#i need more tags of suitors to help spread this god da-

[thedollarstoresatan]

The Truth Betold

Chapter 4, ???, ???, 1883, May 27th, 9:16 P.M.

    Animals surrounding her, the woman floating above the earth. The cape hanging off a tree by her fluttered in the wind. The cold shiver of the forest did nothing to help her burning body. One of the rabbits came under her, sniffing the air around her before backing away again. A tiger stalked its way around her, herding off the other animals behind the nearby treeline. 

    It’s teeth gripping onto the cape, the tiger swiftly pulled it down in time for her to descend back into the earth. Lowering herself from her toes up, she let the tiger drop the cape back into her hand. A tattoo, of a moon with a shuriken standing upside in the middle, air-like movements behind them decorated her shoulder. 

    Turtleneck not covering her arms, with white pants with a holster holding a rod-shape, two black gems decorating the top and bottom, with a singular one in the middle. Her shoes were black with a corresponding design in the middle, flaps coming down on the sides, leading to a slim heel. Silver eyes looking at the now herded animals, her long black hair cascaded down her back. 

    “You do have a trick for scaring away other animals, Leona.” Petting the tigers head she smiled fondly. Hooking the tip of the hood under her finger and slinging it on her shoulder, she walked deeper into the forest. 

    Coming across a clearing, she smiled at the ‘empty’ space. Leona once again stalked up to her. “Enquêter.” Turning her back on the space, leaving the tiger to proll around, she walked back towards the shallower part of the forest. 

    “Ash! Sortir!” The woman looked at the man emerging from the brush beside her.

    “Bonjour, Mademoiselle.” 

    “Where’s Zen?” 

    “East side of the Red Territory, towards the Bright family home.”

    “Most likely trying to find Ezra, then.” 

    A strangled yell came from the opposite direction. Not towards where Leona was, not towards the central quarter, not towards anywhere besides the lake of tears. Soon following the Magic Tower. “Do you think they already know of us here?”

    “Yes. Leo made it impossible to miss. So did Louis.” Sighing while pinching the bridge of her nose, the hushed tone of her voice didn't go unnoticed by Ash. “We’ll be lucky if they dont get one of us. They still have plenty of magic left from others I assure you.”

    “Leo is the most important.” 

    “Yeah, yeah.” 

    Stealing a glance at the tattoo, she threw the cape over her shoulders, covering down to her wrists. “Let's go investigate that.” A fire emerged from her hand. 

    “Elizabeth, don't catch the forest on fire.”

    “Unlike some of you, I know how to control my powers.”

    The blue haired man scoffed at her, brown eyes narrowing. Stealing a glance at the distant lights, he continued after Elizabeth’s stead.

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    Disguising themself farther into the darkness, the raven haired person stuck to the walls of the building, dodging the windows and prying eyes from anyone inside the estate. 

    Coming across the Library windows, they stole a glance inside. A middle-aged man sat on an armchair, pendulum ball hanging from his pointer finger as a woman looked at nearby books. 

    The man looked at the window, emerald meeting jade, before putting the pendulum ball down. 

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    “Your friends here.” Claudius’s voice rang through the room. Turning her head in the direction Claudius was looking at, she saw them. 

    “Zen.” 

    Ezra held up her hand, making a gesture to come in, and turned back to the book section. A quick flash of light brought another person in the room. “Never met him before.” Glancing back at Ezra’s discarded coat and walking stick, Zen looked back at the titles surrounding them. “Nor have I ever seen you take that coat off.”

    “Saddening.” 

    Plucking out a book from the shelf, Ezra promptly walked and sat leg-crossed on the couch opposite of the man. “You’re a mess right now, where have you been, hell?” 

    “I wish.” 

    Hair standing up in loose strands, dirt spread across their uniform, Zen looked like they had been dragged through a mud pit. Sitting down cautiously on the couch, Zen looked over Ezra’s shoulder, only to find scripted characters they couldn't even begin to understand. Symbols and pictures surrounded the pages.

    “You won’t be able to understand it.” A chime of a clock came from the hall. “It's in an old demon scripter.” 

    “Well… Isn't that a lovely thing to keep in your house.” Responding to Claudius’s statement with the most gracious voice he could muster, Zen cleared their throat before sitting up. 

    “Do you know what this might mean?”

    Holding the pendulum ball up once again, Claudius looked Zen dead in the eyes. Averting their gaze from the ball and back up into jade irises, Zen only cleared their throat again. “I can only roll out the possibility it's an old Eltrius scroll. They often resembled a ball. Most of them, if you used a certain combination of spells would unlock. Meaning it most likely came from Scarlet, if i'm right.” 

    “You are.” 

    Holding out her hand, Claudius dropped the small ball into her palm. “Do you know the combination to unlock it, then?” 

    “Sadly enough, no, but Emila or Leo might. They’re the closest to her.” 

    “Leo’s currently trying to avoid cradle, and Emila wouldn't dare to make any decisions leading to her exposure. I wouldn't be able to track them without magic, and considering how many people are currently around this area? Not a good idea.” 

    “Right, somebody with enough magical power could feel it. Got it.” 

    “Go take a bath. I’ll try and find clothes for you.”

    “Right, thanks.” 

    Once Zen left, Claudius turned back to Ezra. “I'm not sure I like him.”

    Closing the rather demonic book, Ezra stood up and strided towards the door. “You haven’t ever liked any of my friends, and he’s non-binary, so its ‘them’.”

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    “Oh what a mess!” The pout that was put on Ash’s face didn’t meet his eyes. Hand on his hip, and the other pressed to his lips. Ash’s body was covered in blood. Bloodied hands, bloodied clothes. Not like it's Elizabeth’s first time seeing him like this. 

    “I have to erase her memory due to you killing them.” The scoff sounded Ash’s way didn't affect him. 

    Something was running towards them, at a rather fast pace, they could both feel it. Though, it was great at hiding its presence. “Leona.” Next thing Ash knew, Elizabeth’s Martilel was in her hand, spinning  a few times before stopping and extending. The tiger came sprinting out of the forest, white coat shining in the moonlight, golden eyes reflecting off of it. A man soon after. Silver eyes bore into his, holding the Martilel out. 

    “Now, now, girlie’s. I'm not here to hurt you. Hand over the tiger and we’ll leave you alone.”

    It was only then that Elizabeth noticed the bodies were gone. Most likely buried deep in the ground by now due to Ash’s power. 

    “Excuse me? “Girllie’s?” I am a man through and through you toddler!” The blue haired man’s eyes shone a dangerous light, brown eyes  lighting up and iris’s slimming into a diamond. 

    The male only scoffed. “Yeah right, you got all the curves in all the right places! Now give me the tiger!” The man growled, only making it a step before the ground caved in under him. 

    Nearly breaking his legs, the earth was unforgiving. Squeezing up to his waist. 

    “I'm a man.” 

    “Help me you fool!”  The man’s angered voice only made Ash’s cheshire smile widen. 

    Crouching down in front of the man, Ash put his elbows on his legs, hands on the side of his head, 

    “I-m a m-a-n. Say it with me now! I'm a man!”

    “Help me!” 

    The ground only tightened around him. 

    Getting up, Ash skipped in circle’s around the man, chanting ‘I'm a man’ over and over again, watching in delight as the man screamed towards Elizabeth’s direction, whose attention was brought back to the boy sitting unconscious against a tree. 

    The man, now neck-deep in the ground, shot daggers at ash. 

    “You crazy ass bitch! Let me go!”

    “What am I! I'm a man!”

    “And you sir.”

    Stopping in front of him, crouching again, coming up close to his face, Ash’s smile widened at his obvious struggle.

    “Are a man, with an idiotic mind."

    Before another word could be exchanged, the man let out a blood-curdling scream before getting engulfed by the ground completely. Bones audible cracked under the surface. 

    “The worms appreciate it.” 

    Smile not leaving his face, Ash turned around and sat by Elizabeth, who had the child sleeping on one shoulder, Leona on her lap, and was staring into the oblivion. “Now i'm happy I never got that surgery! Afterall, it means more people to kill!”

    His irises changing back to normal, and the soft glow of his brown eyes subsided, he clapped his hands out of sheer delight. “I wonder how an organ would taste?” Curiosity crossing his face, Ash put his finger on his mouth again, dried blood making its way into his mouth. 

    “If you find out, please to god don't tell me.” Delighted laughter erupted from Ash’s throat, as he looked at Elizabeth, happiness relevant in his eyes. Cheshire smile now gone and replaced with a real smile of genuine happiness. 

    “Thats a rare occurrence.” 

    “Awe! Don't say that! I smile plenty!”                                                     

    “Ouais, Ouais. Sure ya do.”