streaming down his body, Zeit looked like an utter menace. If Sebastian was alone with him even in this bruised state, he had no doubts the Watchmaker could tear him apart with nothing but his hands. Nevertheless, the young earl stood his ground, leering deep into Zeit's muddled blue eyes as he approached them.

“Gurkgh! Y-you've doomed yourself... hrurrgghh! You know that, Faust!?” the Watchmaker claimed through gritted teeth, his weak body shivering as random choking noises squeaked from his throat.

“Even if I were to believe you, I would dismiss your words,” Sebastian replied, his brown eyes tightening into a glare, “You storm my house, drive my maids to madness and try to have me killed. Why would I ever trust the likes of you?”

“They are demons, you fool!” he shouted, “Aackchh!? E-e-eternally bound to eviscerate your s-s-soul when your death comes! Grrkghh!? Grkh! Grkgh!?”

“I am getting sick and tired of your voice,” Katherine said as she raised her hand, “Allow me to put you out of your misery!”

Her eyes leered at the Watchmaker's throat, her aim to slice straight through it. Zeit did not even attempt to fight back, seemingly resigned to his fate as blood caked his bared fangs. Still, Sebastian did not flinch in the sight of him... instead, he walked forward.

“Katherine, wait,” he said, placing his hand upon her arm to lower it.

“Is something the matter, Master?” Igrene asked, concerned as she questioned why he would stop his sister's execution.

But Sebastian merely shook his head, answering with a surprising,

“No... allow me...”

Clutching his Mauser close, Sebastian looked down towards it as his finger came close to its trigger. Such a dangerous and deadly tool, one that can make anyone the most powerful person in a room. With Zeit bleeding and dying, and his maids ever being subordinate to him, did holding this pistol make Sebastian the strongest in the laboratory? He didn't feel like it.

The act of taking someone's life is so easy when it comes to games, movies, books; whatever have you. But to actually do it takes a great deal of willpower. Perhaps even it feels simple at first, but once the act has been performed, the reality of the situation comes crashing down.

Zeit was not a human; he was a monster. A monster who attempted to kill him, a monster who attempted to kill his maids. Even if he was nothing more than a simple home intruder, he'd be deserving of death in many people's eyes. But in spite of everything he had done, Sebastian felt himself shaking. He wanted to kill Zeit – that's why he leveled his pistol with the Watchmaker's head – but he just couldn't pull the trigger.

Do it, Sebastian! Do it! he kept telling himself, but he still couldn't manage the courage to go through with such an act. Just pull... the damn... trigger! If Klaus was here, he would have shot him already, so do it, dammit! Just kill him! Just--

“Master...”

A hand fell on his wrist, tipping his gun down. Looking over, his eyes met Igrene's eye, her face being lovely and warm despite the light bruising she had here and there. She meanwhile read the expression of despair on his face, even the slight swelling of tears. Reaching up with her thumb, she stroked those tears away, cleaning her Master's face before moving in to hug him.

“You don't have to be ruthless, Master. You don't have to be a punisher. You're perfect the way you are,” Igrene stated whilst rubbing his head, “Don't do something you'll regret.”

“But I... I... haaah...”

What was he even trying to prove? That he could be strong? Had he not already proven this by surviving the night's events? Yes, Igrene was right; he did not have to be ruthless or a punisher, not when Zeit had already been defeated by their hands. Nevertheless, the Watchmaker was a threat, and he'd need to be killed by someone. Sebastian hoped that by acting as executioner, he'd gain the ability to be more ruthless in the future if its ever necessary. But of course... it just wasn't in him.

So he nodded, relenting to Igrene's protective and reassuring words. The Red Serpent then turned him around so that he'd face Projekt Gottheit itself. He knew what was coming and what she was doing, allowing her to soothingly squeeze his shoulders as she nuzzled him against her naked chest. He tensed up, his eyes closed and his nostrils flaring as the situation slowly came to him. In just a few seconds... Zeit would... Zeit would... he would be...

Slash!

Thud...

Yeah... would be dead.

Blood dripped from Katherine's extended claws as she leered down upon Zeit's corpse, her eyes callous and indifferent. Hundreds upon hundreds of years... instantly wiped away without a moment's hesitation. How silly...

Producing a white clothe from thin air, Katherine wiped her claws clean whilst leering towards her sister and Master. Approaching them, she too placed her hand upon his face, cleaning the tears which formed on him. He was trying to be so strong, but the reality of the night continued to haunt him.

And it wasn't even over yet...

“The moon,” Sebastian said as he looked up towards the two, trying to take his mind away from the two corpses which stained his laboratory, “The moon is still up there. The other drachenmagd; your sisters. What are we going to do about them? How do we remove the moon? How did it even get up there?”

“The black watch you were given. That is the cause of all this,” Katherine explained as she looked at him, “Zeit is... huh... was a skilled wizard; his knowledge of the arcane arts was great and expansive. The watch was cursed, acting like a sponge to soak up our magical abilities when we all touched it. It probably took a little while longer than he expected, but he was a patient fellow. When I touched the watch last, he triggered it to explode and create the red moon, its enhanced size and lunar rays acting like the moon from our birthplace. When we saw it – when we felt it – it drove some of us primal.”

“Yes... I know,” Sebastian said meekly, “I was attacked by Mylene and Faline. I saw Rodeline in the halls as well; it was like she was going insane. And that's not getting into all the damage; Larsine pounded Mylene through the floor, and Emiline slammed Faline through a wall.”

“Oh no... oh no no no...” Igrene said regretfully as she shook her head, “Please, Master, forgive my sisters; they don't know what they're doing.”

“I know, Igrene, I know,” he said reassuringly, “But... nnghh...” falling back into her arms, it was clear his body was growing weak, “I... I can't keep keep this up... I'm too... too...”

“It's okay, Master,” Katherine said, smiling as she placed her hand upon his forehead.

“Allow Katherine and I to handle it,” Igrene stated as she soothingly brushed her hand along Sebastian's head.

“You've taken so much today.”

“Allow us to take some of this weight from off your shoulders.”

Even if Sebastian wanted to argue against them, he just couldn't. The exhaustion, the soreness, the pain; it was all finally taking hold over his human body. But even though he couldn't do anything, he smiled whilst looking at his maids. He knew they could handle anything thrown at them, including dealing with this strange red moon. So he relented to their control, allowing Igrene to lift him up into her arms. She then looked at Katherine, the two of them nodding in an affirmative manner.

Their wings spread out, the duo took to the skies, flying away from Projekt Gottheit and returning to the laboratory's entrance. Still, the carmine moon gleamed its crimson hue, basking the Faust Estate in red and shadows. The wretched sight chilled Sebastian's blood, but the safety and comfort of his maids kept him calm. But hey had yet to explain how exactly they'd deal with the moon above. How does one move something like this?

Why... the same way you break out the barriers of the pocket dimension, it would seem.

“SKSKKSSRRAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW!!!”

Katherine's roar was just as devastating now as it was in the pocket dimension, shaking the ground around them. But just as before, Sebastian was not pained by the roar, instead feeling at ease like he was listening to his favorite song. These feeling would only get better, for soon after...

“KUUURRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!”

Igrene roared as well, mixing her voice harmoniously with that of her sister's. For these beautiful woman to make such bombastic dragon noises would typically be cause for fear, wouldn't it? But maybe because it was his maids, Sebastian continued feeling so happy, so jovial. Yes it was loud, yes it was even a bit frightening, but it was also exciting, also exhilarating, also amazing!

And it only continued to build... and build... and build!

“NNNNHAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRLLLLLLLL!!!”

Wait... that was... Selene's voice! Yes, the Black Dragon too was roaring, mixing her bellow with that of her sisters. And once she started roaring...

“NNNYAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRHHHHHH!!!”

Mylene started roaring as well! And after Mylene...

“RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWHHHHHH!!!”

There was Larsine. And after Larsine, there was...

“HAAAAAAAAARRRRAAAAAAAAWWWW!!!”

Nadine! And with Nadine's roar came--

“FUUURRRRRRRAAAAAAAAWWWWHHH!!!”

Faline's roar! And following Faline's roar...

“UUUURRRRMMURRRAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

He heard Rodeline roar!

“FFUUUUUAAAAAAAAHAAAARRRRR!!!”

Adeline's roar rocked the lands, followed shortly by--

“OOOOORRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAWWW!!!”

Emiline's voice. So long and strong. That left only one, and naturally being the biggest and strongest of the drachenmagd, hers was without the mightiest roar possible.

“GEEEERRRRRRAAAAAAAAARRRLLL!!!”

Altogether, his maids roared harmoniously with one another, shaking the very boundaries of reality. When it all comes together – when it all mixes like a beautiful orchestra – Sebastian could not hear their voices one by one. No, it instead sounded like there was only one being, roaring with all its might; that's how in tune the drachenmagd were right now. It was beautiful, drawing a smile to Sebastian's lips as he just sat there in Igrene's arms, listening.

They were all so amazing. Even as primal dragons, he found them to be nothing short of majestic and beautiful. And even in that cardinal majesty, they were still led on by their sisters, working in tandem to roar! More and more! Harder! Stronger! Louder! Louder! Louder!

The edges of reality began shaking, much like in the dimension before. Wait... were they not in yet another pocket world? Sebastian couldn't believe it, but as he gazed upon the endless dark skies, he could see cracks splintering through them like a breaking window.

And those cracks eventually traveled to touch upon the moon a well. It too started splintering, jagged lines formed upon its rocky surface that made the red lights it emitted grow distorted. And... was it wrong to say Sebastian saw a sense of beauty in this red moon, even after all the chaos it caused? Maybe... maybe...

As their roars grew in decibels, whatever power that held the moon together finally began to waver. It shook in the skies as if it would drop, those cracks spreading out over every inch of it. The roaring of their maids continued on however, desperate to finally break through the barrier. Just a little louder, just a little stronger, just a little bit more, and finally! Finally!

Finally...

CEEEERRRARAAAACCCKK!!!

The moon shattered.

Millions upon millions of tiny, little, glowing pieces showered through the skies, cascading down as the darkness of the starless skies broke along with it. The moon was gone, and in its place there was a flood of light. So many beautiful colors danced about before him; reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, indigos, and violets, mixing together in a beautiful waterfall. Sebastian – a warm smile spreading out over his lips – reached out for the colors... before dropping his arm back.

All the pain, all the excitement; it finally caught up with him. As Sebastian watched the rush of colors befall him as his maids roared, he eventually found himself dripping into darkness.

He passed out.

…

“Master? Master...? Master...”

“Haaah...”

How did he feel a few days ago? When he woke up following his night of passion with Mylene, Nadine and Larsine? He felt sore then, right? Like, really sore and really achy, to the point that he needed a cane just to get around? He'd much, much, much rather be that sore again.

As the previous night's events played out in his mind, Sebastian's eyes opened. He expected to see the inside of Rodeline's nursing office, but no; he was in his bedroom. Understandably confused, the young earl pulled himself up from his bed, only to wince and lay back down. Yup, his entire body was wrapped around like a half-entombed mummy. But unlike that raunchy night with his drachenmagd, he could could feel the flaring wounds he suffered, not only at Zeit's hands, but those of his maids as well.

But... boy, what an exhilarating night! It was frightening yes, but stimulating and thrilling all the same. When Sebastian closed his eyes, he could still see it all so perfectly; the red moon, the grim halls, his demonic maids, Zeit and Oden, and of course, the majesty that is Igrene and Katherine's true forms. It was the stuff that would have made his childhood self holler from how cool it all was... but only when in the pages of a novel, or on his TV screen.

Having experienced it, Sebastian wondered if it made him into a better person. He also wondered about Zeit and Oden themselves. Who were they? Well... going by Heinrich's Records, they were once his friends; the people who helped bring Projekt Gottheit to a reality. But why? They weren't human, having come from... somewhere else. And now left with their corpses in his basement (assuming the drachenmagd hadn't moved them already), Sebastian wondered who... what they were.

They mentioned some things but... well... they're dead now; can't ask them about it. Best to focus on the here and now.

Gazing to his right, Sebastian's eyes befell his window, and the glowing afternoon sun on the other end. He slept way later than usual, but after last night's adventure, he was lucky to be waking up at all.

Perhaps it was foolish of him, but Sebastian didn't care. Curious to know what had happened during his rest, the young earl moved to the edge of his massive bed, his eyes leering into the distance to see that his lounge wear had been neatly folded and placed upon his chair, along with his cane. Ah... his maids were always five steps ahead of him.

Despite the aches and pains in his body, Sebastian dressed himself up and grabbed his cane, using it to support himself as he made way for the door. And though he hesitated as he reached out for the knob – fearing what he may see on the other end – the young earl pushed on regardless. He grabbed it, twisted it, turned it, and--

“MAAASSTTEERRRRR!!!”

“Gack!? Selene!?” GLOMP!? “URGH!?”

He didn't even get one foot out.

By now, there's no need to describe the feeling of Selene's body against his! She hugged him, tight too, smooshing his head against her lofty breasts in an embrace that threatened to suffocate him. Yeah, imagine that; he survives two drakes attempting to kill him, only to be killed by his overly affectionate maid! Honestly, knowing Selene and her possessive mannerisms, she'd probably prefer such a thing!

“Selene, please release Master Sebatian,” Igrene voice rang, “He's already had a harrowing night; he doesn't need and equally as terrifying morning!”

“Hoh! Saying such things of me; how rude!”

Nevertheless, the Chamber Maid release her Master, allowing him to pull back and breath as his brown eyes looked up at him. He expected to see her typically glowing and flawless face, one that lacked any sort of blemish, any sort of marking, any sort of... anything!

Instead he saw coils.

They wrapped around half of her face, bandages that covered her typically picturesque beauty. They came down as well, covering her neck, her shoulders, and almost the entire length of her left arm, instead ending right down at her wrist. Looking down, he noticed more coils along her right leg as well, and he only assumed there were even more beneath her red and black dress. Even Selene's glasses were chipped and the rims bent, losing their immaculate styling.

Seeing her wrapped in such a way brought visible pain to Sebastian, who raised his hand to rest it upon her shoulder and neck. Checking her over, he wondered if she was okay, though her lips remained in a smile despite his worries. Despite all their powers and their amazing personalities, his maids were still vulnerable; they could still feel pain. And that... oh that hurt him more than anything.

“I'm okay, Master, honestly,” said Selene as she placed her hand back on his face, her thumb stroking his cheek, “Ohohohoho~! You need not worry about your Chamber Maid; your Chamber Maid must only worry about you.”

“Haaah... Selene...” he whispered back, his teeth biting into his bottom lip.

He truly felt awful for what happened, even if it was far from his fault. Overwhelmed by the sight of her bandaged like she was, Sebastian moved in, giving Selene an earnest hug. She held him back, her tail slyly wagging about while the clacking of heeled feet against the floor came closer.

“We're fine, Master, promise,” said Igrene, drawing Sebastian's head from Selene's chest to gaze upon his Head-Housemaid.

She was much like her sister; wrapped in coils and bandages here and there. It made more sense for her, since he watched her battle alongside Katherine in opposition to Zeit and Oden. Namely her face had heavier bandages applied to it; the area where she had been punched multiple times by the Watchmaker.

They were smiling at him despite their injuries, clearly wanting him to feel better above all else. But how could he feel better when they were in pain? It only... it only made him angry!

“I want to know who Zeit is!” he shouted as he bared his teeth, I want to... I want to know everything about him! I want to know why he... aah... why he-- Oh!?”

The rush of rage and his weakened body suddenly brought upon him a dizzy spell, causing Sebastian to fall right into Selene's awaiting arms. Despite his showing of passion and anger, his two maids smiled at him, with Igrene even bringing her hand over to stroke his head and hair.

“Master, please, reign yourself in,” she said in a soothing manner, “A lot happened last night. We do not wish for you to stress yourself over it. Zeit and Oden are dead; Carmeline and Emiline have already sought to the remove and destruction of their bodies.”

“Putrid beings; cremation is too good for them,” Selene snarled, her voice holding powerful bile for the duo, “Even the idea of devouring them is too good for beings as wretched as they are! To think they harmed our Master! Hrrrgh! I wish I killed them myself!”

“Calm yourself, Selene. What's done is done,” Igrene stated, “Let us not trudge up the emotions of last night, and instead focus on moving on.”

“No... no...” Sebastian said as he shook his head, “No... I want... I want to know why they attacked. I need to know. I need too... mmm...”

Once more he stumbled into Selene's awaiting arms, causing the Black Dragon and Red Serpent to trade concerned glances with one another. Sebastian may have been weak, but he was still pumping with righteous fury. And while Zeit and Oden were already dead, his desire to know why they attacked swelled within him nonetheless. However...

“You are still weak, Master,” Igrene said, “However, I understand your need for retribution, despite the Watchmaker's death. But for now...” she smiled at him, “Let us focus on all mending our bodies following last night. We will investigate the attack once we are all back to 100%.”

Sebastian's grimaced... but he ultimately knew Igrene was right. Could he even make it through the halls in his sorry state? Not without a great deal of assistance. Yeah, Igrene was right; focus on healing his body... not to mention filling his stomach.

Grrrrrrrrrgghhh!!!

“Ufufufufu! My oh my!” Selene said with a teasing smile, “Master... are you hungry?”

“Well... I haven't eaten since last night... which feels like days ago now...” he answered.

“Come, allow us to take you to the dining hall. Nadine will no doubt love cooking for you in order to take her mind off of things.”

“Yes... let's... oh! But wait!” he looked at them, “Where's Katherine?”

Selene and Igrene looked at one another, at first appearing slightly quizzical, before smiles spread out over their lips. Naturally, Sebastian had no idea what to make of this, raising an eyebrow back as the two dragons turned to face him.

“Why don't you ask her yourself, Master?” Igrene replied as she stepped aside to reveal--

“Katherine?”

Sebastian's eyes leered into the distance, watching as a certain White Dragon came walking around the corner. Was it merely perfect timing, or had she heard him call out to her, which led to her arrival? Knowing his maids, yeah, he'd say it was the latter. Didn't matter; he was overjoyed when the Housekeeper turned to face him, revealing not leather straps on her eyes, but instead circular-rimmed glasses. Much like Selene and Faline's own glasses, it gave her an studious look. Her expression was also surprisingly demure thanks to her small smile and slightly puffed out cheeks. When she approached him, she did so slowly, before bowing in a respectful manner.

“Good morning, Master,” Katherine said, her tone lacking any sort of ghastly infliction or mysterious droning, “I'm happy to see you have healed following last night's excitement.”

“Heh... I am too,” Sebastian said as he grabbed for her hands, holding them into his own.

Looking at her, she had a few band aids on her cheek, and some coils around her arm. Compared to her sisters, she looked to be the least injured, owing to how flawlessly she battled. He wanted to ask her about it – he wanted to ask all of them about it – but he also didn't want to drudge up last night so soon. No, they'd save that for later. For now...

“You look nice, Katherine. I much prefer you with glasses than those straps,” Sebastian asked, causing her to blush as she pushed said glasses up on her face a bit more.

“You really do? Eha... they help manage my powers more so than my straps did... I... I prefer them as well, Master.”

“Will you... join me for breakfast?”

“I'd love nothing more,” she said with a nod.

Together with Igrene leading them, and Selene and Katherine at his sides, Sebastian made way down the long halls of his estate towards the dining room. And, yes, it was a horrible, horrible mess. Now with the sun illuminating his home, Sebastian could see just how much carnage his maids wrought when primal. Furniture destroyed, rugs and curtains torn, holes in the walls, the floors, the ceiling, windows shattered, and all sorts of random debris littered the ground. It was a mess, but he reassured himself that in time, it would all be cleaned. His maids were as amazing as they were magical; he had no doubt they'd fix this all up in a heartbeat. And he'd help wherever he could... even if he probably wouldn't be that helpful thanks to his own injuries.

Alas, they arrived at his dining hall, its doorway being slightly unhinged. But Igrene pushed it open, revealing on the other end--

“MAASSTERRRR!”

His ears rang, but much like the other night when he heard them all roar, they did not ring with pain. Instead, the unanimous cry from his maids brought a smile to his lips, his eyes growing slghtly misty as well. They were all here; from Mylene to Carmeline, no one was missing. And all of them looked so happy to see him... but despite their glowing smiles, Sebastian could see that they – much like their other sisters – too had bandages wrapped along them. Some were minuscule, like Carmeline having coils around an arm and a leg, and Nadine having some coils only one her arms. Others had more wrappings, like Rodeline and Adeline, who had bandages running along their necks and arms from what he could see. But then there were the ones who were most extreme; Mylene, Faline, Larsine and Emiline. Despite their clothing which hid a majority of their injuries, Sebastian could tell that beneath they were nearly mummified, much like Selene. Considering they were the ones he saw battling before escaping into the basement, it truly hurt him to know that their injuries were brought on not by Zeit and Oden, but by each other.

But, no, it was Zeit and Oden's fault! Sure, they may not have attacked them outright, but it was them who put the moon in the sky, causing them to go primal in the first place! Dammit! Just thinking about the duo and what they did made Sebastian's blood run hot!

However...!

Igrene brought Sebastian slowly to his chair, his eyes closed as he gripped his staff close, his rage simmering down. The silent dining hall despite its size made it easy for him to just sit there and think. It was clear his maids were waiting for him to say something, but Sebastian was never one for public speaking. But he still felt like he should say something... anything. Well... just say what came first, right?

“I'm sorry.”

“It's not, 'I'm sorry', Master,” Emiline said, causing his eyes to open and look at her, “It's 'I apologize'. You are many things, Master, but 'sorry' is not one of them...” she placed her hand on her chest, “I believe I'm not speaking out of order when I say this but... if anyone should say they are sorry and must apologize, it is us.”

Grab!

“Yes, Master!” said Mylene as she suddenly grabbed his right arm.

Grab!

“Emiline's right!” Faline continued as she grabbed his left arm.

And then in unison they cried out,

“WE'RE REALLY, REALLY SORRY FOR ATTACKING YOU!!!”

When he read their faces, he saw not a hint of playful mischievous from Mylene, nor scholarly intelligence from Faline. No, the two were practically on the verge of tears, their eyes swelling and their cheeks puffing up. They were truly remorseful over what they had done, even if it wasn't their fault. Seeing them look like this, practically beating themselves up over what happened last night, only caused Sebastian further grief. But he knew if he showed that, he'd only make them feel worse. So instead of frowning, Sebastian smiled then pulled his arms free of their grasps, but only so that he could wrap his hands around their shoulders and hug them in close.

“It's okay. I forgive you,” he said. And though he didn't really feel like their was a need to forgive anything, he knew it would make them feel better to hear it.

But apologize was not all Sebastian wanted to say about the situation, and when he released his holds on Mylene and Faline, he closed his eyes and looked down. Once more he thought about his word, mulling them over very carefully so that he could get across his point. And when his eyes reopened, he saw that all of his drachenmagd were looking directly at him, waiting on his every word. Well... time to give it to them.

“I don't know why Zeit attacked us... or even how long he's planned for it... but I will get to the bottom of it,” Sebastian stated, “He may be dead... but that's not good enough for me. I want to make sure something like this never happens again. Never...”

It was affirmative, and it was strong... despite Sebastian's naturally meek demeanor. He may not have been the mightiest earl they've ever had, but he certainly had the dedication of one.

“Geh heh heh! Well said, Master!” Carmeline stated with her hardy laugh.

“And we'll help you every step of the way, umu!” Rodeline added.

“Harah! But first, let's feed you!” Nadine said excitedly as she pushed up a silver platter, removing its top to reveal delicious french toast, over easy eggs, bacon strips and sausage links, as well as buttery sweet grits. And, yes, all of it was cooked to perfection.

The moment it hit his nose, Sebastian shivered with delight and nodded; Nadine's cooking prowess knew no equal, did it? But as he grabbed his fork in one hand, his other hand palmed instinctively at nothing. Typically when he ate, he did so with Heinrich's Records here so that he may read it whilst eating. And while it may be a bit rude to seemingly ignore his maids when he had them all here with him, he couldn't help but to desire his ancestor's book.

Yes, there was something he remembered Zeit saying last night, something that... had his mind swimming with thoughts, something... something only Heinrich's Records could answer.

Fortunately for him, his palming at the air was like a secret message to his drachenmagd, for Katherine suddenly produced Heinrich's Records from seemingly out of thin air. Seeing it, Sebastian silently thanked his maid as he opened it up to where his bookmark was at last.

Where were we?

A strange woman was speaking to me from beyond the very fabric of reality; I was talking to someone – something – that no other man had ever met with before. It's one thing to read of such things in aged tomes from dubious sources; it's something else entirely to hear it with your own ears. Driven by curiosity and a desire to learn, I approached the gateway created by my own hands.

'Who are you?' I called into it as my hand touched upon the Ether, feeling it pull me in.

'My name is Mephistopheles,' the voice answered.