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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 : 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒
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"That's all she told you?" Shin sighed, throwing his head back.
I nodded slowly at the recent memory still feeling all too surreal. There was nothing there to indicate that she was not a living being in front of me. Her hair was slightly swaying in the breeze, the fabric of her dress looked like it would be soft to the touch, only the finest of material on her still regal appearance, and her words went straight to my heart like a knife.
"It will take a war."
A war? Right now we're just an army of three, and I feel like Carla is going to take the brunt of the fighting on his shoulders. I'm nowhere near Karlheinz's level of powers, and Shin... well let's hope he doesn't make any more reckless decisions.
"Are you alright?" Carla asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Oh- Yes," I quickly responded. "Whenever you're ready we can begin the next session."
Truth be told, I could see how draining this was to Carla. When I first snapped out of talking with Beatrix, droplets of sweat were cascading down his forehead, his expression being slightly pained. I hope he isn't pushing himself too far. Not to mention, his Endzeit is probably making this harder for him.
"Who's next?" Shin inquired. "They better be more helpful than Beatrix."
"Beatrix was plenty helpful." I interrupt, narrowing my eyes at him. "Mind you we are resurrecting them and barging in with concerns they have no obligation to help with."
"She did give the scope of how this will turn out, but I already know, and knew, that Karlheinz is a force to be reckoned with." Carla states, standing up from his chair. "We need someone who is willing to be more involved with this."
I gulp at the first thought that went through my head. Cordelia.
After spending all that time with the triplets and knowing to just what extent that woman ruined their lives, it's not an idea that I welcome with open arms. She was Karlheinz's first wife, so I can presume they were acquainted more well than Beatrix or Christa. I can also presume she would be more hands-on with this. How hands-on is what concerns me though.
But it's a give and take world, isn't it? I'll have to give myself to her to possibly get information from her.
"We should talk to Cordelia," I decided. "She has a motive and with this motivation comes our information."
Carla nods and grabs the next spider lily, gazing over the tarot deck.
I take this as my cue to pick a card. Let's see, Cordelia doesn't outright present to me with any noticeable characteristics of the major arcana but she has to be in there somewhere. She's not the devil as that definitely has Karlheinz's name on it, and she's also not the center of his schemes. As horrible as she is, she too was another one of his pawns. She didn't have any say in her destiny. And that led to her becoming this jealous, manipulative, serpentine of a woman who took her issues of unfulfillment and sought out unhealthy ways of coping.
I brought the card in my hand, flipping the card in reverse. The Empress. Normally the Empress upright represents everything Cordelia is not: Loving, Harmonious, and nurturing. Feminie and sensual, but not smothering.
I wonder, in another universe, if she never met Karlheinz, would she be the Empress upright? Would she not have been provoked to lash out and build this facade to protect the hurt that came with Karlheinz having other wives? That she wasn't enough for him?
I handed Carla the card and silently prepared myself for the encounter. Beatrix warned me about her character and was pleased that she wouldn't have to endure her into death. If Beatrix was in an idyllic garden, then where would Cordelia be situated? The second circle of Hell?
A faint glow came from the items before it erupted into a flame like energy again. The door was open and all I had to do was walk through it.
Carla motioned his head towards the light, too focused on the magic casting to waste his breath.
I took a deep breath and stepped in. I immediately looked down at the deep purple velvet carpet leading up the polished marble steps to the single throne.
I stood still for a couple of seconds, taking in what was going on around me. This was some kind of throne room, but it felt so empty.
It was dim around the corners of the room, making it hard to make out what was residing where the eyes couldn't see. Candles lit the room instead of natural lighting, adding a pale yellow hue to the ominous aura. This was nothing like where Beatrix was. If that felt like paradise, this feels like prison.
Morose feelings crept into my psyche, casting their anchors and taking over for the time being.
I would like to get out sooner than later, thank you very much.
I looked forward at the throne hosting the woman with an expression that found this all too amusing.
I hardened my gaze trying not to show any reaction she might manipulate somehow. Honestly, she was captivating. Her emerald eyes were alike Laito and Ayato's, but her hair was the same amethyst hue Kanato had. A crystalline woman.
Her smirk showed her interest however her head was tilted, supported by the knuckles or her fist presenting a casual feel.
Nothing about this could be casual though.
She looked expectant of something like she knew what I was here for. Like she knew everything about me, and wants to know more. Is this the charm she was able to wrap people around her fingers with? It'll only take one look at this seductress to get them to start digging their graves.
It's interesting, she's the vampire yet I feel like I'm the one who's tasted blood.
"Cordelia?" I call out, wondering just how to introduce myself.
"Yes?" She responds, her honeyed voice coming out positively saccharine. She narrows her eagle-like eyes. "You know my name but I do not know yours, that's hardly fair, isn't it?"
"I'm Sayaka Ichigo," I revealed. "I came to ask you some questions."
Her eyes widened slightly before her grin grew wider. She made a motion with her fingers beckoning me to come closer. "Come, let me see that face of yours."
I stepped up the stairs and in front of the throne keeping a reasonable distance between myself and her. Cordelia is not to be trusted, I need to remember that, but if there are no other leads, then this is what I have left to cling onto.
"Oh my," she commented, eyes raking over my form. "You must leave quite the impression, don't you?"
I can't help the heat that erupts on my cheeks, looking down at my shoes. How do I respond to that?
"Um, thank you?" I mutter.
She lets out a breathy laugh at my reaction. "I'm not trying to scare you."
I look up at her, taking note of how she's looking down on me. I can't have a power imbalance this early on into the conversation. She needs to know I'm not one to be easily manipulated through fear.
"You don't scare me." I admitted, stepping closer. "Your anger scares me."
"Oh?" She voiced, emerald eyes boring into me. Her mouth turned up into a grin, "let's see if I can change that then."
The look she gave was the look of a lion when the sheep finally wandered into its den. Hungry.
Should I start out casually and then ease into the Karlheinz conversation? No, I don't think Cordelia's the type to do small talk. She's here for the climax, not the buildup.
"When did you first meet Karlheinz?" I asked.
She didn't flinch at his name or let out any type of reaction whatsoever. "He was the first one to hold me." She confessed, "my mother was second."
Oh... Menae. He managed to weasel his way into Menae's life and exploit her to that degree. Kind of like what he did to my parents.
"Wait," I pause, "you were an infant, how old was he?"
"Old enough to know what we wanted with me," she says, looking to the side. "I met evil when I was a mere baby."
She caught my eyes, "but you know about that, don't you, Sayaka? I can't imagine you're here to sing his praises."
"Definitely not." I quickly replied. "I'm starting to understand what he is."
"Growing up, he was always there," She recalls. "there to swoon, serenade, love." She stared off blankly. "No matter how far I ran, he was always watching."
My eyes widened at her confession. He's been conditioning her since she emerged into this world. Perhaps, this was part of his plan but how does it fit in? Karlheinz is the Vampire King and Cordelia came from royalty as well so it wouldn't be unimaginable that their paths would cross and they could grow to be fond of each other. Why did he need her to depend on him early on?
"We were pledged to each other, and I was happy." she reminisces, a dazed look on her face. Her features then morphed into a scowl, "then he took that bitch to also be his wife."
Jealousy, that's what it boils down to. They were childhood lovers that blossomed into marriage. Karlheinz is all that she knew, so then when he starts doting on someone else, it causes something inside Cordelia to snap. Not to mention, Beatrix bore him two sons before Cordelia, his first wife. Then, Cordelia has the triplets but also has to deal with the rivalry with her and Beatrix. Could it be possible that Karlheinz broke her to ensure that she would break her sons as well? Did that happen with all of the wives?
"Beatrix?" I bring up, urging her to divulge more.
"Tsk," she scoffs, "Don't bring up that name. She's nothing but a monotone bitch who thinks she's Karl's favorite."
"She- She told me not to trust you." I hesitantly say, hoping this will ignite something within Cordelia.
"Is that so?" She hums, the look on her face reminding me of Ayato when he's especially determined. "It doesn't matter. I'll win in the end."
I crossed my arms in front of me and tilted my head. "And why is that?" I inquired.
She grinned cruelly. "I can resort to savagery if I need to. She wouldn't stoop so low. I could kiss your boots if it means I get to stick a knife in your throat later."
"Good to know?" I affirmed. "Fortunately, I'm not wearing boots."
She stands up from her throne, starting to walk towards me. I steel myself, choosing not to back away even though my brain is telling me otherwise. She's taller than me, only by a couple centimeters, but her domineering presence makes her seem even taller.
"You're special," she smiled, tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear. "I get why he chose you."
I gulped and stepped out of her hold trying to keep a straight face. In reality, my heart was pounding and I could hear it in my ears, and the worst thing is that she could probably hear it too.
"Too bad he can't see past his ego," she commented. "Shame if that was his downfall."
Her eyes looked knowingly in mine like she knew what I planned to do with Karlheinz.
"You shouldn't underestimate him." I recited, heeding both of Beatrix and Carla's words. Cordelia shouldn't be making this out to seem like it would be easy. This might just be a trap for a fool, but I am not one. I'm not going to put my enemy underneath me just for the sake of doing so. I know he's strong, but that just means I need to get stronger.
"He shouldn't underestimate me," She announces. "I've left testaments to what I'm capable of."
Testaments? Like the extent to which you've broken your sons? She's proud of that?!
"Don't use your sons as your trophies, " I hissed, glaring at her. "All they show is the shortcomings of their mother."
She put her hand on my shoulder and cooed. "That's so cute. You think you're scary. But trust me, I've seen scary- and you don't have his smile."
"You're sick," I fumed. "This isn't a competition of who's caused the most damage."
"Oh I'm not sick," She began, corners of her mouth curling into a smirk. "I'm twisted. Sick makes it sound like there's a cure."
Ugh, no wonder Beatrix despised her. Beatrix isn't a saint of a mother, but she did better with her situation that Cordelia did. Should I go through with this? I want to defeat Karlheinz, but I don't want to defeat him like this. I don't want to stoop down to her level.
"They have called me many things in my lifetime: Outcast, evil, whore," she paused and looked me in the eyes. "Now I will be called victorious."
I furrowed my brows at her unsure where she's going with this.
"I know why you're here." She says. "Destiny has brought us together with the same thought of revenge rushing through our veins."
"Why do you want revenge?" I inquire, narrowing my eyes at her. "I thought you loved him."
"Yes, past tense, loved," She clarified. "And if he can't love me now.... Then no one will."
She takes my hand in hers and slips something onto my palm.
A bullet?
I hold it closer to my eyes inspecting its nature. She can't possibly be insinuating this little bullet could be capable of defeating Karlheinz. It isn't the rusted bronze color that I've seen before, instead being coated in a silver color. The weight to it suggests that it actually might be pure silver.
"Seiji Komori made this."
My breath hitched. Yui's father?
I must say, him making an appearance in Beatrix's life and now Cordelia's is quite concerning. But if he made it, a vampire hunter, then this must be the real deal. Question is, how did Cordelia get her hands on it?
A bigger question though-
"How is just a bullet going to kill Karlheinz?" I ask, "I don't have a gun."
"I'm not just going to hand everything over to you," she chided. "There has to be some work on your end."
I rolled my eyes, as if resurrecting her isn't considered work.
"It will take a special gun. A normal gun wouldn't have the same effect" she says, eyeing the bullet. "I wasn't able to find it in my lifetime."
"Does it even exist?" I ask. "I don't want to be led on a wild goose chase for just the idea of something."
"Of course it exists, but I guess you choose whether to believe me or not," she proclaimed. "Legend has it that the gun is alive. It never misses. It knows your name, and what you've done, and how afraid you are to die."
Okay, that's... innovative.
I stared blankly at the single bullet. "I'll only have one shot."
"Good," she smiled. "One shot is all you need."