NOT THAT YOU'LL EVER GO HOME AGAIN ✔️

⚰️Chapter 21

Ivo was as rigid and upright as an iron steel, he wore a face void of reactions and ears deaf from the cries asking for help around him. His chest heaved up as the hurling scenario taking place in broad daylight continued.

"No, please–"

"Sir, reason out with our goddess! Tell her it's not our fault–AAARGH!"

"I BEG OF YOU–"

Blood painted the old solid walls again in splatters, replacing the dried ones and it seemed this mausoleum knew no other scent and color but from the warm bodies it came from. Ivo wanted to shudder, to go berserk at these slimy-textured thick tentacles that sprouted from the casket, resembling more the flesh under skin which formed into thick, sticky and dripping limbs.

The bulky Slayer witnessed in the daylight as those limbs pierced through his subordinates' stomachs before either of them could react or escape, loud sucking slurping sounds heard from the humongous, dripping tentacles. Not only blood but even their innards were taken in.

"Do you despise me now, Ivo?" A husky feminine voice floated in the mausoleum, coming from the casket. It held no graveness but amused, the unseen force was enjoying the Slayer's shock. "Are you revolted at my true nature?"

Ivo swallowed hard, maintaining a firm collected posture. His eyes landed on the scrap remains of his former employer–Jonathan. The lord of the Harker manor was a shriveled leftover scattered on the casket. "No I do not, my goddess" He breathed out. "I chose to give you my faith, therefore, I accept all your phases"

A deep reverberating chuckle, "Exactly, I am happy to hear you are not as coward as these men you led. They do not taste succulent but they will do until you find me the proper meals"

That was right, she became upset after knowing about Mina's missing heart, a bizarre occurence he couldn't understand. Her internal organs were in place, nothing was amiss but the way Mina's chest was blank of its throbbing organ, how on Earth-Below was that possible?

Ivo hung his head, "My goddess, please allow me to redeem myself" He didn't want to end up with the same morbid fate as his subordinates, if he needed to sacrifice them for his life, then be it.

"Fret not, it is not your fault. They managed to be one step ahead of me" There seemed to be an anger underlying the foreboding honeyed voice.

Ahead of her? What did it mean?

Ivo no longer looked at the other Slayers, down on the ground who turned into crumpled tin cans after getting their innards sucked in by the casket. "If there is another means to restore your form, please tell me, my goddess" He thought he pictured the deity just suddenly smiled but it was no sweet one.

"The tree bore fruits, tempting blooms with different flavors that I can taste at the tip of my tongue even from afar. Not just two, but three more!" The foreboding voice suddenly became dramatic around the Slayer. "I could see those fruits in my dreams, a conscious tease! Alas I thought I was deceiving myself! For so long...I desired the tree and its fruits..."

Five fruits...hang on, the Harker sisters? It brought an angry surge in Ivo's veins that the daughters survived and were alive somewhere but this time, he would make sure they would perished before his eyes. They would be his keys to become stronger! "Then I shall pluck those fruits for you, my goddess"

"As you are so endearing and loyal, Ivo...I will give you a gift..."

This made the Slayer's ears perked up, a gift right now?! Well–"AAARRGGHHH!" The thought quickly left his head as he shrieked, a thick fleshy tentacle shoved in his mouth and he felt something being deposited in his body. Ivo rolled his eyes back while gagging.