The Fairest of Them All

XXI. Sana

"Who..." Yui began quietly. "...who is she?"

Kanato suddenly looked furious. "You—!" He abruptly stopped and fell into silence. He then resumed in a calmer voice. "Fine. I'll tell you since Teddy wants you to know. Don't mistake it for concern. He said that it's only because you're slightly less annoying then the previous mortals."

"Th-Thank you..." Yui replied. She refused to move from her hunched position and down-casted eyes.

Kanato's eyes flickered to the bloody corpse hanging in front of them before they narrowed. It was the longest second before he spoke.

"Her name..." Venom was building up in his voice, and he suddenly seemed to be fighting with monstrous rage. "...was Sana."

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Ayato appeared to be walking down an endless road. The darkness had swallowed him up, snatching the sharpness from his eyes. It was not like his sharp hearing helped either.

Suddenly, he began seeing something dimly lit ahead of him. Dots of light began twinkling from either side of his vision, always running a step ahead of him.

Ayato went closer and reached out his hand, only to touch something cool and solid.

Familiar lime green eyes met his. Unmistakable red hair framed an unmistakable pale face. It was his reflection. He was touching glass.

Ayato then looked past the glass and saw trees starting to form, the leaves the darkness due to the odd, reddish glow. His eyes trailed upwards, becoming more and more confused as the glow became increasingly luminous. He saw blankets of clouds, and when it drifted away, he was met by a full moon almost redder than his hair.

Ayato blinked and returned his gaze to the trees lower down, as it swayed along the wind. His eyes widened, and the sight in front of him clicked in his head.

It was near the mansion, precisely in the building where Kanato's 'collection' was.

Ayato then spun around, startled when he was met with a familiar, dimly lit room. Beautiful waxed figures were lined along the sides of the room, gazing blankly ahead as their white, wedding dresses were spotless, hair neatly-groomed and their bouquets were still fresh and dark crimson.

Ayato tilted his head in puzzlement before he resumed his walking. As he expected, he was met by a wooden oak door. Unlocking the bolts, he stepped in and was welcomed by more darkness.

He rolled his eyes. The candelabras against the wall began lighting up one by one, and what he saw in front of him was completely unexpected.

Dread flooded through him faster than fire meets oil. His eyes were larger than that red moon outside, and he suddenly felt himself beginning to become human, suddenly craving for oxygen.

He took a great lungful of air and exhaling slowly. His jaw was clench and his eyes tightly shut as he was desperately trying to erase what his eyes saw.

He then reopened them, and his breathing immediately became ragged. The sight of the bloody female was still there.

He dragged one foot after the other, a hand reaching shakily out. Something was different. Something was very different.

The white, red-caked dress was no different from the original. The wooden stakes impaling her body weren't removed as before. The branches of brown and crimson that ran down her arms and legs, reaching the tips of her fingers and toes, were also still the same.