The Devil's Tear

Chapter 13- Vesta's Conclusion

Alexei and Irma glanced at each other in alarm and fell down on their knees in front of Rosy, who had currently revealed herself to be Cornelia.

"Of course, my Queen," Irma and Alexei responded in unison. Rosy grunted in response. "Please treat me normally."

"Y-yes, Your- Cornelia," Alexei stuttered.

"What are YOU afraid of?" Cornelia demanded, pointing at Alexei. "You could overpower me in a twinkle of my eye!"

Alexei raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"Lady Cornelia," Alexei smiled warmly. "What I have accomplished will never compare to your achievements."

"You slightly resemble your father," Rosy narrowed her eyes, "but you seem nobler than he ever was."

"T-thank you," Alexei stared in admiration at Rosy. Rosy smiled back, her purple eyes sparkling. She glanced briefly at Irma, simply winking at her.

"Where is your older sister?" Rosy questioned Irma.

"Oh, Driela... I do not know," Irma replied regretfully. Rosy snorted in response, and began to inspect the two closely. Alexei and Irma stood very still as Rosy scrutinized them with narrowed eyes.

"I'm getting a bit tired," Rosy admitted. "Euphrosyne's willpower is surprisingly strong. I cannot hold her against her will any longer. She shall be returned to you for the time being."

Rosy blinked, revealing her true, warm hazel eyes. She glared at Alexei and Irma with her jaw set. Alexei felt pity for the little girl: she could never again live her life in peace and harmony. Her true soul could be stained with the devil's, or purified with Cornelia's. Whatever the outcome, Alexei would surely stay by Rosy's side.

"This is enough!" Rosy cried out in agony, her little girl voice returning as a shock to Alexei. "I can't take this."

Alexei and Irma both stayed quiet, not knowing how to console the poor girl. Rosy stomped her right foot on the ground, causing dust to rise. Her eyes were filled with fury, and pure hatred. Then suddenly, they were drowned in tears which rolled down one after another down her cheeks.

"I-I want to be myself!" Rosy cried. "I d-don't want this! I would rather d-die than to deal with this!"

Her sobbing continued. "I want to be me, Euphrosyne. I d-don'r care about Tytania's well-being! I don't care about the devil, or that heroic Cornelia! They've ruined my life, and ended Artemis'!"

"Rosy, please calm down," Irma soothed, embracing the weeping girl.

"Kill me," Rosy whispered against Irma's chest. "Please. End this. I want to be reunited with Artemis. She was everything to me now!"

"You're going to give up now?" Alexei spoke loudly. Rosy's sobs stopped abruptly. "I will, because I don't have Artemis. She was the only thing that kept me on my feet!"

"Didn't you promise her that you would endure all the pain you had to, but would never give up till the very end?" Alexei continued angrily, "That day, when Artemis saved you from Demetri!"

"H-how do you know?" Rosy untangled herself from Irma's arms, and stared in bewilderment into Alexei's mismatched eyes.

"I know everything of your life, Euphrosyne Rains. I've always been with you," Alexei's voice softened. "I've never left you."

"But why?"

"Have you heard of the 'Isaura' clan?" Alexei inquired with a small laugh.

"Y-yes," Rosy replied. "They're gone, aren't they?"

"Euphrosyne Rains," Alexei bowed down respectfully. "I am Alexei Isaura."

Rosy's mouth fell open, and Irma simply held her steady by her shoulders. Alexei Isaura was such a well-known and feared name, Alexei thought with malice. Alexei swore under his breath as he pulled Irma and Rosy into his arms. At that very moment, a small dagger flew through the open window, and pierced the wooden wall. Rosy screamed, and Alexei dashed to the window. He looked around frantically, but not a leaf was out of its place. All he saw A normal, quiet town in the middle of the night.

"Alexei," Irma called anxiously. "A note..."

                      Queen Vesta has made her decision. 

                                   She plans to kill the girl.  

                                                Be on your guard!

                                        -Yours truly

Alexei grunted at the brevity of the note, and his anger rose even more as he noticed it wasn't signed.

Someone was playing tricks on them. But the note's contents were something to ponder about. The words seemed genuine, and very probable. If Queen Vesta was aware that Rosy was the reincarnation of Cornelia and the Devil's vessel, then she would surely come.

-

"What are you doing now?" Ariadne demanded. The young boy in front of her stared into the open window where he'd thrown his most precious dagger.

"You find this amusing?" Ariadne demanded again, more loudly and sternly. The young boy looked over his shoulder, and shot a menacing look at his older sister.

"I do, in fact, find this amusing," he replied. "Very amusing."

A choking sound followed, and the boy whirled around in alarm.

"So you're the cause for all this," the new female figure in front of him smiled, holding Ariadne in her arms with a frown. Ariadne's neck was twisted, and her once angelic face was twisted and ugly to look at. This woman had broken his sister's neck. 

"Do you have a death wish, stranger?" The boy questioned, his aura rising. The nerve of the person to kill his sister! The woman laughed heartily. The boy then noticed her unnatural pale skin, and empty black eyes.

"I would say no, of course," the woman smirked. Her next words sent the boy's heart racing.

"If I wasn't already dead," the woman smiled with her glossy black lips.