Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74 {Part 1}

~Chapter 138: Common People are Unworthy~

The dagger dropped to the ground, and Henry's eyes widened in horror. For standing at the doorway of the church, was Duncan; seething furiously, as the winds thrashed outside the church.
"Y-You..." Henry hissed, the fear in his eyes was unmistakable, even as he so desperately tried to cling to whatever control he had left," Why are you here!?"
Duncan stepped forward, walking down the aisles of the church, his voice collected and calm.
"It's funny...since when we're devils like yourself allowed in a place like this, Harry?"
Henry let out a cry of fear, desperately firing bullets at the boy, as he slowly stalked closer. None of them hit Duncan. He shot at the floor, the pews, the glass, but nothing touched the vengeful ghost. Duncan tilted his head, his expression dark and taunting.
"You missed."
"The one you want is there!" Henry cried, pointing at the bride, strewn across the altar," Take her, not me! You are confused!"
"Oh stop with your attempt at fooling, Henry," Duncan hissed, furious," My brain is not air. I remember that day, Henry. You remember it too, don't you? The river-"
"SHUT UP!"
Duncan continued, seeing Henry growing desperate," the river took me, Henry. It was not an accident, was it? You pushed me. And I watched as you held me down. You knew what you were doing. You've had all these years. You've gotten to live, you've taken my life. But you wasted my sacrifice. You took, and took and destroyed people. That ends today."

Henry screamed in fear, firing yet another bullet at the ghost, but it did nothing. Duncan steadily approached.
"All this time, you've been terrified of me, haven't you, Henry? Because you knew that sooner or later - I would get you. You convinced yourself that I would forget. But how could I? You lied to yourself, and believed that I haunted the manor, not you. But guess what, Henry? My reason for persisting...it was nothing what you thought."
Henry's eyes widened, he trembled with horror.
"...it was to protect whoever hurt Leora. You admit to using her to this point, and now..."
Duncan glared at him.
"...I hurt you. You should have known this, Henry, I told you long ago. I hate bullies."
Henry went to fire the gun again, but this time Duncan simply flicked his wrist, and the lord watched as the gun fell out of his hand with a cry, and skidded across the floor, before stopping as it hit the side of the altar. Henry collapsed onto his knees beside Jiu, who was still desperately fighting against passing out from the earlier hit to the head; the lord pale and sweating. Henry trembled, peering up at Duncan fearfully as he stepped closer to him.
"Please..." Henry whispered," Have mercy...we were friends, remember? Best friends? Duncan and Henry... don't you remember!?"

Duncan stared at him, uncaring," I do. But you changed that, not me. You changed, Henry. That is the burden you have to bear."
Henry cried out, desperately crawling over to him, with pleading eyes.
"I've done good too, can't you see!? I bettered science! Would you have done such a marvelous task if you lived?"
"You have no right to say what I would or wouldn't have done if I lived," Duncan furrowed his eyebrows," You took that chance from me. You took my life from me. And that marvelous task of yours cost people their lives. You did no such thing, Henry, you just used science as an excuse to fill your greed. And now, you pay for that greed ten-fold."
Henry screamed, slamming his hands on the marble; desperately, growing hysterical.
"DAMN YOU, DUNCAN! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU! YOU HEARTLESS-!"
Henry swiftly lunged for the dagger he dropped, and caught Jiu by the throat, and raised it high.
"IF I GO, SO WILL ALL OF YOU!" Henry screamed.
But just as he was about to send the blade down, a gunshot echoed through the church. Jiu and Duncan watched with wide eyes as blood seeped through the lord's shirt, and he grew pale. Henry stumbled back, dropping the dagger onto the floor with a clammer.

Behind, Leora lay on the altar, her breaths weak and ragged. In one hand, she held the pistol that Henry had dropped; the other clawing desperately at the bloodied wood to keep herself steady. The pistol slipped from her grip, and her very last breath left her lips as her head hit the wood and her eyes shut.
"LEORA!" Jiu screamed, tears streaming down his face.
Henry clasped at his wound, howling with pathetic screams, writhing on the marble floor like a worm.
"HELP ME, HELP ME DUNCAN! I'M DYING!"
Duncan stared, stunned, at the lifeless body of the bride on the altar, before he glared at Henry, with a murderous intent.
"She's gone. And it's all your fault."
The wind howled to an extent that the windows of the church burst and shattered to a deafening volume. The stormy winds brought the flames of the candles, to a roaring level, and the church was plunged into merciless flames. The belly of the beast. Henry howled in agony, as the fires surrounded him, screaming and wailing like a banshee. Jiu couldn't care less, he knew that Duncan would deal with him. The general stumbled and crawled to the altar, digging his nails into the wood desperately as he tried to claw himself up to see her.
"Leora, wake up!" Jiu howled, tears choking him," Leora! LEORA-!"
From his hands, small golden orbs appeared. His eyes widened in devastation. It was sending him back to the Underworld? He was fading from the living.

The deal he'd made with Leora, for her to make the best art piece of him...it was over. Leora was dead. The deal had been broken. Jiu let out a sob, collapsing onto his hands and knees as the fire roared around them.
"They didn't..." Jiu hiccuped, watching as his tears fell on the cold marble of the church," They didn't deserve you! None of them! And now you-!"
He broke down into more anguished tears as he felt his body fading from the mortal world, bit by bit. It was all over. Jack the Ripper was gone. His victims were avenged. Duncan would rest in peace. And Leora...Leora Mohan...would finally be free. Memories of her smile, her laugh flooded back in that moment of sheer devastation.

Leora blinked, slowly, and cluelessly, before smiling.
"Then, I will just remember you again. And again."
"I"
"There, now you are a wildflower too."
Leora blushed, glancing away from his smile, which seemed to render her speechless.
"L"
Leora pounced, seeming to forget her position of who she was entirely. She pushed Jiu down onto the seat by the window; giggling as she initiated a play fight.
"O"
Leora burst out from the surface, her eyes wide. They stared at each other like that for a moment, speechless. Then, Leora began to smile, and it faded into a laugh.
"V"
Leora's eyes sparkled as she dashed down the path; holding Jiu tightly, grinning at the sight of the passing vibrant greens. It was like she was reliving some wonderful dream she'd had when she was little. Jiu saw the wonder in her eyes.
"E"
Jiu laughed, genuinely and scooped her up. He carried her across the garden; spinning her and holding her upright by her stomach so she felt as if she was the fairy from the story. Leora laughed, softly, enjoying the moment.
"Y"
The girl couldn't help but rest her head against his chest, staring at the ring on her finger as she pressed that hand against his chest.
"O"
The girl giggled, throwing the paper plane back into the air, as it twirled around.
"U"
He couldn't help but grin at her smile, and he'd even lost so much control that he'd managed to float in a form he shouldn't be able too. As they gently swayed, Leora laughed softly, glancing up at him.

One last sob escaped the general's throat, before he was gone completely, without a semblance of a trace. The church burned bright that night, and villagers from all around ran over to put out the fire. They eventually did so, but it took the whole night. Once rummaging through the rubble of the wrecked village church; they found two bodies, which were later confirmed by the police to be the identities of Henry and Leora Mohan...