Via Black-and-Blue Desire ✔

Tenth Part - Give In to the Realm of the Dead

(Multimedia photo is from the anime Hakkenden. Ehehe. They looked the same I was Shookt! *FanGirl mode on*)

Previously: She tells him, "Don't go. You can't leave us. We can't rest if you're just going to die because of this ... Lord Gielien," she lowers her tone.

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Part TEN

Give In to the Realm of the Dead

Gielien smiles to himself and continues walking nonetheless.

He's determined on saving his younger sister, and he doesn't care on what's going to happen to him next. Right now, what he cares about is the safety of his sister alone.

"Lord Gielien!"

But then he thinks while going toward the other structure, 'Is this really my only option? Although ... Dominique seems to force me into this. And why is it that it feels like he really doesn't want me to die here ... or was it ...?' He becomes a little confused on what the other man really thinks.

For a moment, the violet haired guy stops in front of the other structure. He gives it an impassive stare but then proceeds right after.

He steps on the one-inch high platform and turns his back, just like what the black-haired sorcerer told them upon showing it. All of a sudden, from the structure's vertical where the engraved figure forming a contour of a man is, elicits dark light.

From it comes out black smoke-like particles slowly moving toward him and partially covers his body. The smoke-like particles seem to solidify as they pull the purple-haired man into the engraved figure, making him lean against it.

The solidified particles now tend to act like black ropes and tie him at the center of the rectangular surface, with his body after the form of the engraved figure.

"Ah! So that's the reason why there's a figure in the middle of that surface. Interesting," murmurs the man with the long braid of hair while watching it with an amused face. Andrew beside him remains expressionless.

Eventually, the front bars of the cage start to disappear. Deanard pulls the girl up from the cage as she cries out for her big brother. She tries to stand up but her left leg is already injured, and she falls back.

Her older brother, Gielien, feels relieved upon seeing that his sister is safe. However, from the contour of the figure comes out long, snake-like, black objects moving around his body, scratching off his skin as they move through.

Because of this, he flinches and tends to partially close his right eye. "Darn ... stupid ... if only I can move," he stutters, still in pain.

Cleayé immediately goes toward him with intent to help. But as soon as she's on his front, a part of the snake-like object wrapping around his right leg bursts, partly damaging his leg. The man groans lowly trying to shove the pain away. Blood runs out from his leg and his muscles twitched.

She halts, but her knees and arms are already shaking. "No way ... Lord Gielien," she slowly says and attempts to move closer.

His shaken younger sister tries to stand up again to go near him, but she can't. Instead, Deanard uses his magic to transport them into where Cleayé is.

"Big ... Brother?" She doesn't seem to believe what she sees.

Soon enough, another part of the black snake-like object wrapping around above Gielien's left hip bursts and he groans again. He bits his lower lip as he looks away.

Cleayé saw it, and she can't do anything but to cover her sight from it.

On the other hand, Dominique tells the black-haired sorcerer, "Man, your invention really is brutal. I've heard of it but this is the first time to see it in action."

The guy shrugs. "I wasn't the one who invented that. I just copied the original."

Dominique looks at the purple-haired guy at the other part of the room and says idly, "Yeah, I know."

Andrew makes a step away and looks at them as well. His hands casually tucked inside his pockets. "You seem to be worried Dominique. I thought you believe in Gielien's wisdom and skills. If that's true, he won't die right?" he tells him.

The man with the light reddish hair closes his eyes in annoyance. "Me? Worried?" he grunts.

Other parts of the snake-like objects start to burst one after another and they continue to wound the purple haired guy.

Andrew calls their attention and they all look at him.

"Congratulations Giel. As I can see, you are about to win a brutal and dramatic death. But know what? There are still ways for you to live," he coolly announces.

Gielien asks him with a grim tone, "By what? ... by sacrificing other people inside the cage?"

The black haired sorcerer smirks. "Brilliant. But there's another way."

He notices them change their facial expressions as he folds his arms.

"As soon as you are attached to that structure, it is already connected to your heart," he starts. "It means that there are three ways for that thing to cease. The first one you already mentioned, the second one is if you die, that is, if your heart stops beating. But ... that won't help you live, will it?"

"That's right. It would if I know how to make my heart stop beating," Gielien murmurs but letting them hear it.

Andrew feels delighted with that answer, raising one of his eye brows. "Amazing to hear you speak that straight with those wounds, Giel," he compliments. "But don't worry. I'll tell you how you're going to live. You just ... need to do otherwise ... make the pulsation of your heart faster. Didn't I tell you? That masterpiece is directly connected to your heart right now."

The purple haired guy feels perplexed on what Andrew has told them. It seems that he does not know what it exactly means by making the pulsation of the heart faster. He does not say a word after hearing it. He looks down trying to ponder about it.

Again, another part of the snake-like object bursts on his upper right arm. The snake-like ropes with pointed scales continue to scrape off part of his skin.

The beautiful sorceress with hair of pale-blue looks at his face, and she notices that he just keeps the pain on himself.

She forms a glowing blade of about seven to eight inches with sorcery, and slices off some of the snake-like objects wrapping around him.

She tells herself, 'At least, it can help. It may prevent those objects from bursting into Lord Gielien.'

Then she remembers what the black-haired sorcerer told them. She looks at him, steps toward him, moving herself closer.

With that, Gielien feels mystified again—what is she trying to do?

Will it help him be freed?

Whatever it is, the man with the long purple hair feels a little different about it, and he can't understand why the girl is doing it.

"What are you doing? You will just hurt yourself if you will get any closer. Step back!" he exclaims at her but she's not responding.

She gently places her hand on his chest trying to check something out, when all of a sudden, Deanard pulls her off and something bursts again. It was on the part close to his chest where she placed her hand. Blood comes rushing from the wounded part and Gielien groans to himself shaking the pain off.

"Cleayé, are you alright?" Deanard asks her while still holding her arm. He also wants to ask Gielien the same question but he did not do since he knows that the answer is quite apparent. He is not alright, obviously.

"Uh ... yes," she answers feeling shaken. She looks at Gielien and tells them, "But ... Lord Gielien's heart is already beating fast, how come ...?"

"Fast? You mean ...," Neome says with a confused tone. "That ... can't be."

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End of Part 10: Give In to the Realm of the Dead. Four more parts to go! Votes and comments could always be very motivating. I would love to hear from you dear readers. And please take a look at the photo I pasted on the right screen. It says, "The darkest hour of the night is just before the dawn."

JAA MATA! (See yah!)