Chapter 261 - The completion of the ritual

Faustina couldn't remember how it all happened. All she knew is that after she figured that Anna Unsterblich was in league with the forsaken, everything turned black and her consciousness drifted to slumber. 

And in the darkness of her sleep, she saw a familiar figure. She was glowing.

Eula—no, "Mother—"

Faustina chased after her, but to no avail, the woman only left and did not bother to look back. Soon, she was gone and fluttered away into a butterfly, disappearing in the midst of the darkness.

"Mother!"

Waking up with beads of sweat dripping across her face, Faustina heavily panted. What was that? What just happened? She gasped, trying to figure out where she was. And as she came back to her senses, memories sunk right through her.

She then stood up, and as she did so, she heard a clank—

And that's when Faustina found out that one of her legs was chained. 

Faustina bit her lips. What was this? Faustina looked around. She was in a room which has no windows in it. The only source of light was the oil lamp that hung in a place high up. She then began to walk, trying to find the extent of the chain.

Soon after, Faustina found out that the extent didn't reach the door. 

"Oh, you're awake." The door opened, revealing a person Faustina had never seen before. She was holding a tray that had fruits, bread, and meat in it. She then sauntered to the nightstand beside the pink canopy bed.

The woman was wearing round glasses, and she was wearing a black skirt and black stockings. Her collar was white, along with her ¾ sleeves. It looked like she was a student.

"Look around. This room is unused for seventeen years; father prepared it just for you."

Faustina blinked.

The canopy bed was pastel-pink, with the walls ivory-white. It was dark, still, as there is no window. In the carpet on the side, was a shelf of books, with dolls and toys on its side. 

"He's prepared so much for this," she murmured.

"…Who… are you?"

The girl turned to Faustina, meeting her red eyes.

"Gluttony." She said. "I'm not plump right now because I haven't murdered so much this week."

Faustina scowled. Murdered. 

"You're one of the warlock generals…" Faustina exclaimed. "What do you want from me?"

"Me?" Gluttony then traced her index finger in her cheek as she tilted her head. "I'm not very sure. I don't think I would want anything from you… but father. I think he needs you most of all." She said with a smile. "After all, this is the day he's been waiting for."

**

Faustina haven't eaten. After gluttony got out, she didn't touch the food she gave her. Faustina couldn't be letting her guard down. She needs to become vigilant. She doesn't know what kind of spell or poison they put in her food.

At any rate, she has to find a way to escape. 

Faustina then looked around, searching for a way to escape. Strangely enough, the chain is readjusted to all parts of the room except for the door. Faustina first sauntered her way towards the shelf, looking for a clue.

And then, one book caught her eyes.

'To Faustina.'

She inevitably reached to the book, and then as she drew it from the shelf, dust sprawled out. Faustina half closed her eyes as she coughed.

She then began to pat the dust away from the book. The book had a black color and had intricate cyan colored patterns and gems to it. Faustina felt her heartbeat speeding up as she stares at the book. What could it hold?

And as she opened the book…

She was welcomed with something else.

'Faustina. That's going to be her name, because she is fortune, our very own treasure. Our Faustina.

Born in December 13. In a wintry night.'

Faustina's eyes darted towards the sketch into the side of the text.

"T…This is me?"

It was a chubby baby. Faustina had no way of knowing how she looked when she was a child… 

'I drew her from the memory stones. Our connection have been cut off, but I'm going to do my best to visualize how she will look, growing up. My Faustina, my dear girl. It was a good thing that Nathaniel let me switch to this body temporarily so that I could fill this book…'

Faustina then turned to the next page.

It was another sketch of her; now, a toddler hugging a teddy bear.

'Faustina, two years old. I know that she might not be wearing these fancy dresses that I drew, but I wanted to imagine her being like this.'

The next page.

'Faustina, five. In this sketch, I made her wear a blue dress which had many frills. I'm not good at drawing, but I tried my best, so I could imagine her. So that I wouldn't feel like I'm missing out in her growing years. I know, that my Faustina, will grow into a fine little girl because she's got Eulalia with her.'

Faustina then turned to the next page.

In the next page was Eula and her, reading a book while sitting in a chair.

'This is my visualization of Faustina and her mother. I don't think Nathaniel will let me borrow this body back anymore, so maybe this is the final drawing. I didn't even manage to reach until her eighteen. But that's fine. Because I believe, even if I wouldn't draw my dear daughter, she will still grow finely and elegantly.'

The next pages after that is empty. Faustina blinked as she noticed droplets pouring over the book.

"Huh? I'm… crying?"

She then immediately wiped the tears away, but strangely enough, they weren't growing away. Before Faustina's weak hand then dropped the book down to the floor… and as she knelt to pick it up, she noticed that the book was opened into a filled page, which was after the blank pages.

She then picked it up and read.

'He got Eula's body. He would resurrect her from the dead using necromancy. But it's impossible—I told him, it's impossible. That the probability of summoning the right soul was below one percent. I told him that he might only ruin what's left of Eula, corrupting her forever if he does resurrect her soul. And I made a mistake. Because when I told him that, he wanted to do it more. 

I wasn't able to stop him, no matter how hard I tried. Even after Eula and I set the things up THIS far, he had still managed to take a whiff of it. So he took Eula here, her dead body; my dear Eula. He said that Faustina was captured by the king of Feuersturm. The very king whose family this body killed. The moment he finds that out, Faustina will be in grave danger. 

I have to take Faustina under my care as soon as I can. But I know that Nathaniel will need her, as well. But he said he shall respect my wishes to bring Faustina out of this. Can I trust him? Can I really? I don't know. But he is me, I am him. I will not let my child die in his hands. She is all that I have left. I am willing to sacrifice everything for her.

Until everything is dealt, I shall do what I must.'

"This is… father's writing." Faustina murmured.

Faustina then turned to the next page.

'The king of Feuersturm is dangerous. I shouldn't have trusted him with Faustina. I have seen the oracle. We have seen the prophecy. He will, eventually, kill—'

Faustina immediately closed the book as the door opened, revealing L.u.s.t.

"You didn't even eat?" She crossed her arms. "Not that it matters. Just a trickle will do, after all."

Faustina's eyes widened as a magic circle glowed underneath her.

And soon, she was gone from the room with the book falling to the floor.

**

Faustina's eyes widened. She was now in an unknown room. L.u.s.t was behind her, keeping her from moving. Where was she?

It was like an arena. She was outside; the moon was shining bright red, bathing the place with ominous light. 

The place was surrounded with seven generals circling around a casket;

And in that casket, lied a familiar person…

"Eula…!"

Faustina then struggled from L.u.s.t's grasp. "Let go of me…!"

Walking towards the casket was a man who was wearing a black magician's clothing. He had a ruby gem as a brooch which kept his robe together. His hair was slicked back, and his red eyes looked different. 

This… was not Faustina's father.

He gave Faustina a smirk. 

"Bring out the sacrifice."

Faustina's eyes widened as she sees familiar, emerald-colored eyes, and red hair. Being carried by Pride was a little girl who was too scared to even resist.

The forsaken then drew a blade away.

"What are you going to do to that girl…!" She realized now who the little girl looked like; she looked like the girl from the pendant of Duke Feuerlon! A splitting image of that girl. Was she her mother?

"This girl. Not only is she Eulalia's blood relative, but she's also got a mixture of Feuerlon blood in her." The forsaken exclaimed. "Rose. Was that the name of her mother? Ah, yes. Rose's mother was Eulalia's mother's sister. But Rose alone isn't enough, so we had her bear the child of a Feuerlon—a strong blood that is akin to the Feuerkriegers. And thus this girl is born, which is the fruit of our efforts to make Eulalia eternal!"

The forsaken laughed hysterically. "Well, then. I need some of your blood too; Eulalia's descent. Ah! But don't worry. This girl had taken your place, as per your father's request."

"My…father?"

"Yes. He didn't want you to die, so I had gone to extreme lengths just to do this!" He laughed. L.u.s.t then drew a blood-drawing device and then stabbed Faustina's skin. Faustina screamed in pain as L.u.s.t extracted blood from her.

"Be thankful we're only getting that much from you." L.u.s.t smirked. "After all, your life was spared."

Faustina then fell to the ground as she trembled.

The forsaken smirked as the device containing Faustina's blood drifted towards him.

"Now then…" His smile widened as he held the extracted blood. "Now, let us fulfill… the completion of the ritual!"