章節 24: 24. !The deal
The moment Makima peered into Veilhem's mind, the scenery underwent a drastic change. What greeted her was the sight of the Dark Sigil rising high in the sky above, pouring its darkness down from the far end of the horizon. The ring of light surrounding it was wearing thinner than ever as if the darkness was about to break through.
The mountains of ashes piled up to no end. The only thing here were tombstones. Their only decorations were broken weapons used by the grave owner. They filled the mountain range like an additional touch, amplifying the depressing atmosphere. Names had been blurred by the erosion of time.
Makima was standing on yet another pile of ashes. There was nothing new or worthy to see. The same plain gray landscape stretched to the horizon.
Even the winds were carrying the stench of rot and decay that was enough to make her scrunch up her nose due to the heightened sensitivity. It whispered the wailings and shriekings of numerous unjust souls to create a melancholic disharmony.
In summary, this place was as sickening and hostile to any living beings as it could possibly get.
The only thing that was somewhat appealing to the eyes was a chapel in Gothic style in front of her. But even that thing was in a poor condition with parts of it collapsing indicating that this place had been abandoned.
This place was already in shambles. She could easily deduce that by the fact that there were broken glasses and debris all over the ground.
Approaching the rusty gates of the chapel, Makima felt a sense of dread loomed over her head but she soon shook it off.
Makima pushed the massive gates with her strengthened physical prowess and it created a creaking sound. The rusty gates opened but then fell off and made a dull sound when it hit the ground.
Paying no heed to this, she advanced further into the chapel in the hope of rescuing Veilhem. She knew he had many secrets and painful memories that he didn't want her to see but this was not the time to be wavering.
Pushing the front doors, the familiar darkness greeted her with absolute silence. The dusty and dampened air was mixed with the putrid scent of bodies that lay across the hallway. They were all wearing the same kind of armor that Veilhem wore, just more corroded.
From what Makima could see, it seemed to her that there was a fight occurring here. The traces of it marked the hallway in slashes and cuts in various ways. The dried blood even turned into a murky and sticky liquid on the floor.
Walking through the corridor, Makima heard a mysterious voice pouring directly into her eardrums.
[My my, an uninvited guest has arrived. Don't you think it's rude to look into others' minds?]
However, she continued walking as if she didn't hear that.
[ Let me take a guess. You try to save that guy, aren't we?]
Their tone contained a hint of mockery that was directed at Makima in her futile attempt to walk into his mind.
[Bet you're doing this on your own accord. Selfish as you might be, you must leave while you still can. Otherwise…]
[You can even lose yourself in the process.]
However, she didn't feel any ill intention laid beneath their voice. It was as if they gave sincere advice instead of warning her to leave.
"I refuse." She stated that with absolute determination, any further advice was useless for her at this point.
[Well, suit yourself… it's not like you can do anything to change the matter that has been set.]
[No matter what, since you're here already, let me be your guide.]
"Would you kindly tell me who you are?" She asked while still walking forward with light and steady steps. She didn't trust this voice that resided in Veilhem's head. It was better to be safe than to be sorry.
[Me? Hmm, for now, you can call me Veilhem.]
Hearing this made her stop in her stride, her eyes grew colder than ever. Makima's ringed eyes glowed brighter than ever, a contrast to the darkness that loomed over the space, striking the profound fear of anyone looking into those eyes. However, they seemed to be intrigued by her.
[Scary aren't we? To explain this would take some time but apparently, neither of us could afford it. Walk to the end of the hallway and you will understand what I meant.]
Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Makima still complied with this voice that proclaimed to be Veilhem, who had unknowingly taken a special place in her cold heart.
Like a person who managed to find a droplet of water amidst the scorching desert, she had once tasted what it liked to be loved and dotted on and she didn't want to part with that sensation just yet. It made her almost depend on him to give her that love. This... wandering thought of her came to a stop when she reached the end.
Then she abruptly halted in her steps due to what she saw, her eyes widened in surprise at the scenery that appeared before her very sight.
There was a tree, a withered tree to be more specific. Its branches spread out to cover the dome of the room. However, on every branch, a hanging limb or a mutilated corpse could be seen.
Their blood had long dried, their body unresponding to the outside world, assumed to be dead yet very much alive, and in the middle of them was Veilhem. He was hanged on the biggest branch with nothing but a rope wrapped around his neck. His soulless eyes gazed into the abyss.
Black blood gushed out of every gap in his armor, forming a pool beneath to become the nutrition for the tree. That vile tree absorbed his blood with fervent frequency to reveal its cruel nature.
Makima ran toward and cut the rope. His body fell limply but it was caught by her chains in the middle. She laid him on the ground and shook him in panic but that proved to be no use. He was still unresponsive as if trapped in a nightmare.
Amidst the situation, Makima didn't know what to do. Her tricks didn't do any good. She only knew how to control things, not releasing one from their guilt. Slowly, she felt panic with the overwhelming incompetence that filled her being. Amidst this self-deprecation, the voice came back and whispered in her ears.
[See for yourself, he is wrecked and currently undergoing the next stage of the Hollowing. If he could overcome this, the last Lord would be born, but that was unlikely.]
"Tell me what to do." Makima's voice echoed in this closed space. She didn't want to deal with this mysterious voice but she was even more afraid to lose Veilhem.
It was clear that her desire to save him grew to the extent that she was willing to comply with this mysterious voice. It was as if she was seeking a solution to the point of pleading with this unknown entity.
[Why would I?]
However, they didn't reply with their usual indifference and instead, their tone reeked of ridicule.
[In the beginning, he didn't even want to live, did he? His long existence is the cause of his misery, I simply grant his request by letting him hollow on his own.]
[A devil like you should know this right? So why bother?]
"Because I'm greedy…" Makima laid his head on her lap and caressed his cheek with utmost sincerity.
"...and I will satiate that greed of mine." Despite knowing that this was irrational and perhaps downright stupid for her, a lonesome smile managed to appear on her lips. She didn't want to return to her old life, which was dreary and lifeless.
From the point she was granted sentience, murdering and destroying were her instincts. Albeit, she had wanted to be loved but she wasn't able to achieve that.
That simple goal yet couldn't be further from her reach to the point of impossible. She was a devil through and through so at first she discarded those useless thoughts but the more she observed this humanity, the more that thought grew in the corner of her mind.
Her thoughts started to worsen, threatening to break out at any second. Thus, she was afraid and began to ask why. She was a Control Devil, she should be able to get anything whenever she wanted to. But why wasn't this straightforward wish fulfilled?
The moment she revealed herself as the Control Devil, they either feared her or had the guts to use her as a weapon. The outcome remained the same, repeating over and over again, no matter how friendly she tried to appear or how much she tried to please them, it always fell short.
She was tired of it all. What could be a simple desire to have an equal partnership was deemed impossible for her.
A paradox of a devil that yearned to be loved, to be held in one's arms came into existence, a pitiful creature that never understood what it meant to be appreciated.
That's what Makima was and will be.
Finally,... someone was able to fulfill her desire and this was what fate had to offer. She had finally achieved this impossible dream but now, she was about to lose it. Makima found it was hard to breathe and she wasn't prepared to have this outcome.
[...I like your answer. Should we meet in a different situation, we could even become friends.]
Suddenly, a wisp of black smoke with no defined form appeared in front of her, its two white eyes staring directly into her yellow-ringed eyes as though it had seen through her. Its peak was that of the crow, yet it had rows of teeth protruding inside.
It was the mysterious voice that had been talking to her the entire time. But this time, its voice overlapped with countless different voices of males, females, old people, and children.
[Suppose that you're willing to take the risk, an equal offering must be traded off, eh?]
They felt more like a Devil than even Makima. They tilted in a way that was sickening to look at, their eyes were filled with immense frenzy for at last, they had seen something funny.
"And what is the offering?" Makima inquired as soon as they spoke. She was ready to pay any price.
[I'm the abyss that resides in every man. Are you ready to gaze into the abyss? Give me your eyes and take his place. See it for yourself, his misery, his anguish, his… pains.]
The black smoke formed a pair of sharp claws and grabbed her neck in a rough manner as if it were about to choke her. Yet, Makima didn't feel impressed by their action and it was shown in her cold and aloof facial expression.
She shook it off as her hands deliberately reached for her eyes. In a swift moment, she had gouged it out with her own hands, leaving only the bloody empty eye socket due to the rough surgery. Her vision plunged into darkness as red blood continued to gush out but she remained unaffected.
Makima held those eyeballs in her palm and showed them to the black smoke entity. Her other hand still ran across Veilhem's face to feel the texture of his scarred and rough skin. Yet, a small smile tugged on her face as she did that.
[Hahhahahhahahahahha… hahaha… haha… haaaah.]
Their voices were filled with hysterical laughter upon witnessing her swift action. However, it didn't last long before it died out and became a long sigh.
[That is why I hate all of you. This beautiful, wonderful, and meticulous world has offered everything to you and only to you. How envious… I am… only I am trapped in Hell, looking at Heaven.]
"Shut up and do your part." Makima said. The firmness in her voice indicated her absolute will to save this man. She didn't want to hear them rambling bullsh*t anymore and getting to work. She didn't know when he had become important to her but she knew she wanted him to stay by her side. That was enough reason for her.
They hummed in a relaxed tone and reached out their claws to her yellow-ringed eyes rested in her palm and chanted an incantation of the old in an ancient language.
The sudden input of thousands of billions of wailings echoed in her head. Her head felt like it was about to split in half, blood dripped out from all seven holes. Even though she was a Devil, her current body was still that of a human. Thus, she was mortal and could be killed.
This damage couldn't be transferred as if she did that, it would come back to Veilhem, rendering her effort in a futile attempt.
Thus, she chose to bear it. Albeit, it was still too much for her brain to handle this.
What seemed like an eternity of torment for her was just one second in reality. She was a Horseman of Apocalypse. This much wasn't enough to sway her.
[I shall await your return, Conquest and *&^&*. This won't be the last time you fuckers owe me.]
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(A/N: I feel like I'm writing a fkin holy bible rather than a simple fanfic... don't even know why I feel like that. The worst part is I don't even read one.)
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票